Kilauea Coastal Preserve Phase II, aka Kahili Beach - Kilauea Bay

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Project Description

THE LOCATIONS SHOWN ON THE MAP BELOW ARE APPROXIMATE. FOR MORE SPECIFIC LOCATION INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE. The State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources worked with the Kauai Public Land Trust (now Hawaiian Islands Land Trust) to acquire 32 acres within the Kilauea Coastal Preserve. The Kilauea Coastal Preserve is part of a patchwork quilt of managed areas being developed to protect rare and endangered species in the Kilauea River Watershed that includes State and County managed lands, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge, and private land partners, all managed to include protection for native ecosystems (Figure 3). The Preserve began with the donation of a 5.5 acre parcel in the Kilauea River basin. The second addition was made in November of 2005 which added a 3 acre parcel to the new preserve. As of 2007, 32 acres were available for purchase and addition to the existing coastal preserve. These 32 acres were privately owned and because land values in Hawaii are increasing the threat of development is always present. However, the owners of the two properties understood the value of endangered species protection and were willing to sell their property for conservation purposes. Purchase of these 32 acres for addition to the Kilauea Coastal Preserve resulted in perpetual protection of an area that contained five federally listed endangered bird species, the Hawaiian Goose, Hawaiian stilt, Hawaiian coot, Hawaiian gallinule, and Hawaiian duck. In addition to those species specifically contained in the 32 acres, two federally listed endangered mammal species have been observed using the habitat, these include the Hawaiian Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), and the Hawaiian Monk Seal. In addition, the area acts as a flyway between feeding and breeding habitat for one federally endangered seabird the Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), one federally threatened seabird the Newell’s shearwater (Puffinus newelli), and one state endangered seabird the Band-rumped storm petrel (Oceanodroma castro). This project also conserves habitat for three state listed species of concern, the Hihiwai, a native freshwater snail and two native goby species, O’opu naniha and O’opu akupa. In addition numerous other migratory birds, shorebirds, native fishes (jacks, endemic flag-tails, and mullet) and invertebrate species will all benefit from the acquisition and protection of the Kilauea Coastal Preserve. This project resulted in the permanent protection (and eventual restoration) of approximately 32 acres of estuarine and associated wetland and coastal habitat on the Island of Kauai. The location of this project is significant in that Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is adjacent to the eastern land boundary of the purchase area. In creating the Kilauea Coastal Preserve, two protected areas (KPNWR and the Preserve) created contiguous protected habitat area and reduced habitat fragmentation for the endangered species that utilize the area. The KPNWR is a nesting, and resting site for thousands of Hawaiian seabirds and is also home to the endangered Hawaiian goose. With an average of 300,000 visitors per year to the refuge, there is ample opportunity for the Kilauea Coastal Preserve to dovetail their educational and outreach activities to target these visitors. Located 5 miles east of the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, which provides habitat for Hawaiian stilts, coots, moorhens and ducks as well as 45 other species of birds, the acquisition of the Kilauea Coastal Preserve provided additional protected habitat to a large population of wetland birds in the Kilauea/Hanalei vicinity.

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Project Map

Publicly Accessible: Yes
County: Kauai County, HI
Project Size:

39.9 acres

Project Sites

Parcel A
Parcel B
Parcel C

Goals and Targets

Primary Motivations:

Conservation Mission
The Pacific Coast Joint Venture uses a business model that develops partnerships between public and private agencies and organizations. Our partners pool financial and management resources to fund and carry out on-the-ground projects to protect lowland wetland and upland habitats

Primary Goals:

acquire, restore and protect over 200 acres of Kauai’s coastal wetlands in the Kilauea River Watershed
Progress: "Parcel C, 3 acres (illustrated in Figure 5 labeled C), was acquired in November of 2005. These 3 acres are the most eastern parcel of the Kilauea Coastal Preserve, and contains mostly inter-tidal and coastal strand habitat. This parcel has the potential to provide nesting habitat for endangered Hawaiian waterbirds once restoration and management is undertaken. Parcel B, 20 acres, will be acquired via Coastal Grant funds. These 20 acres contain highly productive, regional declining marine inter-tidal and coastal strand/ dune habitats. Sale of this parcel to a private owner will eliminate the current opportunity to protect a long stretch of unique coastal wetland habitat. Parcel A, 12 acres, will also be acquired via Coastal Grant funds. These 12 acres of estuarine inter-tidal emergent coastal wetland habitat provide an opportunity to link the Kilauea Point NWR and Kilauea Coastal Preserve creating over 250 acres of contiguous wildlife habitat. In addition to creating contiguous habitat, this acquisition will provide opportunities to restore unique estuary habitat for several endangered species." ---from grant application to USFWS, 2007
Provide significant benefits to local community Due to the Kilauea Coastal Preserve’s central location this acquisition project will create a community based refuge where local residents can view and appreciate wildlife, while caring for Hawaiian resources. The Kilauea Coastal Preserve is located near the most heavily visited wildlife refuge in the nation, and at times the refuge can seem almost crowded. The Kilauea Coastal Preserve will allow the local community an opportunity to get involved in their own backyard and cultivate a sense of stewardship for their resources. This will be a place that local residents can take pride in and call there own. It can be a place where local school groups learn about local wildlife and local culture. This project offers an opportunity for the local community to get involved with the management and conservation of Kauai’s natural resources.

