Kaua‘i Conservation Area Profile

Major Habitat Type: Tropical Moist Forest (Oceania Realm)

Stratification Unit: Kaua‘i (comprised of the islands of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau: islands of similar geological age). Kaua‘i Island in particular is noted for a high level of botanical endemism.

Island: Kaua‘i; the fourth largest island of the archipelago, ca 5.5 million years old, maximum elevation 1598 m (5,243 ft), comprised of a single native-dominated landscape.

Significance: The Kaua‘i Conservation Area's ecological systems range from lowland to montane elevations. The remote summit area maintains high viability systems, is an important watershed, and provides stable habitat for native forest birds, and many natural communities and species.  No other conservation area in Hawai‘i contains as many endemic species of flowering
plants (383 species). Kaua‘i also has a significant number of viable, endemic bird species (12 species) and natural community types (36 types). 

Conservation Status: The Kaua‘i Conservation Area is protected and managed by a combination of private and public protected areas, including the Kuia State Natural Area Reserve, the Alaka‘i Wilderness Preserve, the State Forest Reserve System, and the state Conservation District. In late 2007, TNC's Wainiha Preserve was established within The Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance (KWA). The KWA is comprised of the above lands and selected lands owned and/or managed by Kamehameha Schools; Princeville Corporation; Department of Water of the County of Kaua‘i; Kaua‘i Ranch, LLC; Lihue Land Company; McBryde Sugar Company, Ltd.; State Department of Land and Natural Resources; Grove Farm Company, Incorporated; and Ben A. Dyre Family Limited Partnership. KWA drafted a management plan that implements fencing, ungulate control, and weed control, ignoring land jurisdiction boundaries. The Nature Conservancy  coordinates plan implementation as a major action of its Kaua‘i strategies.

For more detailed information, contact the Kaua‘i Program of The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i.

Lowland Wet Forest, Lumaha‘i Valley, Northern Kaua‘i

Hawaiian Continuous Perennial Stream, Wainiha Valley, Kaua'i

Ecological Systems: Six ecological systems of Kaua‘i were selected as conservation targets, each bearing nested natural communities and species (discussed below).

Natural Communities:

• Continuous Perennial Stream Community

Special Ecological Features:

• Forest Bird Concentration

• Waterbird Concentration

• Native species:

There are many constituent native species that comprise the natural communities of the Conservation Area. Highlights include over 80 rare/endangered plant species, 383 endemic plant species, and an untold number of endemic invertebrate species likely numbering in the thousands.