Washington, DC -- The House Resources Committee today approved a bill to triple the size of the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) near Kahuku on Oahu’s North Shore. 

The measure, S. 1165, passed the Senate in December and is identical to a House companion bill introduced by Congressman Neil Abercrombie (H.R. 2866).

The legislation authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to expand the refuge from about 340 to 1,100 acres by purchasing in fee simple land now owned by the Campbell Estate.

The expansion will consolidate the refuge’s two separate units into a single parcel and add about two miles of shoreline to the refuge.

The mauka portion of the Campbell NWR consists mostly of wetlands that shelter endangered Hawaiian waterbird species such as Hawaiian stilts, moorhens, coots and ducks.

Consolidation of the refuge’s two existing units will provide a protected flyway between the two parcels.

Addition of the shoreline area will protect fragile dune habitat used by marine species, including the monk seal and green sea turtle.

In addition to protecting threatened and endangered species, expansion of the refuge will strengthen the cooperative flood control efforts of the FWS and the Kahuku community.

“Hawaii is the endangered species capital of the world,” said Abercrombie.  “As responsible stewards of the earth, we must do all we can to protect our indigenous plant and animal species and their habitats. There may never again be an opportunity to acquire this land.  It’s important that we act now to preserve this important part of Hawaii’s natural heritage.”

James Campbell Wildlife Refuge e-neil Update

Campbell Wildlife Update

-30-