January 10, 2025
Kaua‘i – The cancellation of a longstanding land agreement between the state of Hawai‘i and the County of Kaua‘i has opened the door for the island’s prominent forest bird and seabird recovery programs to consolidate their efforts at a single site.
The state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) approved Kaua‘i Mayor Derek Kawakami’s request to revoke Governor’s Executive Order (EO) 4045, initially issued in 1955 for the Hanapēpē Dog Pound site. The Kaua‘i Humane Society used the property for 46 years, and since 2015, it had been designated for Hawaiian stewardship programs.
In a submission to the land board, Mayor Kawakami noted that the site was no longer used for stewardship purposes. Despite fencing efforts, squatters had occupied the property. The county plans to remove the squatters and their belongings before the cancellation is finalized.
The land will now serve the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, College of Natural Sciences, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU), supporting the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP), the Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project (KESRP), and the Research Corporation of the University of Hawai‘i (RCUH) under a 25-year no-cost lease.
Dr. Shaya Honarvar, PCSU Director and Principal Investigator for KFBRP and KESRP, stated, “Our mission is to protect and restore Hawai‘i’s native species, ecosystems, and cultural resources. The forest bird and seabird recovery projects on Kaua‘i epitomize this mission by combining research and conservation of federally and state protected native birds; some of which would already be extinct without the intervention of the project’s talented and dedicated teams.”
The BLNR submission highlighted recent dramatic declines in forest bird populations on Kaua‘i and technological advancements to combat mosquito-borne diseases, the primary threat. KFBRP’s budget and staff have nearly doubled, outgrowing their current rented property. Meanwhile, KESRP, operating from a small container at the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) base yard, seeks a permanent home.
Dr. Lisa ‘Cali’ Crampton, KFBRP Project Leader, remarked, “This allows us to share staff knowledge and skills more easily. A major synergy will be having space for cross-training, not only with our seabird partners but also with our DLNR colleagues. There are many overlaps between various types of avian research and conservation, so being together provides great learning opportunities.”
The new facility is close to the developing DLNR/DOFAW westside base yard. DOFAW Kaua‘i Branch Manager Sheri S. Mann commented, “We hope to break ground in the next six months. The proximity of these projects, with whom we already collaborate frequently, will enhance our shared endangered bird protection mission.”
Dr. Julia Diegmann, KFBRP planner, added, “With the extinction crisis we’re facing, having a shared baseyard will allow us to streamline field operations, share equipment, vehicles, and other resources. Having a united front allows us to expand our outreach to the community. It’s not just about doing the critical conservation work—it’s about showing how important our native species are to the health of our ecosystems and the cultural heritage that makes our island so special.”
All images/video Courtesy: DLNR
