#Department of Land and Natural Resources
Loss of land in storm complicates recovery for ‘Īao Valley residents
Maui County is considering returning some of the soil runoff from last month’s flooding back to landowners who lost large swaths of property so they can rebuild.
West Maui resort’s emergency erosion measures, blocked beach access stir public pushback
The Hyatt Regency Maui says it needs to shore up the beach after last month’s Kona storm swept away much of the sand, but community members say it will lead to more beach loss.
Hawaiʻi native plants compete for $10,000 conservation prize
Two native Hawaiian plant species are competing in a global online contest for a $10,000 grant to help save the trees and shrubs from the brink of extinction.
Who should get first crack at water licenses in Hawaiʻi? This bill wants it to be the counties
The proposal comes at a time when Maui County is hoping to one day take over the private system used to divert streams in East Maui.
Rep. Daniel Holt of Oʻahu resigns following appointment to Executive Branch
Rep. Daniel Holt (D-28, Sand Island, Iwilei, Chinatown) today announced that he will not seek another term in the State House, with his final day in office set for Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. This decision comes after Governor Josh Green appointed Holt as Special Assistant to the Chair of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Hawaiʻi officials worry bills to help property owners with coastal erosion could put public beaches at risk
A proposal in the State Legislature calls for lifting the current ban on private shoreline hardening to allow minimal use to help property owners.
All state parks and forest areas closed due to severe weather
The Hawai‘i State Department of Land and Natural Resources closed all state parks and forest areas to the public as of 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, due to the expected continuance of severe weather conditions across the state.
‘Go Slow–Whales Below’ initiative aims for boater and whale safety during peak winter koholā season
The “Go Slow – Whales Below” initiative is urging mariners to exercise caution as humpback whale season reaches its peak in Hawaiian waters. The safety warning follows the recent discovery of a humpback whale calf off the west coast of Oʻahu with a large gash across its back, an injury likely caused by a vessel […]
State unveils plans to improve popular Māla Boat Ramp in Lahaina
The state already has spent $1 million to dredge the incoming channel, and now it is spending another $2.2 million to pave the access road, redo the parking lot, renovate the bathroom, add signs and put in a leach field.
Schatz secures nearly $34 million in federal funding for Hawaiʻi; Maui County projects
US Sen. Brian Schatz announced Monday that the Senate approved a bipartisan funding package including nearly $34 million in congressional directed spending for the state, with allocations designated for infrastructure and environmental protection in Maui County. The funding comes amid nationwide federal budget cuts. Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, indicated that more […]
Avian influenza case confirmed; no additional detections in Hawaiʻi
A case of avian influenza has now been confirmed in a Koloa Maoli (Hawaiian duck) found sick on Nov. 26 at the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Hanalei Wildlife Refuge in Hanalei, Kauaʻi. The bird which died within 24 hours of being found was recently confirmed positive by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories.
2026 proclaimed ‘Year of Our Coastal Kuleana’
Gov. Josh Green on Friday proclaimed 2026 as the “Year of our Coastal Kuleana” at a proclamation signing ceremony.
Recruitment for state conservation officers starts in January
Vacancies for these officer positions are located across the state.
Kanaka‘ole tapped as acting chair of the Department of Land and Natural Resources
Ryan Kanaka‘ole will lead the Department of Land and Natural Resources as acting chair while Chair Dawn Chang is on medical leave, Gov. Josh Green announced Monday. The designation is effective immediately. Kanaka‘ole serves as the department’s deputy director. “Jaime and I send our heartfelt aloha to Dawn and her ʻohana as she recovers,” Green […]
Agriculture inspectors capture skunk in Hilo on Thanksgiving Day
Another skunk was captured in Hilo by agriculture inspectors from the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity on Nov. 27. It was the second captured in Hilo in the month of November.
State clarifies Central Maui pumping data; groundwater aquifer limits are under review
State water regulators have clarified data regarding groundwater pumping in Central Maui, acknowledging that while current withdrawals exceed official sustainable yield limits, those limits are conservative estimates that are now under re-evaluation. The clarification comes following an Oct. 28 staff briefing before the state Commission on Water Resource Management. The main focus of the briefing […]
Group that saved Honolua Bay from development now wants it to become a cultural sanctuary with fewer tourists
The Save Honolua Coalition wants to follow the success of places like Hā‘ena State Park on Kaua’i where visitor numbers were drastically reduced.
Endangered snails transferred to Bishop Museum’s Pūpū Ola: Kāhuli Captive Rearing Research Center
The public will be able to view these rare snails for the first time during Bishop Museum’s 4th Annual Kāhuli Festival on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
Hunting, camping, watershed protection in plan for Maui’s new Kamehamenui State Forest Reserve in Upper Kula
The State of Hawaiʻi continues to work on a 10-year management plan for a 3,434-acre parcel of watershed conservation land in Upper Kula that was acquired five years ago from a private trust.
Public hearing set for Kula Forest management plan
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has scheduled a public hearing next week to solicit feedback on a comprehensive plan to manage the 3,434-acre Kamehamenui Forest Reserve in Kula.
