User:BakedFWS22/Huleia National Wildlife Refuge

Hulē‘ia National Wildlife Refuge is located in Lihue on the southeast side of Kauai, in the State of Hawaii. The refuge encopasses 241 acres adjacent to the Menehune Fish Pond, a National Historic Landmark. The Refuge was established in 1973 when the U.S. Federal government purchased the land from the Grove Farm Corporation with Land and Water Conservation Funds “. . . to conserve (A) fish or wildlife which are listed as endangered species or threatened species. . . or (B) plants. . .” Today the Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Service actively manages habitat to provide open, productive wetlands for endangered Hawaiian waterbird production and maintenance. Management practices include brush clearing, herbicide spraying, and wetland development. Recent developments allow water level control on 30 acres of moist soils to benefit endangered waterbirds.

Landscape Characteristics

Hulē‘ia National Wildlife Refuge is located in a relatively flat valley along the Hulē‘ia River bordered by a steep wooded hillside. Lowland elevations range from near sea level to approximately 20 feet at the upstream boundary of the Refuge.

Formerly, the valley was used for wetland agriculture including taro and rice. Currently, it is changing from an irrigated pasture to hau bush, pluchea, and California grass uplands. Permanent unmanaged wetland areas are totally choked with introduced vegetation. A shortage of managed wetlands limits the Refuge’s value to endangered waterbirds. The area is usually dry except for a small stream and the developed wetlands, and standing water after heavy rains.

Wildlife

The Refuge hosts thirty-one species of birds, including four endangered waterbirds (the aeo or Hawaiian stilt, alae ula or Hawaiian moorhen, the alae keokeo or Hawaiian coot, and the koloa or Hawaiian duck), endangered nene or Hawaiian goose, and 18 introduced bird species. The opeapea or Hawaiian hoary bat, Hawaii’s only native land mammal, is also found on the refuge.

Public Use

Refuge wetlands are closed to the general public. A small portion of area may be viewed at an overlook maintained by the State of Hawaii at the historic Menehune Fish Pond. Public use activities include wildlife/wildlands observation from the overlook and environmental education under Special Use Permit.