The Trust for Public Land and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources today announced the transfer of the 3,592-acre Honouliuli Preserve from the trust to DLNR.

The preserve — a lowland forest on the eastern slope of the Waianae Range — will be added to the state Division of Forestry and Wildlife forest reserve for watershed and habitat protection.

Thirty-five threatened and endangered species — including 16 birds found nowhere else on earth — make their home in the preserve. The species include the endangered elepaio bird and kahuli tree snail.

The land is also part of the watershed feeding the Pearl Harbor aquifer, the largest drinking water resource on Oahu.

The Trust for Public Land bought the preserve from the James Campbell Company last year. It has been managed by The Nature Conservancy's Hawaii Chapter.