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

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
LEIS that support wilderness designation are then transmitted through the Secretary of the Interior to
the President of the United States, and ultimately to the Congress for approval.
The following section summarizes the inventory phase of the wilderness review for the Hakalau
Forest NWR.
Wilderness Inventory
The wilderness inventory is a broad look at the planning area to identify WSAs. These WSAs are
roadless areas within refuge boundaries, including submerged lands and their associated water
column, that meet the minimum criteria for wilderness identified in Sect. 2(c) of the Wilderness Act.
A WSA must meet the minimum size criteria (or be a roadless island), appear natural, and provide
outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive recreation. Other supplemental values are
evaluated, but not required. Three inventory units were identified in order to evaluate whether the
lands and waters of Hakalau Forest NWR meet the minimum criteria for a WSA. These inventory
units are identified in Figures D-1 and D-2 as Inventory Unit A on the Kona Forest Unit (KFU) and
Inventory Units B1 and B2 on the Hakalau Forest Unit (HFU).
Note that management activities for wilderness areas can be conducted in a manner that maintains the
wilderness character by using the minimal tools necessary to achieve Refuge purposes, as required
under the Wilderness Act and Service policy (610 FW 1-4, Wilderness Stewardship). For Hakalau
Forest NWR, this would include ongoing management activities such as fence construction,
inspection, and repairs, a variety of surveys, threat mitigation (e.g., ungulate removal, predator
control, invasive weed management, etc.), and outplantings. These activities currently occur in
inventory unit B1 and are planned for inventory units A and B2.
Kona Forest Unit
Inventory Unit A consists of the entire KFU, which is located on the leeward slope of Mauna Loa.
The 5,300 acre Refuge supports diverse native bird and plant species as well as the rare habitats
found in lava tubes and lava tube skylights.
Hakalau Forest Units
1. Inventory Unit B1 includes the management Units that are located in the upper elevation and
contain the existing access roads and facilities. This unit contains approximately 9,000 acres and
includes all Refuge lands above approximately 5,000 feet elevation.
2. Inventory Unit B2 contains approximately 23,000 acres and includes all Refuge lands below
approximately 5,000 feet elevation.
Evaluation of Size Criteria for Roadless Areas, Roadless Islands, and Submerged Lands and
Associated Water Column
Identification of roadless areas, roadless islands, and submerged lands and associated water column
required gathering land status maps, land use and road inventory data, satellite imagery, aerial
photographs, and personal observations of areas within Refuge boundaries. “Roadless” refers to the
absence of improved roads suitable and maintained for public travel by means of motorized vehicles
primarily intended for highway use.
D-2 Appendix D. Wilderness Review