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17-594: Hakalau Forest NWR contains some of the finest remaining stands of native montane wet forest in Hawaiʻi. The slopes below 4,000 ft (1,200 m) feet receive very high rainfall - 250 in (6,400 mm) annually. Bogs , fern patches, and scrubby forest dominate this area, which is dissected by numerous deep gulches. Rainfall decreases to about 150 in (3,800 mm) at elevations above 4,500 ft (1,400 m), where majestic koa ( Acacia koa ) and red-blossomed ʻōhiʻa lehua ( Metrosideros polymorpha ) trees form

34-463: A closed- canopy forest. Further upslope, above 6,000 ft (1,800 m), rainfall decreases to 100 in (2,500 mm) or less and native forest merges into abandoned pastureland where alien grasses and weeds, introduced as forage for cattle , are the dominant vegetation. Since 1989, over 400,000 koa, ʻōhiʻa, and other native plants have been planted in this area as part of the refuge's reforestation program. The Pua Akala Cabin, located within

51-764: A commercial tour can be arranged for hiking and birdwatching. Hawaiian tropical rainforests#Wet forests The Hawaiian tropical rainforests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands . They cover an area of 6,700 km (2,600 sq mi) in the windward lowlands and montane regions of the islands. Coastal mesic forests are found at elevations from sea level to 300 m (980 ft). Mixed mesic forests occur at elevations of 750 to 1,250 m (2,460 to 4,100 ft), while wet forests are found from 1,250 to 1,700 m (4,100 to 5,580 ft). Moist bogs and shrublands exist on montane plateaus and depressions . For

68-515: Is somewhat drier than the Hakalau Unit. Much of Hawaii's native lowland habitat was first degraded following the Polynesians’ arrival over a thousand years ago. In the late 18th century, cattle , goats , and European pigs were additionally released into the forests, and hundreds of additional alien plants, animals, and insects have subsequently been introduced. Most lowland plants seen today like

85-1491: Is the dominant canopy species in wet forests, but koa ( Acacia koa ) is also very common. Other trees include kāwaʻu ( Ilex anomala ), ʻalani ( Melicope clusiifolia ), ʻōhiʻa ha ( Syzygium sandwicensis ), kōlea lau nui ( Myrsine lessertiana ), ʻohe ( Tetraplasandra spp.), and olomea ( Perrottetia sandwicensis ) as well as hāpuʻu ( Cibotium tree ferns ). ʻApeʻape ( Gunnera petaloidea ), ʻoha wai ( Clermontia spp.), hāhā ( Cyanea spp.), kāmakahala ( Geniostoma hirtellum ), kanawao ( Broussaisia arguta ), Phyllostegia spp., ʻākala ( Rubus hawaiensis ), kāmanamana ( Adenostemma lavenia ), Pilea peploides , māmaki ( Pipturus albidus ), olonā ( Touchardia latifolia ), and ʻalaʻala wai nui ( Peperomia spp.) are common understory plants. Vines include maile ( Alyxia oliviformis ) and hoi kuahiwi ( Smilax melastomifolia ). ʻIeʻi.e. ( Freycinetia arborea ), puaʻakuhinia ( Astelia menziesiana ) and ʻōlapa ( Cheirodendron trigynum ) are epiphytic flowering plants found in wet forests. Epiphytic ferns , such as Adenophorus spp., ohiaku ( Hymenophyllum recurvum ), Ophioglossum pendulum , ʻākaha ( Asplenium nidus ), ʻēkaha ( Elaphoglossum hirtum ), and makue lau lii ( Grammitis hookeri ), cover trees. Epyphytic mosses include Acroporium fuscoflavum , Rhizogonium spiniforme , and Macromitrium owahiense . Loulu fan palms ( Pritchardia spp.) may tower over

102-417: The orchid , ginger , and plumeria are aliens or nonnative. Introduced animals such as mosquitoes , wasps , small Asian mongooses , cats , and rats have also harmed Hawaiian habitat and native species. Grazing pressure by cattle and pigs has resulted in the replacement of Hawaiian plants by more competitive alien grasses and shrubs within the upper portions of Hakalau Forest. Below this pasture area,

119-1139: The windward slopes of the large islands in addition to the summit of Mount Lānaʻihale on Lānaʻi , receive 1,000 to 2,500 mm (39 to 98 in) of rainfall annually and thus may not be true rainforests . The forest canopy , dominated by koa ( Acacia koa ) and ʻōhiʻa lehua ( Metrosideros polymorpha ), is somewhat open, but tree density is rather high. Other trees and shrubs include pāpala ( Charpentiera obovata ), olopua ( Nestegis sandwicensis ), hame ( Antidesma platyphyllum ), mēhame ( A. pulvinatum ), kōpiko ( Psychotria mariniana ), ʻōpiko ( P. mauiensis ), ʻiliahi ( Santalum freycinetianum ), hōlei ( Ochrosia spp.), poʻolā ( Claoxylon sandwicense ), kōlea lau nui ( Myrsine lessertiana ), kauila ( Alphitonia ponderosa ), nioi ( Eugenia reinwardtiana ), aʻiaʻi ( Paratrophis pendulina ), and hōʻawa ( Pittosporum spp.). Wet forests generally occur from 1,250 to 1,700 m (4,100 to 5,580 ft), but may be as low as 200 m (660 ft). They receive 3,000 to 11,250 mm (118 to 443 in) of rain per year. ʻŌhiʻa lehua ( Metrosideros polymorpha )

