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

Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
Comprehensive Conservation Plan
Hakalau Forest NWR Background:
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) consists of the Hakalau Forest Unit and the Kona
Forest Unit, collectively managed as the Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Hakalau
Forest Unit was established in 1985 to protect and manage endangered forest birds and their
rainforest habitat. Located on the windward slope of Mauna Kea, Island of Hawai‘i, this 32,733-acre
unit supports a diversity of native birds and plants (27 of which are listed under the Endangered
Species Act). The Kona Forest Unit was set aside in 1997 to protect native forest birds, the
endangered ‘alalā (Corvus hawaiiensis, Hawaiian crow), and several listed plants. Located on the
leeward slope of Mauna Loa, this 5,300-acre unit supports diverse native bird and plant species, as
well as rare lava tube and lava tube skylight habitats.
Comprehensive Conservation Planning Process Summary:
Initial preplanning activities began in 2007. This period included team development and
identification of management issues, vision, goals, and objectives. Public involvement began in 2009
with the scoping process and publication of our notice of intent to prepare a CCP. This period
involved mailings of the planning update, a news release and website posting, two public open
houses, an interagency scoping meeting, and briefings of public officials. In 2010, the draft CCP/EA
was developed and circulated for public comment. Notification of this document as well as
solicitation of public comment during the 30 day comment period was accomplished through a
planning update, a notice of availability in the Federal Register, a news release and website posting,
holding of a public open house meeting, and circulating announcements via email and list serves.
Refuge responses to public comments received were incorporated as part of Appendix K.
Alternative Selected (Summary of Management):
Three alternatives were analyzed during the CCP process and public comment review period.
Alternative B (the Refuge’s preferred alternative) was chosen for implementation. This alternative
focuses on protecting additional habitat; increasing management activities related to restoration and
reforestation as well as controlling threats such as feral ungulates, invasive weed species, predator
mammals, and other pests; better focusing and prioritizing of data collection and research for
adaptive management; and expanding public use activities and collaborative partnering.
The vision (with Hawaiian translation) for Hakalau Forest NWR:
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (Ka Pu‘uhonua Waonahele Aupuni ‘o Hakalau)
Aia nō i uka i ke kua ko‘olau o Mauna Kea ka pu‘uhonua waonahele aupuni ‘o Hakalau. He wahi
kēia e hui ai kānaka e laulima ma o ke ka‘analike aku, ka‘analike mai i ka ‘ike, ka no‘eau, a me ka
mana i mea e ho‘opalekana, ho‘oikaika, a ho‘ōla hou ai i ke ola maoli e noho ana ma ka waonahele.
Ua kapa ‘ia ka inoa ‘o Hakalau no ka nui o nā haka e noho ‘ia e nā manu ‘ōiwi. I kēia lā ‘o
Hakalau kekahi o nā home nunui no ka hui manu Hawai‘i ‘ane make loa. Kīkaha a‘ela nā manu, nā
pua laha ‘ole ho‘i, i ka ‘ohu‘ohu o Hakalau a ma lalo iki e mūkīkī i ka wai pua ‘ōhi‘a. Ua nani nō
ka ‘ikena a ‘upu a‘ela nō ke aloha no kēia ‘āina nei no nā kau a kau.