Visitor and Community Survey Results for Kilauea 

Point National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse: 

Completion Report 

 By Natalie Sexton, Shana Cecile Gillette, Lynne Koontz, Susan C. Stewart, John Loomis and Katherine Wundrock

Open-File Report 2005-1420 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Geological Survey 
U.S. Department of the Interior 

Gale A. Norton, Secretary 

U.S. Geological Survey 

P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 2005 

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Suggested citation: 

Sexton, N.R., Gillette, S.C., Koontz, L., Stewart, S.C., Loomis, J., and Wundrock, K.D., 2005 Visitor 

and community survey results for Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse: 

Completion report: U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Discipline, Open-File Report 2005-

1420, 221p. 

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ii
Contents 

Acknowledgments ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vi

1. Visitor and Community Survey Results for Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and 

Lighthouse: Completion Report--------------------------------------------------------------------------1-1 

Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-1

Study Objectives ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-3

Methods----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-4

Survey Development ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-4

Survey Implementation-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-4

Data Entry and Analysis------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-5

Results------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-5

Response Rates ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-6

2. Visitor and Community Resident Experience --------------------------------------------------------2-1 

Interpreting the Data--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-1

Visitor and Community Resident Profile ----------------------------------------------------------------2-1

Visitor Trip to Kauai ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-3

Visitor and Community Resident Trips to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge -----------------2-6

Visitor and Community Member Experience at the Refuge ------------------------------------------2-8

Importance of Activity--------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-9

Importance of and Satisfaction with Services -------------------------------------------------- 2-12

Factors that Would Bring Visitors and Community Residents Back -------------------------- 2-16

Factors That Would Enhance Refuge Experience ---------------------------------------------- 2-17

Management of Services -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-18

Preferences for Access---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-19

iii
Community/Refuge Relations -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-21

Place Attachment----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-21

Trust in the Refuge and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service------------------------------------ 2-21

Benefits and Concerns of Being a Neighbor of the Refuge------------------------------------ 2-21

Community Quality of Life ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2-24

Land Use Planning Communication and Participation------------------------------------------ 2-26

Discussion ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-28

 

3. Visitor Trip Spending -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-1

Kilauea Point NWR Visitor Spending Allocation-------------------------------------------------------3-2

Economic Impacts Associated with Kilauea Point NWR Visitor Spending -------------------------3-4

Discussion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-6

4. Net Economic Benefits of Visiting Kauai and the Refuge------------------------------------------4-1 

Valuation of Visit to Kauai--------------------------------------------------------------------------------4-1

Valuation of Visit to Kilauea Point NWR ----------------------------------------------------------------4-3

Discussion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4-7

5. Visitor Trip Behavior and Transportation Options --------------------------------------------------5-1 

Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-1

Transportation Options -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-1

Visitor Perceptions of Crowding --------------------------------------------------------------------5-2

Visitor Preferences for Transportation and Access to Refuge ----------------------------------5-4

Community Perceptions of Transportation Options-----------------------------------------------5-6

Visitor Trip Patterns and Behavior ----------------------------------------------------------------------5-9

Visitor Trip Patterns -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-10

iv
Trip Planning of Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Visitors ---------------------------------- 5-15

Information Use Varied by Trip Purpose and Life Stage --------------------------------------- 5-15

Discussion ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5-15

6. References ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6-1

Appendix A: Kilauea Point NWR Preliminary Visitor Report Statistics----------------------------- A-1 

Appendix B: Kilauea Point NWR Preliminary Community Report Statistics ----------------------- B-1 

Appendix C: Kilauea Point NWR Visitor Survey Instrument----------------------------------------- C-1 

Appendix D: Kilauea Point NWR Community Survey Instrument ----------------------------------- D-1 

Appendix E: Contingent Valuation Bid Response Distributions ------------------------------------- E-1 

v
Acknowledgments 

This study was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway 

Administration/Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD) on behalf of the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service/Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge as part of their alternative transportation 

system planning for the Refuge. The study design and survey instruments were developed 

collaboratively with representatives from these entities and U.S. Geological Survey researchers of 

the Fort Collins Science Center/Policy Analysis and Science Assistance Branch. We would also 

like to acknowledge team members from Parsons Brinkerhoff Quade and Douglas for their review 

and input on the survey instruments and results from this study. 

vi
1. Visitor and Community Survey Results for Kilauea 

Point National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse: 

Completion Report 

By Natalie Sexton, Shana Cecile Gillette, Lynne Koontz, Susan C. Stewart, John Loomis, and Katherine Wundrock 

Introduction 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Central Federal Lands Highway 

Division of the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation are currently 

pursuing the planning and potential design of an alternative transportation system (ATS) for 

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge or Kilauea Point NWR). The USFWS and CFLHD 

seek an alternative transportation solution that provides the highest quality visitor experience and is 

sensitive to biological and cultural resources and the needs of the local community. In planning the 

alternative transportation system, managers need to consider how an ATS would change factors 

such as visitor access, visitor experience, visitor willingness to pay, and visitor net economic 

benefits. The Policy Analysis and Science Assistance branch (PASA) at the U.S. Geological Survey 

Fort Collins Science Center is dedicated to studying relations between humans and the 

environment. The objective of PASA is to conduct studies to understand how humans are affected 

by environmental management decisions and how human activities impact use and conservation of

natural resources. 

To assist the planning process, PASA researched economic and visitor perception 

information required for adequate planning and design of an ATS. The objective of this research 

was to determine how current and proposed Kilauea Point NWR ATS planning strategies could 

affect: 

• visitor access (e.g., provision of transit opportunities to the Refuge); 

• visitor experience (e.g., how factors such as crowding affect visitor experience); 

• visitor willingness to pay for specific services, such as a shuttle; 

• net economic benefits resulting from visitation; and 

• community resident attitudes and perceptions. 

Assessing public perception and economic values for different public land management 

options can provide managers with valuable insights regarding advantages and disadvantages of 

management options prior to an agency drafting an ATS plan. Doing so can provide baseline data 

on visitor and community use, experience, preferences, and expectations. It also can provide 

managers with a better understanding of public acceptability of alternatives/future changes that may 

be proposed. This public participation process also facilitates the engagement of a variety of 

stakeholders in the Refuge planning process. 

1-1 
There is evidence that planning processes that include a broad array of stakeholders produce 

more comprehensive plans that are more likely to be implemented (Burby, 2003). The challenge is 

structuring public involvement in ways that are meaningful and productive for agencies and the 

public. 

Studies of public involvement processes in environmental decision-making have shown that 

participants evaluate these processes in terms of both process and outcome. Thus, stakeholders seek 

qualities such as accessibility and the quality of deliberation (process components), and the extent 

to which their participation is satisfying (outcome) (Halvorsen, 2003). An accessible process is one 

that provides a comfortable and convenient setting and is respectful of participants’ time. 

Deliberative processes include open discussion and a forum for respectful exchange of opinions, 

and an opportunity for learning. Finally, a satisfying process demonstrates that decision makers 

take public input seriously, and the results of citizen input are reflected in the final decision. Other 

process-focused measures of success in public involvement include the presence of learning 

opportunities, the development of relationships among group members, and a sense of efficacy 

(McCool and Guthrie, 2001). 

Carr and Halvorsen (2001) drew on criteria proposed by Poisner (1996) to evaluate the 

effectiveness of public participation in environmental decision-making. One interesting finding of 

their research was that local participants in land-use decisions were not representative of the 

community. Women, young people, and those with lower income and education levels participated 

at a lower rate than their distribution in the community. The lesson is that public managers and 

planners must make special efforts to promote participation by a broad range of stakeholders. 

In environmental planning processes, the public meeting is the forum typically used to 

collect citizen input. This is especially problematic for visitors to a Refuge. Attendance at public 

meetings is often inconvenient or impossible for occasional visitors to Refuges who usually live 

long distances from the relevant USFWS offices. In addition, those residents who most often attend

meetings of this type may represent a vocal minority group that usually is not representative of the 

full range of community residents. Also, there is a limit in the type of scientific baseline data that 

can be collected through this forum. 

Another tool that can be used to collect baseline information and input is a visitor or 

community survey. Conducting a survey is one way that the ATS planning team can reach out to 

the public and collect baseline data in support of the ATS plan. It is an effective supplement to a 

public meeting when detailed information on visitors or stakeholders is needed. Survey research 

applied to Refuge planning can help managers characterize current visitor services and experiences. 

It also can help managers understand how current and proposed management activities affect 

individuals in terms of their preference for services and experiences, and in potential changes in 

visitation patterns. Finally, high quality public involvement processes may increase trust in 

government (Burby, 2003) and provide satisfaction in terms of both process and outcome. 

