Visit Us
The seasonal conditions that occur at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge make it a notable place for people to observe Hawai‘i's endangered wetland birds, along with a diversity of feathered visitors from as far away as Alaska and Canada, and occasionally from Asia.
Location and Contact Information
- Kealia Pond National Wildlife RefugeView DetailsMilepost 6, Maui Veterans Highway Kihei, HI 96753
Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge is seeking public review and comment on a Draft Compatibility Determination for non-commercial plant gathering. We propose to allow this new use on the Refuge. Under USFWS policy, compatibility determinations for new uses on National Wildlife Refuges must be reviewed for compatibility and appropriateness. The Service will accept comments received or postmarked on or before April 19, 2025.
The Service prepares Compatibility Determinations to ensure that public and economic uses of National Wildlife Refuges do not interfere with or detract from the purposes for which each refuge was established. Compatibility Determinations also describe how these uses would contribute towards achieving Refuge purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The following Draft Compatibility Determination is available for review online:
Draft Compatibility Determination for Plant Gathering (non-commercial), Kealia Pond NWR
You may submit comments or requests for additional information through any of the following methods:
• Email: kealiapondnwr@fws.gov Include “Kealia Pond NWR Compatibility Determinations” in the subject line of the message.
• U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: Bret Wolfe, Maui National Wildlife Refuge Complex, P.O. Box 1042, Kihei, HI 96753
All comments received from individuals become part of the official public record. The Service’s practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. Individual respondents can request that we withhold their home address from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. If you wish to have your name and/or address withheld, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comments
About Us
Keālia Pond NWR is a hidden wetland treasure transitioning the urban development and agriculture fields. Here, endangered Hawaiian waterbirds are protected and go about their daily activities, and are joined by migratory birds in winter. Quiet solitude for those that wander and explore the wetlands.
The protected wetland is home to the endangered ae‘o (Hawaiian stilt) and ‘alae ke‘oke‘o (Hawaiian coot), providing nesting, feeding and resting habitat. In the winter months there are over 30 species of waterfowl, shorebirds, and migratory ducks at the refuge.
What We Do
The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge.
