Project Title: Replace Pua ‘Ākala Barn (FFS #R1BC)

State: Hawai’i

Project Description: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the Department of the Interior, has overseen the completion of a facility improvement project at the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project was funded using $610,968 in stimulus dollars.

WTD Holdings, Inc., a commercial and institutional building contractor in Alpharetta, Ga., used the funding to demolish and replace the existing 4,400-square foot Pua ‘Ākala barn with a modern facility. Refuge staff will use the new facility to store heavy equipment, tools, and supplies, providing protection from weathering in the high elevation rainforest.

“The new building protects our equipment and provides our staff and volunteers with a safe structure for equipment maintenance and repair,” Refuge manager Jim Kraus said. “It will also allow us to consolidate our operations at one location, improving efficiency and lessening our footprint within the Refuge.”

Constructed in 1930, the old Pua ‘Ākala barn was close to collapse after 80 years of use. The metal roof and siding panels were heavily corroded, barn windows and doors were broken, and wooden wall and roof structural members were rotting and broken. These structural failings allowed the elements to compromise Refuge equipment and maintenance efforts. Deterioration of the barn was so great that major repair and building stabilization was deemed economically unfeasible.

Following demolition of the Pua ‘Ākala barn, a new structure was built near the Refuge’s Administrative Site, where power and water are readily available. The new building has four bays (three with gravel surface and a fourth with a concrete floor), office space, a restroom, and loft storage.

This project helps the Refuge with its goal of maintaining and restoring upland habitat for 17 endangered species. Hakalau Forest
NWR was established in 1985 and protects eight endangered forest bird species, nine endangered plant species, and their rainforest habitat.

Protection of Refuge equipment and supplies needed to conduct restoration activities is vital on the refuge, which can receive as much as 250 inches of rain annually. Moving the storage barn location nearer to the Administrative Site will enhance operational efficiency and security. Removal of the existing structure was required to eliminate a major safety risk to Refuge staff and visitors.

For more information, check out the Hakalau Forest Fact Sheet.

News Releases:

Stimulus Funding to Replace Storage Facility at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge

Photos:

The new storage/maintenance building at Hakalau Forest NWR.	The new building replaced the Pua Akala barn.
Workers finish the roof edging in prep for rain gutter work.	Workers prepare the site for a new concrete floor.

The Pua Akala barn was replaced by a new storage/maintenance building using Recovery Act funds.

Originally posted 10/30/2009
Updated 01/07/2010
Updated 07/22/2010
Updated 08/04/2010
Page Completed 04/04/2011