A survey questionnaire is a comprehensive tool for assessing public attitudes and 

preferences that allows many perspectives to be heard, as opposed to hearing solely from vocal 

minorities (as often happens at public meetings). In addition, attendance at public meetings is often 

inconvenient or impossible for occasional visitors to Kilauea Point NWR who usually live long 

distances from relevant USFWS and CFLHD offices. Similarly, a local community survey reaches 

those residents who typically may not participate in ATS planning meetings due to long-distance 

driving, time conflicts, or other reasons. Visitor and local community surveys can inform the ATS 

planning effort through a systematic and comprehensive collection of data from a representative 

base of visitors and community residents, thus providing evidence-based data for the planning and 

decision-making process. 

1-2 
As a result, in order to include the views of Refuge visitors and the local public in the ATS 

planning process, surveys were administered to Refuge visitors and local community residents. 

Study Objectives 

As part of the preparation of the ATS, social and economic issues, and potential impacts, 

must be addressed. Therefore, the objective of the visitor and local community surveys, and the 

economic analysis, was to quantify visitor and community resident perceptions, recreation use 

values, and the economic impacts such as local income and employment effects of potential ATS 

management options. Survey respondents were asked to provide information on the type of 

economic and social benefits they derive from Kilauea Point NWR. Respondents also were asked 

to provide their perceptions on access to the Refuge, on the Refuge experience, and indicate their 

willingness to pay for certain services and/or ATS options at the Refuge. Specific study objectives 

are listed below. 

Objective 1: Quantify Visitor and Community Resident Experience of the Refuge (Section 2 of

Report) 

The purpose of this objective was to quantify visitor and local community perceptions 

regarding Refuge experience in the context of an ATS, including respondent 

characteristics, importance of activities, satisfaction with services, and preferences for 

management of services. 

Objective 2: Quantify Community/Refuge Relationship and Community Quality of Life (Section 2 

of Report) 

The purpose of this objective was to quantify the community/Refuge relationship in 

terms of the importance of the Refuge to the community, the benefits and concerns 

residents had with being a neighbor of the Refuge, and how the community 

participated in decision-making. Another purpose was to identify satisfaction with 

Kilauea community living, including specific community characteristics. 

Objective 3: Quantify Regional Economic Impacts Associated with Visitor Trip Spending (Section 

3 of this Report) 

The purpose of this objective was to estimate the current level of spending and 

associated regional economic impacts associated with Refuge visitation. 

Objective 4: Measure Visitor and Community Resident Willingness to Pay (Section 4 of this 

Report) 

The purpose of this objective was to measure the actual and potential dollar amount 

visitors would pay for current and proposed ATS options and Refuge entrance fees. 

Objective 5: Quantify Visitor Perceptions Regarding Transportation Options and Access (Section 

5 of this Report) 

The purpose of this objective was to quantify visitor trip patterns and trip planning, 

and to identify visitor and community resident perceptions and preferences regarding 

visitor access and alternative transportation options. 

1-3 
Methods 

Survey Development 

In order to develop a survey that reflected the policy-relevant management issues to be 

addressed in the ATS planning process, background ATS planning documents and relevant 

research were assembled and read. Detailed discussions were held with USFWS and CFLHD 

personnel individually and in a formal site visit to the Refuge on May 14-21, 2003. The purpose of 

the site visit was to better understand the Refuge, its visitation, and the alternative transportation 

system planning process so that the survey instruments were designed to best suit the FWS and 

CFLHD needs. 

Three populations were identified to be sampled: summer visitors, winter visitors, and 

community residents. Summer and winter visitors included any visitor to the Refuge not living in 

the town of Kilauea. Local visitors were identified as those living on Kauai, but not in Kilauea and 

non-local visitors were anyone visiting who did not live on the island of Kauai. 

Separate surveys were developed for the three groups (local visitors, non-local visitors, and 

Kilauea residents) based on the identification of the key issues to be decided for the ATS, the range 

of possible management actions, and the social-economic information needed. USFWS and 

CFLHD personnel reviewed these survey instruments, and comments and suggestions were 

incorporated. The survey instruments were then peer-reviewed and were pre-tested for readability,

clarity, and conciseness. The survey was tested with volunteers from the administrative, technical, 

and research divisions of the U.S. Forest Service and The U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Volunteers were asked to take the survey and keep note of issues related to readability, clarity, 

conciseness, and design. Comments were reviewed and suggestions were incorporated when 

appropriate. The visitor and community surveys were then sent through the Department of Interior 

Generic Clearance for Customer Satisfaction Surveys for Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) approval. OMB approval was received on 8/12/2003 (OMB, #1040-0001). 

Survey Implementation 

Visitor Survey 

In order to capture differences in seasonal usage, the visitor surveys were administered 

during the peak summer and winter recreation seasons. Two contractors were hired to aid in survey 

administration at the Refuge. Visitation at the Refuge was fairly uniform across the week, with 

peak visitation occurring at certain times during the day. In order to achieve a fair representation of 

visitors during the peak seasons, contractors collected names and addresses over a five-week 

period, varying the days and times. The day, time, and parking capacity were noted at the top of 

each name and address sheet in order to provide a comparison among visitation periods. All days 

were sampled twice. In the summer sample, every fourth visitor was intercepted and asked to 

participate in the survey. The protocol was changed to every third person in the winter in order to 

arrive at the desired sample (1,000) within the five-week sampling period. 

The survey interviewer approached visitors and explained the purpose of the survey. Then, 

visitors were asked to provide their name and addresses so that a survey could be mailed to them. 

As a token of appreciation, each visitor agreeing to complete the survey was given a souvenir 

postcard. A contractor entered visitor names and addresses into a database. To administer the 

survey, a step-by-step procedure called the Total Design Method (Dillman, 2000) was followed. 

This is a dependable process for survey sampling that maximized the quality and quantity of 

1-4 
responses for mail and telephone surveys. Specifically, the following steps were taken: 1) Each 

addressee was sent the survey package: the survey, a postage-paid return envelope, a cover letter 

explaining the study, and an incentive postcard of the Refuge; and 2) Over the course of the 

following seven weeks, one reminder postcard and two more survey packages were sent to those 

who had not responded. 

Community Survey 

The community resident survey was mailed to all Kilauea households. There were several 

reasons for choosing to send the survey to the entire local community. The local population of 

Kilauea was around 2,000 at the time of the survey, and as many residents as possible were needed 

to participate to ensure adequate final sample size. Also, because of the small population, there was 

concern that locals might perceive a random sample of residents as being exclusionary. 

The mailing list for the community survey was obtained from the marketing research 

company, Survey Sampling Inc. (SSI) and from voter registration records. The participant list was 

then transferred into the survey database and checked for accuracy. The community surveys were 

mailed following the Total Design Method (Dillman, 2000) described above. 

Data Entry and Analysis 

A contractor was provided with all needed guidelines for the data entry procedures, 

including the survey codebooks and data entry forms. All data were entered into an Excel 

spreadsheet. The contractor was assisted with any coding or data entry questions or concerns that 

arose. The contractor kept a detailed spreadsheet noting any discrepancies. The data were analyzed 

using SPSS 13.0. Descriptive statistics were first run, followed by parametric, non parametric, and 

cross tabulations to identify any major differences or similarities in the response to survey 

questions between summer and winter visitors, and between visitors and community residents 

(where appropriate). IMPLAN modeling software was used to analyze the economic impacts 

associated with visitor spending. IMPLAN is a computerized database and modeling system that 

provides a regional input-output analysis of economic activity in terms of 10 industrial groups 

involving as many as 528 sectors (Olson and Lindall, 1996). 

Results 

Results for this study are presented in separate sections, as outlined in the Introduction. In 

addition to these sections, five appendices accompany this report. Appendix A of this report 

includes the summary data for all of the questions in the visitor survey, in the order as they appear. 

Appendix B includes the summary data for all of the questions in the community survey, in the 

order as they appear. Appendix C and D are the visitor and community survey instruments, 

respectively. Appendix E contains contingent valuation bid response distributions. It may be useful 

to reference these Appendices in conjunction with the report. It may be useful to reference these 

Appendices in conjunction with the report. 

1-5 
Response Rates 

Visitor Survey 

Summer visitors were intercepted (asked to participate in the survey, and their names and 

addresses collected) from August 4, 2003, through September 2, 2003. More than 1,000 Refuge 

visitors over a five-week period agreed to participate in the visitor mail survey. In total, there were 

17 days of sampling that balanced week days and weekend days. There were 1,003 surveys mailed. 

Only five of the people contacted provided a written refusal to participate in the survey. Summer 

visitor survey distribution was completed in December 2003. 

Winter visitors were intercepted from January 21, 2004, through February 13, 2004. More 

than 1,000 Refuge visitors over a five-week period agreed to participate in the visitor mail survey. 

