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Description:
Hule'ia NWR, southeast of Kaua'i, lies adjacent to the famous Menehune Fish Pond, a registered national historical landmark. The refuge is about 240 acres of steep wooded slopes and relatively flat bottomlands along the Hule'ia River. Hillsides are wooded in exotic trees and shrubs, while most of the wetlands were formerly used for taro and rice production. The refuge provides habitat for four endangered waterbirds as well as migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. When acquired in 1973, the refuge was badly overgrown with introduced plants, limiting its value to wildlife. Management goals include creating open water, replacing introduced plants with native vegetation, restoring old taro patches, and creating nesting areas safe from predators. Properly managed taro farming provides a traditional Hawaiian food, and habitat where native waterbirds feed, nest, loaf, and rear their young. Coots and moorhens build floating nests in the patches, using taro stems as anchors. Stilts and ducks nest on dry ground but lead their young into the patches to feed. Directions:
Not applicable.
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