Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
A nonprofit devoted to conserving the unique flora and fauna of Hawai’i Island
For more information about Hakalau Forest NWR, visit:
- The official page of the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
- A location map of the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
- Topographic basemap of the Hakalau Unit
- Topographic basemap of the Kona Unit
- Hakalau Forest NWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan (2010)
- Frequently Asked Questions about Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (topics include what is special about Hakalau, six endangered honeycreepers, public access, environmental education, challenges facing the Refuge and the Endowment details)
Join
The Friends of Hakalau Forest is a group of hardworking, hands-on committed volunteers and donors who share a passion for supporting the Refuge. When you join the Friends group you become one of nature’s heroes on Hawai’i Island. Feel good about protecting our native forests, and critically endangered birds and plants.
Featured Species
The ‘i‘iwi is the most recognizable bird in the forest, with its scarlet feathers and bright red bill. It is very sensitive to avian malaria, though, and has recently been listed as threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
©Tim Burr
Help establish an endowment to permanently protect the Refuge.
The Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge sets a goal of $500,000 for the Fall 2025 Endowment Campaign.
Recent Hakalau Forest Research Papers
Quantifying Restoration of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Hawai‘i (1989–2024) Using NDVI and Moisture Indices from Remote Sensing Imagery
Faith A. Nicoll, Elizabeth D. Crook, Peter A. Stine, Thomas Cady, and Michael L. Goulden
Over the past four decades, reforestation of koa trees (Acacia koa) and other native vegetation in Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Hawai‘i has restored forest areas and helped preserve habitats for endangered endemic species. However, the extent of koa regrowth was not previously quantified. Using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) spatial analyses of Landsat, National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP), and Sentinel imagery, we classified tree and non-tree areas to estimate forest recovery between 1989 and 2024. Our results suggest approximately 49% koa tree cover has been reestablished in cleared regions. This quantitative assessment of forest growth provides essential data for the management of the refuge, offers spatial tools to track progress toward full forest restoration, and can guide other tropical forest conservation projects.
Hakalau Forest Articles
American Birding Association
Searching for Honey: Sweet Spots on the Big Island of Hawai’i
The latest issue of Birding Magazine from the American Birding Association features an article entitled “Sweet Hotspots on the Big Island of Hawaii.” It includes a nice discussion about the Refuge and some wonderful photos.
Gallery
Photos featured in this gallery are by our talented members. For more photos, visit the Friends of Hakalau Forest NWR Group on Flickr.
