photo taken within the Honuaʻula State Forest Reserve, courtesy Hawaiʻi DLNR

(BIVN) – The public is invited to provide input on the management of Honuaʻula State Forest Reserve in Kona.

From a Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources news release:

On the slopes of Hualālai above the bustle of Kailua-Kona, an important forested watershed is being restored. The Honuaʻula State Forest Reserve, first created in 1906 and greatly expanded in 2006, now covers 8,000 acres of land critical to the well being of the people, plants, and animals within and nearby. The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is seeking input on a draft management plan for the Honuaʻula Forest Reserve that will guide management priorities for this area over the next ten years. The draft plan contains a brief history of the area, a complete record of boundary changes over time, a description of natural and cultural resources, as well as an account of infrastructure and intended uses and management of the area.

In addition to producing the draft plan itself, DOFAW has developed an online platform to engage people in learning about the Honuaʻula Forest Reserve and contributing to the planning process. Using the state’s digital mapping system as a foundation, users can explore virtual information guides describing the Honuaʻula Forest Reserve’s history, plants and animals, natural resources, threats, stewardship, public uses, and proposed management priorities. Users can also participate in an online community survey and submit comments that will be included as part of the planning process.

Written comments for the plan can be submitted and postmarked no later than, Thursday, March 31, 2022 to: Forestry Program Manager, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813. Or via email to: forestry@hawaii.gov and online at the digital public engagement platform.