Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan - U.S. Fish and Wildlife ...

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
publication. Commercial photographers, journalists, and film crews may wish to visit Hakalau Forest
NWR to take stills or movies for use in a wide variety of publications, documentaries, newscasts,
exhibitions, or other presentations. Some of the products will be available to the Refuge for use in
brochures, PowerPoint presentations, orientation movies, and other interpretive and educational
purposes. Special use permits will be issued to cover these types of activities.
Much of the Refuge, including areas with the highest populations of rare birds and plants, is not open
to the public. The photos, films, artwork, narratives, and recordings resulting from permitted
activities will enable the general public to vicariously view and experience Hakalau Forest NWR’s
rare and imperiled wildlife and plant resources and learn about research and management activities.
These products will also serve as tools for environmental education and cultivate support for Refuge
programs and conservation actions.
Photography, video, filming, or audio recording of a noncommercial nature are addressed under a
separate compatibility determination (wildlife observation and photography). This compatibility
determination does not apply to bona fide news media activities.
Commercial photography, video, filming, or audio recording may be conducted only on lands within
our jurisdiction. Although applications for this activity may be for any time of year, time restrictions
may be required to limit disturbance. This may include such specifications as time of day and
seasonal restrictions. Specific conditions have been developed by the Refuge to minimize or avoid
impacts to Refuge resources and are listed in “Stipulations Necessary to Ensure Compatibility” in
this document.
In order to ensure there are no negative impacts to Refuge resources, the applicant will be required to
obtain a Special Use Permit from the Refuge, which is reviewed and signed by the Refuge Manager.
Additionally, when conducting actual onsite operations, the applicant could be accompanied or
contacted by Refuge personnel to ensure compliance with the permit conditions and prevent any
unforeseen negative impacts to Refuge resources.
Availability of Resources:
At present, Hakalau Forest NWR can only accommodate one or two commercial video, filming, or
audio recording operations per month. If the number of applicants begins to increase, additional
staffing would be required. The Refuge requires the permittee to offset any cost incurred by the
Refuge by payment of a one-time permit fee of $150.00.
Category and Itemization One-time ($) Annual ($/yr)
Administration and Management $150/permittee $4,000
The above annual cost reflects the cost to manage the program and prevent impacts to natural
resources. Estimated costs were calculated using 1 percent of the base cost of a GS-12 Deputy
Refuge Manager, 1 percent of the GS-13 Refuge Manager, 1 percent of the GS-12 Wildlife Biologist,
and 1 percent of the GS-9 Administrative staff, the estimated portion of the year that this activity
would require to administer this use. The one-time administration and monitoring cost reflects the
approximate cost per commercial photography, video, filming, or audio recording operation incurred
by the Refuge, and the offsetting cost reflects the reimbursement provided by the permittee. The user
B-38 Appendix B: Appropriate Uses and Compatibility Determinations