Koʻolau Mountains partnership outlines 522‑acre fence to protect Piʻa Valley watershed

The Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership presented a conservation project at the Feb. 4 neighborhood board meeting to install an ungulate‑exclusion fence in Upper Piʻa Valley intended to protect native vegetation and watershed function.

Craig Gorsuch, program manager for the partnership, said the Pia Fence Project would enclose roughly 522 acres with about 21,000 feet of fencing on Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFA) lands and adjacent interests. The proposed enclosure would include up to seven step‑over pedestrian gates at trail crossings to preserve public access and hunting areas, and the project partners include DLNR/DOFA, NOAA, Malama Mauna Loa, and local watershed organizations.

Gorsuch said the fence aims to prevent pigs, goats and other hooved animals from trampling vegetation and exposing roots that can facilitate the spread of pathogens such as the fungus associated with rapid ʻōhiʻa death. He listed several native and listed species targeted for protection and said NOAA is funding an environmental assessment; concrete contractor bidding will follow community outreach and the expected construction timeline is about one year.

Board members asked about population estimates for feral pigs and about the project budget; Gorsuch said pig counts are being worked on with hunting partners and that NOAA and DLNR funding channels are in place but that final budget figures will be confirmed during procurement and after the environmental assessment. The partnership offered to draft a one‑page background and request letter for neighborhood groups and to circulate additional information by email.