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DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES News Release LINDA LINGLE GOVERNOR _________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ALLAN A. SMITH, INTERIM CHAIRPERSON
Phone: (808) 587-0401
Fax: (808) 587-0390
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For Immediate Release:
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WAILUKU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s trails and access program is holding a public meeting to discuss current and future management of hiking trails within the Kula Forest Reserve. The meeting will take place from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23 at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani. Trail users are encouraged to come and discuss their trail experiences, ideas and concerns. DLNR’s Na Ala Hele (NAH) trails and access program will be working with a facilitator from the HilRide Progressive Development Group to bring together various stakeholders to discuss assessment of the trail system and impact of the recent fire to the trails, sustainability, design and signage. “DLNR is committed to creating sustainable management practices, environmental and cultural resources protection and recreational opportunities. This meeting is designed to involve as many people as possible into the trail development process, to ensure a common vision is created and to provide a sense of ownership to the public,” said Allan Smith, DLNR interim chairperson. The majority of the trails in Kula Forest Reserve go through areas that were burned by the January 23-February 5 fire, which burned 2,300 acres. Once DLNR completes removal of burned trees along the road corridor that are hazardous, the Kula Forest Reserve trails will be reopened for public use, now expected in July. HilRide Progressive Development Group are professional trail designers and development specialists who are assisting the Na Ala Hele program to analyze current trail alignments to help lessen impacts from erosion or human use, and to streamline the cost of long-term sustainability goals. Using the assessments, Na Ala Hele and HilRide will work on remediation, realignment and maintenance work to bring the trails up to even higher standards than they were before the fire. For more information about the meeting, contact Torrie Nohara at (808) 873-3508. # # #
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