• Cindercones dot the landscape in the Wilderness Area

    Haleakalā

    National Park Hawai'i

Upper Kipahulu

Native forest in Upper Kipahulu
Native Rainforest in Upper Kīpahulu Valley.
 

Kīpahulu Scientific Reserve

Kīpahulu is a key refuge for many species of native Hawaiian plants and animals disappearing elsewhere. No trails or other improvements are planned to upper Kīpahulu to help thwart invasive non-native species from penetrating this high valley. It is dedicated as a Scientific Reserve. Entry is allowed only to resource managers and scientists conducting research or management essential to understanding and protecting this rare relict ecosystem.

 

It was in the high elevation zone of the valley from 5,000 to 7,350 feet that the 1967 expedition observed the endangered crested honeycreeper, Maui creeper, Maui parrotbill and the Maui nukupuʻu, this last species previously thought to be extinct. Any adverse change in the upper Kīpahulu would quickly lead to extinction of the nukupuʻu and the parrotbills 

 

Park resource managers have fenced the upper valley against goats and pigs and keep this entire uplands free of threatening ungulates.

  • Ungulates Ungulates

    threaten Hawaiian forests Read More

  • the honeycreepers, the honeycreepers,

    endemic Hawaiian birds Read More

  • Checklist of Plants Checklist of Plants

    of Haleakalā Read More

  • Inventory & Monitoring Program Inventory & Monitoring Program

    Pacific Island Network webpage Read More

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

While native species once arrived every 30,000 years, today a new species hitchhikes to Hawaiʻi about once every 20 days. Many of these amazing travelers can be found in Haleakalā National Park.