The Honouliuli Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge
By John Bond, Kanehili Cultural Hui
A visit to the US Fish & Wildlife Pearl Harbor, Honouliuli and Kalaeloa Refuge sites is very rewarding and great places to see rare and endangered Hawaiian birds, plants and the under the karst opae ula native Hawaiian shrimp. They can also use your help with periodic clearing, cleaning and weed pulling.
Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge, in close proximity to historic visitor
attractions such as the USS Arizona and the USS Missouri, serves to protect some
of the last remaining wetland areas on O‘ahu. While the units of this refuge are
small, they are vital to endangered wildlife and sensitive habitats along
O‘ahu’s coastal area.
Pearl Harbor NWR was established in 1972 as mitigation for construction of the
Honolulu International Airport Reef Runway. The Honouliuli and Waiawa Units are
managed under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Navy. The Kalaeloa Unit,
once part of the former Barber's Point Naval Air Station, was established during
military base closure proceedings in 2001 to protect native plants. Through
these cooperative efforts with the Federal Aviation Administration, the State of
Hawai‘i, and the U.S. Navy; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made Pearl Harbor
NWR a reality.
Volunteers contribute significantly to our work force and enable us to
accomplish our mission: "working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance
fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the
American people."
Pearl Harbor NWR is part of the O‘ahu NWR Complex. The management area consists
of three units: the Waiawa Unit, Honouliuli Unit, and Kalaeloa Unit. All are
closed to the general public in order to protect Hawai‘i’s endangered wildlife.
Activities such as environmental education and volunteer projects, however, are
permitted during the nonbreeding season of the ae‘o (Hawaiian stilt). At our
Kalaeloa Unit of Pearl Harbor NWR, the opportunity exists to join community
volunteers and partners to remove nonnative weeds and help stabilize and restore
the native coastal vegetation community.
Hawaiian Water Birds
Hawaiian Moorhen
Hawaiian Stilt
Hawaiian Coot Chick
Koloa
- Two endangered plants including the 'akoko the endangered Ewa hina hina occur on the Refuge among a mostly nonnative vegetation community.
Endangered Native Plants
‘Ewa hinahina
‘Akoko
ʻIliahi aloʻe
Maiapilo
Naio
