(BIVN) – Three draft environmental assessments have been published for Hawaiʻi island forest fenceline projects in the latest issue of The Environmental Notice.

The road and grubbing projects are planned for the Kaʻū Forest Reserve, the Manukā Natural Area Reserve, and the Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve. 

The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources says the purpose of all three projects is to facilitate native ecosystem preservation in the forests.

On the Kaʻū Forest Reserve project, The Environmental Notice summarized:

To gain access for the maintenance of a hooved-animal-proof fence, the Division proposes creating a road with a bulldozer. The Division is avoiding impact to sensitive ecosystems by locating the proposed activities on an area primarily composed of lava from the 1950 flow. The proposed road corridor is approximately 1.3 miles long. The road will be installed in a remote area of the Kaʻū Forest Reserve that borders Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Lengths are approximate and subject to change.

In addition to saving time for conducting natural resource management such as invasive species control and tree planting, this road will reduce the amount of time needed to respond to emergencies like wildfires in this area.

Location of the Manuka Natural Area Reserve (boundary in yellow) and location of proposed road and fence (red). To the east is Hawaiian Ocean View Estates, from the Manuka Natural Area Reserve Fenceline Clearing and Access Draft EA

For the Manukā project:

To gain access and clear for the construction of a hooved-animal-proof fence, the Division proposes creating a road using a bulldozer to improve access to a proposed fenceline and also serve as a firebreak. The Division is avoiding impact to sensitive ecosystems by primarily locating the proposed activities on disturbed areas or areas with low biodiversity. An existing bulldozed road exists for approximately 1 mile, and this project proposes to widen that existing road from 8’ to 16’ and extend that road an additional approximately 1.1 miles. The road is proposed to be situated to avoid kipuka of native vegetation as much as possible, and portions will be sited on barren lava or pioneer vegetation from relatively recent lava flows. The fenceline is approximately 2.9 miles. Lengths are approximate and subject to change.

Location of the proposed project in the Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve, from the Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve Fenceline Clearing and Access Project Draft EA

The Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve will protect approximately 850 acres, documents say. From the project summary:

The Division is avoiding impact to sensitive ecosystems by locating the proposed activities on disturbed areas, lava, or areas that have forests that contain lower native biodiversity. The proposed road corridor is approximately 2.52 miles long. The fenceline proposed to be cleared is approximately 2.84 miles long. Approximately 0.32 miles of this fence will be along an existing old road, and another 1.38 mile section will be along lava flows, with the remainder (1.14 miles) will be through low-diversity native forest. Lengths are approximate and subject to change.

The statutory 30-day public review and comment period for all three projects is underway. Comments on all three projects are due by October 8, 2024.