A non-profit Friends Group supporting the three national wildlife refuges located on Kauaʻi.
Together, Friends can do so much…
Friends of Kauaʻi Wildlife Refuges (FKWR) serves as a nonprofit “Friends Group,” supporting the environmental and wildlife conservation, historic preservation and community education programs of the Kauaʻi National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex, which are administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and includes Kīlauea Point NWR, Hanalei NWR and Hulēʻia NWR.
Our organization helps to fill in the gaps in the programs administered by the Refuge team by providing funding and Friends Group staffing to support a variety of refuge priorities. Friends of Kauaʻi Wildlife Refuges also manages the Friends Nature Store and Visitor Center at Kīlauea Point NWR, supports environmental education programs, administers an annual scholarship, conducts community outreach and much more!
Current Events, News and Activities
Kīlauea Point NWR Closed for Construction
Kīlauea Point NWR Announces
Temporary Refuge Closure for Entryway Repairs
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will have a temporary closure of the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) from February 17 through April 30, 2025 for repairs to the main entryway and associated infrastructure. Kīlauea Point NWR, located at the northern-most point of the high Hawaiian islands and one of three refuges within the Kauaʻi NWR Complex, provides one of the most important seabird habitat sites in the State of Hawai‘i and hosts nearly 500,000 visitors annually.
In 2020 and 2021, severe storms damaged the access road and adjacent parking areas, a section of fencing, and the main water line that services the Refuge. The repairs will prevent further degradation of damaged infrastructure and loss of water availability, while continuing to provide safer long-term access to the Refuge. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, an Environmental Assessment was conducted to evaluate the effects of the proposed action on the natural and human environment and a Finding of No Significant Impact was issued on December 16, 2024.
Status updates will be posted on our website, social media, and our reservation page at Recreation.gov. We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to welcoming you to an improved visitor experience upon reopening!
Scholarship Applications being accepted
Friends of Kauaʻi Wildlife Refuges is now accepting applications for annual scholarships in honor of Daniel Moriarty. Students studying biology, botany, zoology, natural history and related subjects are encouraged to apply. Applications are due April 30th.
“Mōlī of Kauaʻi – A rare treasure among us.”
Presented by: Hob Osterlund
The North Shore of Kauaʻi is the only place in the world where this majestic species nests within a human community. This, and the challenges they face due to climate change, make it our kuleana to help protect these birds, which nested here long before human contact. Be a proud Kauaʻian and learn how you can help protect our mōlī and other endangered wildlife.
Free Lecture: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 5:00-6:30pm
Princeville Community Center and on Zoom.
Ka Pae ʻĀina O Hawaiʻi Nei
“Ka Pae ʻĀina O Hawaiʻi Nei” is a culturally centered educational program and a community created mosaic mural that is being developed through a collaboration with the Garden Island Arts Council.
The place-based inspired mural is being developed through a series of community workshops, in which volunteers will help to create an 80-foot-long by 4-foot-high mosaic mural.
The mural will depict the topography of the entire Hawaiian Archipelago, helping us tell the geographic and cultural story of these islands and atolls, how the High Hawaiian Islands fit within this long history, and how these protected lands and waters serve as a refuge for a wide variety of native Hawaiian wildlife species.
The finished mural will be installed on the retaining wall that begins outside the Visitor Center at Kīlauea Point NWR.
Celebrating our mōlī
Kīlauea Point NWR is honored to host two mōlī (Laysan albatross) nesting colonies. Together, with a team of dedicated volunteers, we provide a safe place for these majestic seabirds to nest, rest and thrive. This year, we are pleased to share that a record 105 mōlī chicks fledged from within the two colonies at Kīlauea Point NWR!
Click HERE to enjoy an inspirational video of a mōli chick fledging, captured by Hob Osterlund.
Visit the Hanalei NWR Viewpoint
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Transportation Highways Division (HDOT), is pleased to welcome the community and visitors to the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Viewpoint site, which opened to the public on April 30, 2024.
This new viewpoint site is the primary location for the public to visit the Hanalei NWR, where the public can safely view the many sensitive endangered species and habitats in the valley from a distance. The site is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
The viewpoint is a 5.4-acre parcel located along Kūhiō Highway in Princeville that includes two lookouts featuring views of the greater Hanalei Valley and Bay, Hanalei NWR, and Halele‘a Forest Reserve. The site also includes parking for 25 cars, short-term parking for a maximum of three small buses, interpretive displays, vault toilets, and native plantings that will provide residents and visitors with opportunities to learn about the natural and cultural history of the Hanalei Valley and Hanalei NWR.
Follow our journey on Instagram
