In Hawaiʻi, it helps to be local. That’s the driving principle behind new web and social media content managed by the DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife (DOFAW) which aims to provide easier access to information about natural resources and recreation opportunities depending on where a user is located.

The newly redesigned DOFAW website features a number of user-focused updates, including the ability to filter statewide information by island. The new structure follows a model first used in 2019 by the Kaua’i Forest Users web hub, which consolidates access to Kauaʻi-specific information across DOFAW’s programs for trails, hunting, ecosystem protection, and management of plants and wildlife. The Kauaʻi hub is now joined by the Maui Nui Forest Users, Hawai’i Island Forest Users and O’ahu Forest Users hubs, providing locally relevant information for users across the state. Any hub can be accessed from the main DOFAW homepage by clicking on the menu option for “Island Hubs.” As part of the redesign, the marketing URL previously used for Kauaʻi (kauaiforestusers.com) will be phased out, with users instead encouraged to visit the main DOFAW website and then select their island from the top menu.

DOFAW is also developing community-focused social media accounts to highlight local opportunities for volunteering and to celebrate the plants, animals, and areas that make each island unique. These accounts, including the newly launched O’ahu DOFAW and Kaua’i DOFAW accounts on Instagram, are a local complements to the statewide, department-wide Hawaii DLNR accounts. Accounts focusing on forest resources on Hawaiʻi Island or Maui Nui are under discussion.

“Experiencing nature is a very personal thing,” said David Smith, DOFAW Administrator. “Like all our conservation work, it’s rooted in place. We want our outreach to reflect that, and to help people learn and care about what is around them.”

DOFAW has also launched new online learning tools that allow exploration from home or from the classroom, including:

• A video hub for documentaries and other videos by DLNR and partners
• A growing collection of virtual tours using 360˚ photos and videos of sites including Kaʻena Point Natural Area Reserve, Kawainui Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, and more
• Native species profiles on snails, insects, and over 70 new native bird pages integrated with streamable audio of bird songs
• Interactive web maps linking to information on public lands managed by the Division, including Forest Reserves, Natural Area Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Nā Ala Hele trails, and Public Hunting Areas.

“This is also an equity and accessibility issue for us,” continued Smith. “We want to remove some of the barriers people may have to experiencing public resources. Some of our areas are closed to in-person visits in order to protect rare species, and even for our open areas, there are going to be people who don’t have the physical ability or experience to hike to remote places or travel to reserves on different islands. If people can’t be outdoors in person, we’re going to bring some of what makes Hawaiʻi special to them.”

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• DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife website: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw

• Kaua’i Forest Users: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/kauaiforestusers/
• Maui Nui Forest Users website: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/mauiforestusers/
• Hawai’i Island Forest Users website: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hawaiiforestusers/
• O’ahu Forest Users: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/oahuforestusers/

• Oʻahu Forestry & Wildlife social media:
  • Instagram: O’ahu DOFAW (https://www.instagram.com/oahudofaw/)
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dofawoahu

• Kauaʻi Forestry & Wildlife social media:
  • Instagram: KauaiDOFAW (https://www.instagram.com/kauaidofaw/)
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kauaʻi-Branch-Division-of-Forestry-and-Wildlife-109254961548132