136-459: The 14 native bird species occurring at Hakalau are endangered. Thirteen migratory bird species and 20 introduced species, including eight game birds , as well as the endangered ʻopeʻapeʻa ( Hawaiian hoary bat , Lasiurus cinereus semotus ) also frequent the refuge. Twenty-nine rare plant species are known from the refuge and adjacent lands. Twelve are currently listed as endangered. Two endangered lobelias have fewer than five plants known to exist in

153-576: The 28 million years of existence of the Hawaiian Islands, they have been isolated from the rest of the world by vast stretches of the Pacific Ocean , and this isolation has resulted in the evolution of an incredible diversity of endemic species, including fungi , mosses , snails , birds , and other wildlife . In the lush, moist forests high in the mountains, trees are draped with vines , orchids , ferns , and mosses. This ecoregion includes one of

170-587: The Hoʻokena and Kalahiki land divisions on the western slopes of Mauna Loa , at elevations of 2,000–6,000 ft (610–1,830 m). One of the primary purposes for the creation of this unit was to protect the habitat of the ʻalalā ( Corvus hawaiiensis ), which is now extinct in the wild . The Kona Forest Unit is located about 23 mi (37 km) south of Kailua-Kona , coordinates 19°22′58″N 155°51′5″W  /  19.38278°N 155.85139°W  / 19.38278; -155.85139 . The Kona Forest district

187-607: The forest canopy. Bogs are found in montane regions where rainfall exceeds drainage. Dominant vegetation in bogs are shrubs , sedges , and grasses . Larger shrubs and small trees grow on bog perimeters or on raised hummocks. Carex spp., Oreobolus furcatus , and Rhynchospora rugosa are common sedges, shrubs include ʻōhelo kau laʻau ( Vaccinium calycinum ) and ʻōhelo ( V. dentatum ), while grasses are represented by Dichanthelium spp. and Deschampsia nubigena . Dwarf varieties of ʻōhiʻa lehua ( Metrosideros polymorpha vars. incana and glabriofolia ) are

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204-496: The most seen trees on the edges of bogs. The ferns wāwaeʻiole ( Lycopodiella cernua ), ʻamaʻu ( Sadleria spp.), and uluhe ( Dicranopteris linearis ) grow in bogs. Rare plants include liliwai ( Acaena exigua ), naʻenaʻe ( Dubautia spp.), and Argyroxiphium spp. Hawaiian lobelioids#Lobelia Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

221-404: The native tree canopy is still intact, but the native understory has been replaced by alien grasses, blackberry ( Rubus spp.), banana poka ( Passiflora tarminiana ), and English holly ( Ilex aquifolium ). The replacement process may have been accelerated by efforts to create more pasture land through bulldozing and burning, and by logging mature trees for timber and fence posts. Eight of

238-483: The past 1,000–2,000 years. The Polynesian-introduced noni ( Morinda citrifolia ), pia ( Tacca leontopetaloides ), and kī ( Cordyline fruticosa ) are also common in this zone. Other native species include pololei ( Ophioglossum concinnum ), ʻākia ( Wikstroemia spp.), loulu fan palms ( Pritchardia spp.), ʻōhiʻa lehua ( Metrosideros polymorpha ), and lama ( Diospyros sandwicensis ). Mixed mesic forests, at 750 to 1,250 m (2,460 to 4,100 ft) on

255-679: The refuge, was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2008. In 1985, 32,733 acres (132.47 km) on the eastern slope of Mauna Kea were established as the Hakalau Forest Unit. In 1997, the Fish and Wildlife Service purchased an additional 5,300 acres (21 km) of land to create the Kona Forest Unit of Hakalau Forest NWR. The Kona Forest Unit includes lands within

272-547: The wild. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hakalau has an oceanic climate , abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Hakalau was 81 °F (27.2 °C) on July 17, 2002, while the coldest temperature recorded was 30 °F (−1.1 °C) on February 10, 2021. To prevent spread of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death , the refuge is closed to self-guided visits. Guided visits on

289-563: The world's wettest places, the slopes of Mount Waiʻaleʻale , which average 373 in (9,500 mm) of rainfall per year. 20°N 157°W  /  20°N 157°W  / 20; -157 Coastal mesic forests are found on the windward slopes of the major islands from sea level to 300 m (980 ft). These forests have been dominated by the native hala ( Pandanus tectorius ) and hau ( Hibiscus tiliaceus ) and naturalized ( Polynesian introductions ) kukui ( Aleurites moluccana ) and milo ( Thespesia populnea ) for

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