Volunteers needed for habitat restoration work in Kure Atoll

The Maui News

The state is seeking volunteers for a monthslong habitat restoration project in the Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Holaniku, also known as Kure Atoll, is part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and is situated 1,400 miles northwest of Oahu. It provides important habitat for wildlife, including the endangered Laysan duck and 'ilioholoikauaua, or Hawaiian monk seal, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Eighteen species of seabirds nest on Holaniku, including ka'upu, or black-footed albatross, and 'ao'u, or Christmas shearwater.

DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife, in partnership with the Kure Atoll Conservancy, is seeking volunteers who will be trained over the course of six to eight months to conduct:

• Invasive plant removal (manual and chemical).

• Invasive species monitoring and plant identification.

• Wildlife monitoring and species identification.

• Native plant propagation and distribution.

• Safe animal handling.

• Beach cleanups to remove wildlife entanglement and ingestion hazards.

Although the program objectives are diverse, the majority of time will be dedicated to invasive plant removal, DLNR said.

"Over the last 20 years DLNR has been working to transform Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary from a tangled mess of weeds to a resilient functioning ecosystem that supports over one million nesting seabirds, hundreds of shorebirds and 80 endangered Laysan ducks," Kure Atoll Conservancy Executive Director Cynthia Vanderlip said in a news release Wednesday. "This work was done by many hands who worked year-round to remove the most destructive weeds and plant native Hawaiian plants. These natives prevent erosion and increase the nesting success of seabirds."

To apply, send a resume, cover letter and three references to kureatoll@gmail.com.

For more information, visit KureAtollConservancy.org.