Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program FY17_FY21

Home

Project 2 W-23-GL-1 Statewide Game Land Access and Acquisition Project 2 W-23-GL-1 Statewide Game Land Access and Acquisition A. Need The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW/Division), manages over 1,000,000 acres of state land for wildlife -dependent recreation and conservation, and demand is growing for public hunting on these public lands. However, over half of all land in Hawaii is privately owned, and private landowners —as well as other public landowners —frequently block public access to substantial portions of the DOFAW lands that are designated for public hunting. In order to expand opportunities for public hunting and other wildlife -dependent public uses, it is imperative that DOFAW (1) sustain and optimize public use of areas that are already accessible; (2) establish public access to areas that are not accessible; and (3) acquire new land for public use. If DOFAW does not satisfy the growing demand for access to public hunting areas, and if hunting pressure is not applied across a larger landscape, then game animals will become more scarce in existing hunting areas and will cause more damage on inaccessible public and private lands. DOFAW's partnership with the hunting community to manage ungulate populations will weaken, and hunter safety and satisfaction will decline due to the lack of adequate space for hunting activities. B. Objectives • Extend or renew existing leases, licenses, and other access agreements: o Extend an existing license to use the Kekaha Game Management Area, Kauai (approximately 13,000 acres) for public hunting for a five year period. o Continue to acquire, by annual license fee, 1,000 acres of private ranch lands on Maui, to keep them available for public hunting through September 2018. o Renew the license for another ten year period, through September 2028. o Continue to acquire, by annual cooperative management agreement fee, 30,000 acres of private land on Lanai, to keep them available for public hunting through February 2018. o Renew the cooperative management agreement for another three year term, through February 2021. Create new leases, licenses, and access agreements: o Create a new license to use portions of the Kipuka Ainahou Wildlife Sanctuary (approximately 11,123 acres) and Humuula (approximately 4,303 acres), Hawaii, for wildlife management and public hunting purposes for a five year period. o Establish perpetual access to the Kau Forest Reserve, Hawaii, over lands owned by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and unencumbered state lands. o Establish an agreement with Hawaii County to develop and manage a county easement that provides access to private lands at Makahanaloa. o Establish short-term access to the Hilo Forest Reserve, Hawaii, over private lands at Makahanaloa. o Establish access agreements for public hunting on Kauai, over state lands owned by the Hawaii Agribusiness Development Corporation. o Establish an agreement with Kauai County to develop and manage a segment of county roadway for perpetual access to the Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve. 10