Honu'apo Park Resource Management Plan

Honuÿapo Park Final Resources Management Plan
• Removal of California and Guinea grass in parks, campsites, and along trails
and roads, and replacement with fire and drought tolerant vegetation
• Maintenance of fire truck emergency access route
• Caution signage
• Controlled burns near park areas to serve as fire breaks in the event of
wildfire ignition
Park Access and Facilities
The Hawaiÿi County DPR will be the lead agency for maintenance and operation of
park areas with support from the community group KOOH and community
volunteers. Operation and maintenance of park facilities including park access,
parking structures, pavilions, picnic areas and BBQs, campsites, and restrooms will
be the responsibility of DPR. Park access will be of particular importance for
protecting natural resources and native Hawaiian sites. This plan recommends the
following use restrictions to be enforced by DPR with the support of KOOH:
• No motorized vehicle access along Honuÿapo coastal trail.
• Camping at designated camp areas only; combined capacity of all existing
and planned camping areas of Honuÿapo Park is approximately 50 campers.
• No bright lights in coastal park areas after dark.
• Access to the wetlands restoration area from Whittington park section and
the coastal side of the estuary only; restricted access in wetland habitat areas
to decrease the potential for predator entry.
Due to DPR’s budget constraints, the successful implementation and management
of additional campsites at Honuÿapo Park will depend on the partnership between
DPR and KOOH. A successful management model for the park is the partnership
between DPR and “Kamaÿaina United to Protect the ÿAina” (KUPA) at Hoÿokena
Beach Park in South Kona. KUPA has hired a security group, the “Aloha Patrol”,
which is made up of local Hoÿokena residents that are onsite daily. The Aloha
Patrol issues permits for camping at the park and provides education and
information to park users. KUPA turns in daily reports to DPR of activities at
Hoÿokena. KUPA uses the proceeds from the campsite permits and a concession at
the beach park to compensate the Aloha Patrol.
KOOH could use a similar model to provide management support to DPR for
improved park areas as well as for coastal and estuarine areas, which would be key
to the protection of sensitive areas, as well as the security and well-being of park
users. KOOH could consider operating a small concession at the park and also
could organize guided tours of some of the wetlands restoration areas as a means
of earning steady income for their activities.
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