Welcome to James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge
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James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge is located near the northernmost point on the North Shore of O‘ahu. It was established in 1976 to provide habitat for Hawai‘i’s four endangered waterbirds: ae‘o (Hawaiian stilt), ‘alae ke‘oke‘o (Hawaiian coot), ‘alae ‘ula (Hawaiian moorhen), and koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck). As part of the O‘ahu NWR Complex, the refuge consists of both natural and artificially maintained wetlands. Two wetland units are included within the James Campbell Refuge, the Ki‘i Unit and the Punamano Unit.
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| James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge - Photo credit USFWS |
The 126-acre Ki‘i Unit is a remnant of a much larger marsh system that was altered during the sugar cane era. Seven sugar cane settling ponds are now managed to create mudflat, open water, and emergent marsh for endangered Hawaiian waterbirds and migratory waterfowl and shorebirds.
The 134-acre Punamano Unit is a natural spring fed marsh, providing open water and emergent marsh primarily for the Hawaiian coot, Hawaiian moorhen, Hawaiian duck, and also migratory waterfowl.
The James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act of 2005, Public Law 109-225, expanded the Refuge boundary to approximately 1,100 acres, incorporating additional wetland acreage and the last remaining intact coastal dune system on O‘ahu. The newly expanded Refuge will be a treasure for many generations to come, providing a protected haven for endangered Hawaiian waterbirds, migratory shorebirds, and waterfowl, as well as native plants that rely on these coastal wetlands and surrounding lands.
Protection of almost 2 miles of the dune and strand vegetation along the coast will conserve resting habitat for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (‘ilio holo i ka uaua) and nesting habitat for threatened green turtles (honu) and important seabirds. Other important native wildlife that will benefit include the pueo (Hawaiian owl) and a species of rare damselfly. |
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| Map of James Campbell NWR - For a larger map, click here. |
In addition, the Refuge provides a strategic landfall for migratory birds coming from Alaska, Siberia, and Asia and also supports other wetland birds such as Northern pintail (koloa mapu), Northern shoveler (koloa moha), lesser scaup, Pacific golden plover (kolea), and ruddy turnstone (‘akekeke). Although these migratory populations are small by continental standards, they represent some of the largest concentrations of these species in Hawai‘i and the Pacific. Some 117 species of birds have been documented on the Refuge.
For more information:
David Ellis, Project Leader
O‘ahu National Wildlife Refuge Complex
66-590 Kamehameha Highway, Room 2C
Hale‘iwa, Hawai‘i 96712
(808) 637-6330
(808) 637-3578 Fax
E-mail: dave_ellis@fws.gov
