View source for Natural Area Reserves System Hawaii

{{Short description|Statewide preservation initiative in Hawaii, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
The '''Natural Area Reserves System''' (NARS) of '''Hawaii''' is a statewide attempt to preserve in perpetuity, as relatively unmodified as possible, specific land and water areas which support communities of the natural [[flora]] and [[fauna]], as well as the geological sites, of [[Hawaii]].

==History==
Established in 1970 by Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 195, the system presently consists of 19 reserves on five islands, encompassing more than {{convert|109000|acre|km2}} of the State's [[ecosystem]]s. The diverse areas found in the NARS range from marine and coastal environments to [[lava]] flows, [[Hawaiian tropical rainforests|tropical rainforest]]s, and even an alpine [[desert]]. Within these areas one can find rare [[Endemism|endemic]] plants and animals, many of which are on the edge of extinction.

The Natural Area Reserves System is administered by the [[Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources|Department of Land and Natural Resources]], Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Currently, management teams are working to control the encroachment of non-native plants and animals which threaten the existence of the natural biota on the reserves.

The reserves include:

===Hawai{{okina}}i Island===
* Kahauale{{okina}}a on [[Kilauea]]
* Kipahoehoe on [[Mauna Loa]]
* {{Interlanguage link|Laupāhoehoe Natural Area Reserve|fr|3=Réserve naturelle d'État Laupāhoehoe|vertical-align=sup}} on [[Mauna Kea]]
* [[Manuka State Wayside Park|Manuka]]
* [[Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserve|Mauna Kea Ice Age]] on upper slope of Mauna Kea
* Pu{{okina}}u Maka{{okina}}ala 
* Pu{{okina}}u O {{okina}}Umi above [[Waimanu Valley]]
* Waiakea 1942 Lava Flow above [[Hilo, Hawaii]]

===Kaua{{okina}}i===
* [[Nā Pali Coast State Park|Hono O Na Pali]]
* Kuia

===Maui===
* West Maui
* Hanawi
* Kanaio
* Nakula
* [[Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve|{{okina}}Āhihi-Kina‘u]]

===Moloka{{okina}}i===
* Oloku{{okina}}i
* Pu{{okina}}u Ali{{okina}}i

===O{{okina}}ahu===
* [[Kaena Point|Ka{{okina}}ena Point]]
* Pahole
* [[Kaʻala]]

==Notes==
{{no footnotes|date=May 2015 }}
{{reflist}}

==References==
*[http://capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol03_Ch0121-0200D/hrs0195/hrs_0195-.htm Hawaii State Government, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 195]
*[http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/nars The Natural Area Reserves System's web site]

[[Category:Natural history of Hawaii]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Hawaii]]
[[Category:Nature reserves in Hawaii]]
[[Category:1970 in American law]]
[[Category:1970 establishments in Hawaii]]
[[Category:Environmental law in the United States]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1970]]


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