The Hawai'i Audubon Society has been given one acre of coastal land at Black Point near Diamond Head for the protection of native birds, plants and habitat.

The society says Houghton Freeman and his wife deeded the property to the society for the purpose of establishing the Freeman Seabird Preserve.

The site is home to a large colony of protected native wedge-tailed shearwater.

The society says it plans to monitor the seabirds and their nesting activities and to control seabird predators.

Last year, about 30 shearwater nests were accidentally destroyed at the site. Volunteers from the society and other organizations tended the orphaned chicks twice daily for three months. Twenty-six of the 31 chicks survived.