- 590 acre dryland forest featuring native plants
- Located about 20 minute drive north of Lanai City
- Four wheel drive vehicle is required
- Located on the west side of lanai
- Home to many species of native plants
- Protected by the Nature Conservancy
- Largest remnants of olopua/lama dry land forest in hawaii
- Rare local hibiscus mau hau hele
- lama tree (a native ebony)
- Aiea (once used to build canoes)
- self guided tour takes about 30 minutes or less
- maps for sel-guided tour are availableat forest entry point
- There illustrated signas along the way
- Large groups can arrange a guided hike throughb Nature Conservancy of Hawaii
Resources
FROM LANAI MAGAZINE:
The Kanepuu Preserve Lanai is a 590-acre preserve of native Hawaiian plants located on the northwestern plateau of Lanai, just six miles northwest of Lanai City and not far from Keahiakawelo, also known as the Garden of the Gods. Protected by the Nature Conservancy, the Kanepuu Preserve Lanai contains a dryland forest environment that is typical of the forest that at one time covered the dry lowlands of all the Hawaiian islands. With olopua (a Hawaiian olive tree), sandalwood, and lama (a Hawaiian ebony tree), this native forest is the largest remaining dryland forest of its kind in Hawaii. Preserve there are more than 45 native plant species, and some of these are very rare species that grow in no other ecosystem. The self-guiding maps available at the entrance to the forest. A short loop trail features eight signs, Only takes about fifteen minutes to complete.
Hawaii Tourism Authority "Kanepuu Preserve" Article
Old Site
Information about Kanepuu Preserve on the island of Lanai in Hawaii.
The preserve was established in 1991 to preserve a Hawaiian dryland forest
area of Lanai. Creating the prese3rve as cooperative project of the Nature
Conservancy of Hawaii and Dole Foods.
The preserve is locat6ed in the< north central region of Lanai
and it has seven non-continguous sections.
Purpose of the Preserve
The Kanepuu Preserve was established to protect and enhance
Hawaii's last remaining major remnant of
olopua (Nestegis sandwicensis) and
lama (Diospyros sandwicensis) dryland forest area.
This type of dryland forest once covered
large lowland regions of the islands of Maui,
Molokai, Kahoolawe, and Lanai.
Description of the Preserve
The Kanepuu Preserve is about 590 acres in size and it
consists of seven non-contiguous units, ``ranging in size
from 13 to 368 acres.
the Ahakea Unit Kahue Unit, Kanepuu Unit, Mahana Unit,
Paomai 1 Unit, Paomai 2 Unit, and Upper Paomai Unit.
Plant community types include
Olopua Forest,
Lama Forest,
Aalii Shrubland,
Lantana Shrubland,
Casuarina,
Eucalyptus,
Schinus, and
non-native grasswes.
The preserve typically experiences about 28 inches of
rain a year, most of which falls duirng the rainy
season from November through March.
Threats
The most significant threats to vegetarion in the preserve
are axis deer, mouflon sheep, and cattle,
invasive, non-native plants,
rapid soil erosion caused by constant winds,
and wildfires.
Visiting the Kanepuu Preserve
There are self-guided tour maps at the entrance to the preserve
and the tour typically takes about half an hour.
There are illustrations and signs along the way identifying p
lants and describing local ecosystem challenges. Larger groups
an arrange for a guided tour by contacting the Nature Conserancy of Hawaii.
The Kanepuu Preserve is about a 20 minute drive northwest
of Lanai City. Four wheel drive vehicle is required.
DIRECTIONS
Note that driving access is only possible in four wheel drive vehicle.
All units of the preserve are accessible by good-quality dirt roads
but four-wheel drive vehicles are required during wet weather.
History of the Kanepuu Preserve
1922 through 1935
Much of the area was protected between
1922 and 1935 by fencing and other efforts carried ut
by local ranch manager Georbe Munro, but in subsequent
years ranchers removed most of those fences.
1970 though 1989
Volunteers and the Hui Malama Pono O Lanai built four small
fenced enclosures that helped protect setions of native
forest and rare plants that helped preserve dryland forest
plants before the preserve was established.
1989:
Plans to create the Kanepuu Nature Preserve
on 590,377 acres of land in the central region of the island of Lanai
were announced in January of 1989.
The preserve was to have seven sections,
not all of them adjacent to each other.
All of the Kanepuu Preserve project area
has been zoned by the State of Hawaii as a conservation district.
1991
The preserve was officially established in November of 1991
when Dole Foods finalized a perpetual conservation easement with
The Nature Conservancy. That easement was
later transferred to the at-that-time land owner,
Castle and Cooke Resorts.
1992
A conservation district use permit for on-going
management activities in the preserve was
issued in 1992.
Funding from the Natural Area Partnership Program was approved.
1997
Funding from the Natural Area Partnership Program was approved.
2005
Funding from the Natural Area Partnership Program was approved.
2011
The preserve's
Application for 2011-2016 Funding
proposed these conservation activities:
(1) removing all axis deer from the two best preserved units
(Kahue and Kanepuu) and removing mouflon sheep and
cattle from all seven units and building fences,
(2) weed control,
(3) fire control,
(4) restoration, monitoring, and research,
(5) community outreach,
and
(6) watershed partnerships.
Resources
Hawaii Tourism Authority - Kanepuu Preserve
Visitor Attractions on Lanai Island
Lanai Island Travel Guide
Visitor Destinations in Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors
