An agreement between The Nature Conservancy and Ponoholo Ranch, a 96-acre parcel consisting of a long plateau along the rim of Honokane Valley at elevations between 3,400 and 3,800 feet, will help protect a one-of-kind population of Hawaiian tree snails in the Kohala region of the island of Hawai'i. Historically, Partulina physa were found throughout the island of Hawai'i, but up until 1992 there had been no recorded sightings of the species for more than 46 years. Extensive U.S. Fish and Wildlife surveys on Hawai'i Island between May 1995 and December 1997 resulted in the location of a single population, inhabiting a narrow range in the Kohala Mountains.
The area provides habitat for common native forest birds such as the 'apapane, 'amakihi and 'elepaio. The Hawaiian owl, or pueo, and the endangered Hawaiian hawk, 'io, have been seen here, while the endangered Hawaiian duck, koloa, utilizes nearby streams for feeding and resting. This habitat supports the entire known population of the pupu kani oe (Partulina physa) tree snail.
Active conservation work on the parcel is already underway. Five years ago, ranch owner Pono von Holt placed the land within the Kohala Watershed Partnership. He is one of 11 public and private landowners who belong to the partnership, which was formed in 2003 to protect water resources and watershed functions of the Kohala Mountains. Since then, the partnership has fenced three sides of the Pupu Kani Oe parcel (named after the rare native tree snail) and removed most of the wild cattle. Future plans call for the removal of feral pigs and weed control.