Kilauea eruption harms up to half of Puna’s Malama Ki forest reserve
Forestry managers on Hawaii island reported that one-third to one-half of the Malama Ki Forest Reserve in Puna has been affected by the volcanic eruption, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
DLNR said Malama Ki, a relatively small reserve of 1,514 acres, is home to a young ohia-dominated forest which serves as a habitat for native forest birds including the Hawaii amakihi and apapane — the Hawaiian hawk and the Hawaiian hoary bat. A unique subpopulation of Hawaii amakihi that has been documented as uniquely tolerant to avian disease lives at Malama Ki.
>> Lava destroys Big Isle mayor’s home
>> Magnitude-5.5 quake shakes summit of Kilauea
>> Website to centralize Big Island air quality reporting
>> Kilauea eruption harms up to half of Malama Ki forest reserve
>> Volcanoes National Park’s most important facility damaged by quake
>> Fire helicopter rescues woman, her pet rabbit and chicken isolated by lava
>> 18 arrested in past week for loitering in lava zone
>> Man charged with running Puna checkpoint near approaching lava
>> #PunaStrong puts on its own show amid lava disaster
>> Lava flows reignite debate over the safety and future of the Puna Geothermal Venture facility
>> Big Isle mayor envisions ‘whole new community’ for Puna
RELATED PHOTOS AND VIDEOS
>> Live webcams from Hawaii island
>> Weekend lava activity on Hawaii island in photos, June 4
>> Hawaii Army National Guard update on fissure 8, June 5
>> Flyover of lava entering Kapoho Bay, June 4
>> A look at damage to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park after earthquake, June 4
>> Flyover of fissure No. 8 in Leilani Estates, June 2
>> Emergency lava route through Chain of Craters-Kalapana Road nearly complete, June 1
>> Pyroclasts inundate Leilani Estates as lava continues to flow, May 31
>> Leilani Estates residents talk about evacuating as lava advances, May 31
>> Aerial view of lava flow in Leilani Estates, May 29
COMPLETE KILAUEA COVERAGE
>> Star-Advertiser volcano coverage
>> Kilauea Volcano YouTube playlist
DLNR closed the Malama Ki Forest Reserve on May 19 due to lava flowing into it.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
“Due to current and further expected loss of this forest habitat due to lava inundation, and defoliation due to volcanic emissions in lower Puna, these remnant and sub-populations of wildlife may no longer persist, rapidly decline, or become further fragmented and/or contract in range,” said DLNR Hawaii island branch manager Steve Bergfeld in a news release.
Site visits conducted so far, said DLNR, show a lot of dead vegetation downwind of the eruption plume. In addition, more than 200 acres of Malama Ki Forest Reserve have been damaged by wildland fires sparked by lava.
Forestry staff have not been able to conduct accurate assessments of the forest since it is downwind of the fumes a majority of the time.
In addition to the loss of habitat, impacts include a loss in the continuity of research on disease tolerance, subpopulation genetics and the measurable effects of rapid ohia death to the forest bird community in the reserve and surrounding area.
Birds are OK in upwind areas, and wildlife has been observed within yards upwind of the flows. Anything downwind would face a sulfur dioxide hazard, foresters said, but would likely leave the area.
DLNR foresters will conduct further assessment of Malama Ki as soon as conditions are safe.
