Kanepuu Preserve

Kanepuu Preserve is a 590 acre dry land forest. It encompasses many native plants to Hawaii. The preserve can be found 20 minutes from downtown Lanai City, which is to the north. A 4x4 vehicle is required to travel through much of the preserve.

Roughly 48 species of native plants can be found at the preserve. The Nature Conservancy protects the forest. It is the largest dry land or olopua/lama forest in Hawaii to remain in the new millennium. Hawaii used to be covered in the same dry lowland forest until it was taken down for modern homes and businesses. It is a rare opportunity to see the endemic plant species like lama, native ebony, and aiea. Aiea was once used for canoe construction.

The area is remote which is why a 4x4 is needed. A self guided tour is the only way to see the Kanepuu Preserve. It takes less than a half hour to see the entire area of forest that can be accessed by driving. There are self guided maps available at the forest entry. Larger groups can set up guided hikes through the Nature Conservancy. Hiking is permitted in some areas but one should double check before getting out to hike.