Consistent With Plans:

Watershed Plan
Kauai Watershed Management Plan, Kauai Watershed Alliance
State Wildlife Action Plan
Hawaii Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2005
Conservation Plan
Ducks Unlimited Conservation Plan, 2001; North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, 2002; Pacific Islands Regional Shorebird Conservation Plan, 2004, USFWS; Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan, 2006; USFWS Seabird Conservation Plan, 2005
Other
Strategic Plan for Wetland Conservation in Hawaii, 2005, Pacific Coast Joint Venture; Regional Wetlands Concept Plan under the Emergency Wetlands Resource Act of 1990; Hawaii Waterbirds Recovery Plan, 2nd Draft, 2nd Version, 2005, USFWS; Local Action Plan, 2002, Coral Reef Task Force; Migratory Bird Program Strategic Plan, 2004; U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, 2001

Targeted Habitats:

Aquatic

Estuarine

Wetlands and Riparian Habitats

Targeted Species:

Alae Keokeo Fulica alai
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma castro
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster
Great Frigatebird Fregata minor
Green Turtle Chelonia mydas
Hawaiian Duck Anas wyvilliana
Hawaiian Gallinule Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis
Hawaiian Goose Branta sandvicensis
Hawaiian Monk Seal Monachus schauinslandi
Hawaiian Petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis
Hawaiian Stilt Himantopus mexicanus knudseni
Hihiwai Neritina granosa
Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis
Naniha Goby Stenogobius hawaiiensis
Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda
Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus
White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus

Conservation Actions

Action	Status	Start Year	End Year
Land acquisition for conservation (fee simple, etc.)	Completed	2007	--

Outcomes

Is the success of this project's actions being monitored? Yes

Monitoring Activities
"Upon successful acquisition of the proposed 32 acres, a comprehensive restoration and management plan will be developed.... "Once all available acres have been acquired [this is Phase II of a five-phase plan] , the KPLT, in cooperation with federal and state agencies, is committed to securing funding for the implementation of management of the habitat within the Kilauea Coastal Preserve in perpetuity." --from the 2007 grant application to USFWS

Any Additional Information About The Project
"Other projects located around the Kilauea River on the island of Kauai include the restoration of habitat at the Kilauea Unit of the Kauai National Wildlife Refuge conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; The Kilauea Neighborhood Association sponsors a twice monthly beach clean-up program. These projects relate to the proposed Kilauea Coastal Preserve Acquisition project because they are restoring the environment and wildlife habitat while promoting a sense of community stewardship around the Kilauea River and Bay. This project would complement the above mentioned projects since it would create cumulative benefits in the form of contiguous conserved and restored coastal marine and terrestrial habitats within the Kilauea River Watershed.... "Over the past few years the Kauai Public Land Trust has created numerous volunteer opportunities in the form of trash removal, native plant out-plating and general community clean-ups around the Kilauea Coastal Preserve. These efforts have helped to create a strong bond with the Kilauea community and ready the stage for a community involved restoration program." --from the 2007 grant application to USFWS The Kilauea River valley is known to have been an area of Hawaiian settlement and productive agriculture. This is known from various house sites that have been discovered on the 162 ac “river parcel” and at several places directly across the river (eastern side) from the “river parcel” along with old agricultural terraces that are old taro lo’i. Many artifacts which allude to a rich agricultural history have been found in the 12 acre river parcel and adjacent 162 acre parcel (these include irrigation systems, terrace walls, and stairs used to traverse the areas field). There are also old, Hawaiian home sites in this area. There are known Hawaiian burials within the 8.5 acres that are protected within the preserve, and there is a dramatic ancient wall that comes diagonally down and across a hill, from the bluff above in a westward direction. There was a heiau (ancient Hawaiian temple) in the area. Subsequent to Hawaiian settlement, many Chinese moved to the valley to live and farm rice, often in the former taro lo’i. On the western side of the river, the Rock Quarry road (over 100 years old) was the way supplies were brought in to Kauai’s North Shore and to the plantations in Kilauea.

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Kilauea Coastal Preserve Phase II, aka Kahili Beach - Kilauea Bay

Project Description

Project Map

Project Sites

Goals and Targets

Primary Motivations:

Primary Goals:

Consistent With Plans:

Targeted Habitats:

Targeted Species:

Conservation Actions

Outcomes

Quick Facts

Owning Organization

Managing Organization

Contact Information

General Information

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