The Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance The Watershed Existing Management |
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| State of Hawai‘i Over half of the KWA is in State ownership under conservation zoning, with a designated Wilderness Preserve, and two Natural Area Reserves dedicated specifically to biodiversity conservation. State lands under management also include the Koke‘e, Waimea Canyon, and Na Pali Coast State Parks. Direct stewardship in other state-owned conservation land focuses on wildfire prevention and facilitation of public hunting and recreational hiking. The Na Pali Coast State Park is heavily utilized for wilderness camping and hunting of introduced feral goats. Within this park, stewardship of small sites for rare plants occurs on a periodic basis. Private Ownership Four other major private landowners (McBryde Sugar Company, Kamehameha Schools, Princeville Development, and Grove Farm) have various small scale management programs focused on managing access, preventing fire, and a few low impact commercial hikes and tours. The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG), based on Kaua‘i, is active in the location and propagation of imperiled plant species. Weed Control Efforts Portions of the Ku‘ia and Hono o Na Pali State Natural Area Reserves and the Alaka‘i State Wilderness Preserve receive some management for protection from ungulates and prevention of new weeds species by the State Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and their cooperators such as Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee and the Koke‘e Resource Conservation Program, a non-profit program under Garden Island Resource Conservation and Development Inc. The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) maintains several small enclosures to prevent ungulate incursion within the Alaka‘i Wilderness Preserve. Non-Profit Organizations The Koke‘e Resource Conservation Program (KRCP) addresses a critical need for the region. KRCP is a collaborative project in vegetation management that started as a pilot project in 1998 by Hui o Laka and Koke‘e Natural History Museum in cooperation with Hawai‘i State Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of State Parks. KRCP is now a program of Garden Island Resource Conservation and Development. It involves coordination of volunteers that perform alien plant management. KRCP’s use of volunteers gets the job done as well as heightens public awareness of the need for partnerships and community-based management of the unique ecosystems of Koke‘e. The Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee (KISC) is a voluntary partnership of government, private, non-profit organizations, and concerned individuals working to prevent, control, or eliminate the most threatening invasive plant and animal species to Kaua‘i’s native biodiversity. KISC has a well developed management plan that includes several of the top threats to the KWA area. KISC has the potential to be a strong resource for the KWA and strong mutual benefits would be gained from collaboration. |
| Introduction and Background - The Value of Forested Watersheds Native Ecosystems - Primary Threats - Existing Management |
| Introduction and Background - The Value of Forested Watersheds Native Ecosystems - Primary Threats - Existing Management |