The state wants the public to weigh in on management plans for two Maui forest reserves.
The deadline is July 31.
The Kula Forest Reserve was established in 1912 to reforest an area after 20 years of livestock grazing. Establishing forest cover around Polipoli Spring, at the time considered the only permanent source of water on the southern end of Haleakala, was one of the underlying reasons for creating the reserve, according to the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
The Kahikinui Forest Reserve, on the southern slopes of Haleakala, was established in 1928 to improve the vegetative cover in the area to prevent excessive runoff and make water on the lower lands available for use in dry periods, when it is nearly always at a premium. The plan focuses on the Papaanui tract.
Also up for review are plans for the Pupukea Forest Reserve on Oahu.
The forest reserve system in Hawaii, spanning about 684,000 acres, is intended to protect forests and other watersheds.
Draft management plans for the areas will be posted on the division website. Comments can be sent to Jan Pali, forestry and watershed planner, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813; or by email to Jan.N.Pali@hawaii.gov.
Landfill user fee kicks in
A new fee takes effect today for users of the Central Maui Landfill.
The fee of $3 must be paid in cash until Department of Environmental Management can set up an online system for residents to pay with credit and debit cards, Maui County announced. That will take until October, the county said.
The change comes with the start of the county’s fiscal year.
Click here for more information, or call the Solid Waste Management and Recycling Division at 270-7875 Monday through Friday.
