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Kona Hema Preserve
Island of Hawai`i

Ferns and native forest

Ferns and native forest
© Wayne Levin

The Conservancy's Kona Hema Preserve protects part of an ancient koa-`ohi`a forest that spans more than 100,000 acres along the leeward coast of the Island of Hawai`i.  Here flies the endangered Hawaiian hawk, the Hawaiian hoary bat, and globally unique native songbird species such as the `apapane, `i`iwi, `elepaio, and `amakihi.  

Currently, there is no public access to Kona Hema.  We hope to be able to offer guided hikes in the near future.

Location
Island of Hawai`i, in south Kona on the slopes of   Mauna Loa.

Size
8,061 acres
 
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site

Red apapane on ohi'a

'Apapane on ohi'a
© Jaan Lepson

On the Big Island of Hawai`i, the 1.5 million acres of land with predominantly native species represents 75% of all native-dominated land in the state.  Sixty-seven percent of all recently recorded Big Island rare plants and vertebrates are within these areas, a significant portion of which occur in the Kona region.  Rare plants, native forests, rare forest birds, and other elements have been documented throughout Kona, and represent an important yet poorly protected resource.   More than a century of logging, grazing, and invasion by weeds and feral animals have threatened the biological viability of this region.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
In 1999 and 2000, the Conservancy acquired two adjoining parcels in South Kona to form the preserve: at Honomalino, and at Kapu`a in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.   In addition to protecting the native forests and the biological values they harbor, the chapter plans to develop a model of sustainable koa forestry that will help other landowners maintain the biological and economic value of their lands.

Today pigs, goats and mouflon sheep threaten the biological integrity of the region. At its 8,061 acre Kona Hema Preserve, the Conservancy is restoring the area's native forests and working with the U.S. Forest Service's Institute of Pacific Forestry to conduct research on the potential for sustainable koa forestry in the region. If successful at Kona Hema, sustainable koa forestry could serve as a model for balancing economic land uses with environmental protection along the Kona Coast.