Posted on: Wednesday, June 13, 2001

Access fees for Kipahulu to help fight miconia

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Staff Writer

The National Park Service will institute new fees for access to the Kipahulu area of Haleakala National Park and use the money to fight the spread of miconia, an invasive plant.

Park Superintendent Don Reeser said miconia is a serious threat to the park's native forests and additional money is needed to fight it.

"The window of opportunity to eradicate miconia is rapidly closing. ... The miconia invasion must be treated as an emergency," Reeser said.

The park, which already charges fees for access to the Haleakala summit, will charge the same rates for access to its Kipahulu area. The new schedule becomes effective Jan. 1, 2002.

Rates will be $5 per person, or $10 per car for noncommercial, private vehicles and $30 for tour vehicles carrying up to six passengers, $40 for those with seven to 25 passengers and $100 for those with more than 25 passengers.

A single payment allows access at either Haleakala site for up to seven days.

Tour helicopters will be charged $25 for every flight over previously approved nonwilderness regions of Ka'apahu and Kipahulu.

Congress gives parks the authority to retain 80 percent of fees for projects within their boundaries. The park service expects to raise up to $1 million from the new charges.

Miconia is an attractive tree with huge leaves that are dark green on top and purple on the bottom. It is a fast grower, producing large numbers of tiny seeds and spreading aggressively.

"If we do not act now, miconia will aggressively invade and take over all tropical rain forest areas of the park, including the pristine Kipahulu Valley that has been preserved up to now," said federal research scientist Lloyd Loope.