DLNR looking for volunteers for habitat restoration project at Kure Atoll
Sep. 15—The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is looking for volunteers for a six-month habitat restoration program at the Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
The land department's Division of Forestry and Wildlife, in partnership with the Kure Atoll Conservancy, announced the program, during which volunteers will be trained to conduct invasive plant removal ; invasive species monitoring and plant identification ; wildlife plant propagation and distribution ; safe animal handling ; and beach cleanups to remove wildlife entanglement and ingestion hazards.
"Over the last 20 years DLNR has been working to transform Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary from a tangled mess of weeds to a resilient functioning ecosystem that supports over one million nesting seabirds, hundreds of shorebirds and 80 endangered Laysan ducks, " Kure Atoll Conservancy Executive Director Cynthia Vanderlip said in a statement. "This work was done by many hands who worked year-round to remove the most destructive weeds and plant native Hawaiian plants. These natives prevent erosion and increase the nesting success of seabirds."
Most of the work is dedicated to invasive plant removal, the DLNR said.
Kure Atoll, or Holaniku, is part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, 1, 400 miles northwest of Oahu. It is important habitat for wildlife such as the endangered Laysan duck and the Hawaiian monk seal ; it is also a nesting site for 18 species of seabirds.
More information about the volunteer program can be found at.
