Department of Land and Natural Resources

The state Department of Agriculture, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the University of Hawaiʻi recently signed a memorandum of understanding to handle major pests — namely little fire ants, coconut rhinoceros beetles and coqui frogs.

State conservation officers have cited three Wailuku men for multiple fishing-related violations within the ʻĀhihi-Kīnaʻu Natural Area Reserve.

The Conversation talked to Finn McCall, an engineer with the Boating and Ocean Recreation Division, about the state of Big Island facilities.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is attempting to intervene in the state's selection process for curator of the Mauna ʻAla Royal Mausoleum in Nuʻuanu. OHA is urging the Department of Land and Natural Resources to pause the appointment until the agencies can review the selection process in consultation with Hawaiian beneficiaries. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi has more.

Kahaluʻu Beach Park on the west side of Hawaiʻi Island will temporarily close starting Thursday to allow for coral spawning. The public won’t be able to swim, snorkel or surf in the bay, which is home to a coral reef ecosystem.

The resting place of Hawaiian royalty has had 15 curators since the mid-1800s. A majority have been descendants of families who served aliʻi for generations. DLNR announced this week that it was breaking tradition and selecting a curator who was not a lineal descendant of these families and had not trained under previous kahu. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports.

Akaka Falls State Park on Hawaiʻi Island will temporarily close on weekdays starting Wednesday to undergo rockfall mitigation work.

State lawmakers appropriated funds for more firefighting equipment and a state fire marshal after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century ripped through the historic Maui town of Lahaina and exposed shortcomings in the state’s readiness for such flames.

More than 30 years ago, the state set aside about 1,200 acres on the southeastern slopes of Maunaloa to serve as a sustainable source of koa for constructing canoes. Now, dozens of these trees are ready for harvest, and a permitting process has been approved. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports.

The parties that damaged coral and live rock near Honolua Bay with a yacht in early 2023 were originally fined $117,000. Now they’re on the hook for $1.8 million.