April 27 Talk Story with Mike DeMotta

Lehua Island is a stunning island, rising more than 700 feet out of the sea. It has fascinating geology; vertical cliffs, an arch in the making, and tidal pools and shelves. It’s typically windswept and dry and seen from the west side of Kaua’i. It is a noisy, vibrant, active island – a nesting and fledging ground for thousands of seabirds. Offshore islets surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands are sanctuaries for many native species. Often, they are insulated against the influences that have caused native coastal ecosystems to collapse on the main islands.

The harshness of the windswept and salty environments have allowed the well-adapted plants and animals to retain their place in the ecosystem. When aggressive non-native (invasive) species are introduced, the native ecosystem declines.