KAUAI — The Division of State Parks maintenance staff has hauled out 10.92 tons of trash since January from Kalalau on Kauai, the Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Wednesday.
For five days in June, helicopters sling-loaded close to 7,000 pounds of trash and waste out of Kalalau on the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park.
Parks personnel have gathered, bagged and airlifted by helicopter from 520 pounds to 2,380 pounds of rubbish and waste each month.
”Clearly this huge quantity of rubbish was not carried in on the backs of people who obtained permits to hike the 11 miles into Kalalau,” State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said in a written statement. “Over the past two years we’ve made significant progress in dismantling illegal, long-term camps both at Kalalau beach and in more remote locations in Kalalau Valley.”
“We’ve made it very clear that we have zero tolerance for illegal activity in our state’s largest and most remote state park,” Cottrell added.
Park personnel must shovel human waste from composting toilets in the designated camping area at Kalalau beach and flown out for treatment and disposal.
The state parks staff is concerned about degradation of the environment and health risks associated with defecation in the forest and along streams in the park, as well as impacts to archaeological sites improperly used for camping.
Staffers also trim weeds, maintain signs and camp trails and restock comfort stations each month.
The parks division will renew its request next year to the Legislature for permanent staffing at Kalalau to better maintain the park’s “wild character,” to protect cultural sites, to provide visitor information and to maintain communication in case of emergencies, as well as to report illegal activities.