Glossary Terms
Much of the upper-elevation forest area of the Wai‘anae moku is included in state reserves like the Keaau Forest Reserve, Kuaokalā Forest Reserve, Wai‘anae Kai Forest Reserve, Mount Ka‘ala Natural Area Reserve, and other state lands. Conservation and protection of rare coastal habitat at the Ka‘ena Point Natural Area Reserve is managed by the State of Hawai‘i as well.
The U.S. military funds natural resource protection programs on the lands it occupies in the Wai‘anae moku. The U.S. Department of the Army provides conservation measures, including habitat maintenance and restoration, at the Mākua Valley Military Reservation in ‘Ōhikilolo and Kahanahāiki. The other large parcel of federal land in Wai‘anae is the U.S. Navy’s Lualualei Naval Magazine and Naval Radio Transmitting Facility. Base personnel at Lualualei currently maintain over 680 acres of wildlife management area.
Upper-elevation forests of the Wai‘anae Range are conservation lands.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey.The Forest Reserve system was created in 1903 to protect the high quality of Hawai‘i’s water, which was being threatened by destruction of the forested mountain watersheds (Buck 2003). This endeavor became the largest public-private partnership in the history of the State. Forest reserves were established and fenced, damaging animals were removed, and millions of trees were planted. Management activities, such as protective zoning, fencing, removal or control of feral animals, reforestation, and fire protection have reduced excessive erosion and loss of vegetative cover. The forest reserves in Hawai‘i today are the result of those early efforts. They provide places for recreation, education, and cultural and spiritual learning, as well as habitat for many of the state’s threatened and endangered plant and animal species. Today, the Forest Reserve system is managed by the State of Hawai‘i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources.
The Natural Area Reserve (NAR) System is run by the State of Hawai‘i’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife. The mission of the NAR system is to protect the state’s most unique ecosystems. Access to these areas is somewhat restricted as visitors may use the areas for educational or scientific purposes but must obtain a permit before visiting.
The Ka‘ena Point NAR, though only 34 acres, protects the last somewhat intact coastal dune ecosystem on O‘ahu. It was previously a very popular area for off-road driving, which was destructive to native plant and animal habitats. Under the NAR system, the area has recovered to the point where native vegetation is flourishing, and seabirds like the Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) and wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus) build hundreds of nests. Even the solitary Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) has been spotted in this protected area (State of Hawaii DLNR 2003).
The Mount Ka‘ala NAR is over 1,000 acres and occupies the cloud-shrouded peak of the Wai‘anae Mountains, at over 4,000 feet in elevation. The vegetation on the slopes is a variety of dry, moist, and wet forest and shrubland typically dominated by native species (State of Hawaii DLNR 1990). Native snails and birds have also been recorded in the NAR, and a unique montane bog ecosystem occupies the top of the mountain.
Outside of the moku but also important to the natural health of the Wai‘anae Mountains are the Mokulē‘ia Forest Reserve and Pahole NAR in the north and the Hono‘ulī‘ulī Preserve in the south, managed by the Nature Conservancy. These areas help to maintain the biological richness of the moku and the island.
The federal government, in particular the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), is responsible for programs to protect threatened and endangered species in mauka habitats. The responsibilities of the USFWS include determining which plant and animal species should be listed as threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. In the Wai‘anae moku, more than than 55 plant and animal species have been listed as endangered species. For more information on threatened and endangered species found in Wai‘anae, see the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems page.
At the time of listing each endangered species, the USFWS can designate areas that it considers to be critical habitat, that is, specific areas where physical or biological features essential to the conservation of the species occur. The USFWS also is responsible for developing recovery plans for endangered and threatened species. Recovery plans outline actions that can be taken by public and private agencies and individuals to help recover listed species, such as habitat protection and management, reduction of threats such as invasion of non-native species, monitoring of trends, and research to understand better both the biology of species and what factors threaten them (Bartel and others 2001).
Numerous community, state, and national organizations spearhead resource management and cultural activities in the moku. They organize everything from beach cleanups to forest and stream restorations to educational hikes, offering community members opportunities to visit and work in conservation areas. These organizations and dedicated individuals play an important role in preserving the vitality and beauty of the Wai‘anae moku.
All Hawai‘i Stands Together: Onipaa
From the Firey pit of Tutu Pele
I hear my mother’s call
Old Tutu Kāne and Mauna Kea
Send their love to all
To stand as one beneath the sun
Blessings from Haleakala
For our sweet Ka‘ala and Wai ‘ae ‘ale
Where the greatest waters fall.
– A song by Liko Martin, Wao Akua Sacred Source of Life
When it comes to volunteering, there is always room for one more. Contact one of these organizations to learn more or to get involved:
Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources
The Cultural Learning Center at Ka‘ala Farm
P. O. Box 630
Wai‘anae, HI 96792
(808) 696-4954
The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i
(808) 537-4508
(808) 621-2008
Nani O Wai‘anae
84-183 Makau Street
Wai‘anae, Hawai‘i 96792
(808) 696-1920
Sierra Club
(808) 739-3936
Bartel, J.A., J.C. Knight, and D.R. Elam. 2001. Endangered Species Act and Rare Plant Protection in California. California Native Plant Society. http://www.cnps.org/programs/Rare_Plant/usfws.htm
Buck, M.G. 2003. Year of the Hawaiian Forest. State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/Year2003/DRAFTplan.htm
State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). 1990. Mount Kaala Natural Area Reserve Management Plan. Natural Area Reserves System Program.
State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). 2003. Hawaii Natural Area Reserves System. Division of Forrestry and Wildlife. http://www.dofaw.net/nars/index.php
Hawaii Ecosystems at Risk. 2004. Miconia calvescens: An Invasive Weed in Hawaii. Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk Project. http://www.hear.org/MiconiaInHawaii/
Makua Implementation Team, Will Chee Planning Inc., and Hawaii Natural Heritage Program. 2003. Final Implementation Plan: Makua Military Reservation, Island of Oahu. Prepared for U. S. Army Garrison, Hawaii, Directorate of Public Works, under Contract No. DACA83-96-D-0007.
Nani O Waianae. 2001. Nani O Waianae/Leahi Net Home Page. http://www.leahi.net/nani/
Ticktin, T. 2004. Waianae Kai Forest Reserve: Community Based Management Research Project. University of Hawaii. Hawaii Conservation Alliance. http://www.hawaii.edu/scb/docs/support/supgrant_waianae%20kai.html
Sharpe, E. 1995. Recovery Plan for the Waianae Plant Cluster. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). 2003. Wao Akua: Sacred Source of Life. Division of Forestry & Wildlife. Honolulu, HI.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2004b. Pacific Islands - Endangered Species/Threatened and Endangered Animals in the Hawaiian Islands. http://pacificislands.fws.gov/wesa/snailsoahu.html