In total, there were 17 days of sampling that balanced week days and weekend days. There were 

1,004 surveys mailed. Winter visitor survey distribution was completed in May 2004. 

In summer and winter, there were a small number of local visitors in the survey sample 

(<30). Because of the small sample size, visitor results presented for this report are based on nonlocal responses only. 

Overall response rate for the visitor survey was 70 percent (Table 1-1). Considering the 

length and detail of the survey, this response rate is considered excellent and the margin of error on

the sample size is quite low (< 4 percent for summer and winter and < 3 percent for the overall 

visitor sample). 

Community Survey 

The community survey was implemented between May and August of 2003, with survey 

distribution being completed in fall of 2004. 

Initially, resident contact information was obtained from SSI for 746 households in Kilauea 

Town. This list proved to be unusable. It consisted of predominantly physical addresses as opposed 

to post office boxes and the bulk of the addresses (61 percent) were undeliverable by the Kilauea 

Post Office. After recognizing this problem, resident contact information was obtained from the 

Kilauea voter registration list. This new database was cross-referenced with the SSI database to 

ensure there was no duplication and to ensure (to the extent possible) that only one related person 

per household received the survey. Once databases were switched, no additional follow-ups were 

done with deliverable non-respondents from the initial database due to time and financial 

constraints. 

Overall response rate for the community survey was 44 percent (Table 1-1). There were 

only 23 written refusals. Considering the length and detail of the survey, this response rate is 

acceptable and the margin of error (four percent) is quite low.

1-6 
Table 1-1. Response rate for Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge visitor and community surveys. 

Summer visitors Winter visitors Total visitors Community

Surveys distributed 1,003 1,004 2,007 1,2011

Undeliverable addresses2 5 4 9 241

Respondents 665 727 1392 425

3

Response rate (%) 67 73 70 44 

Confidence interval (±)

4 3.8 3.6 2.6 4.1

1 Total number of surveys distributed for community was the sum of the number successfully distributed from the SSI 

database (74) and the total number distributed from the voter registration database (1127). 

2

Respondents whose addresses were undeliverable and whose surveys were returned as such. This number was

subtracted from the number of surveys distributed when calculating the response rate. For the community survey, this

number did not include the 61 percent undeliverable addresses from the initial SSI database, only the undeliverable

addresses from the voter registration database. There were a small number of households who received and returned the 

survey from the initial SSI database mailing who also received a survey from the voter registration database mailing 

(though the database was cross-referenced to ensure this was minimized). For those cases, they were recorded as 

undeliverable as well (on the voter registration database) and as respondents on the SSI database. 

3

Number of respondents includes 74 from SSI database mailing and 351 from voter registration database mailing. 

4

The confidence interval was the plus-or-minus error figure related to the sample size and population size and was 

associated with the results. For example, if 55 percent of the sample choose an answer, it would be certain that had the 

entire relevant population been asked the question, between 50 percent (55-5) and 60 percent (55+5) would have picked

that answer. 

1-7 

2. Visitor and Community Resident Experience 

By Natalie Sexton and Susan C. Stewart 

Interpreting the Data 

Throughout this section, results are presented for the visitor and community surveys. Data 

from the visitor survey are referred to as “visitors” and data from the community survey are 

referred to as “community residents,” even though community residents were asked about their 

visitation to the Refuge, and many had visited the Refuge. This was not to imply that community 

residents are not important visitors/users of the Refuge, but simply a way to refer to the results in a

consistent manner throughout the report. Where meaningful differences exist between summer and 

winter visitors, those differences are highlighted. Likewise, where differences exist between 

visitors’ opinions and that of community residents (for same or similar questions), those differences 

are highlighted. 

Visitor and Community Resident Profile 

Demographics for visitors and community residents are presented in Table 2-1. The 

majority of visitors and community residents surveyed were female. The average age of visitor 

respondents was 51 years old, with a minimum age of 19 and a maximum age of 86. Summer 

visitor average age was significantly less than winter visitor (47 years vs. 55; χ

2 = 110.62, p < 

.001).1 The average age of community respondents was 50 years old, with a minimum age of 20 

and a maximum age of 88. 

Nearly three-quarters of visitors stated that they were employed (72 percent) and of those, 

82 percent indicated that they worked full-time. Twenty-two percent of visitors (n = 284) indicated 

that they were retired. There were substantial statistical differences between seasons in the number 

of retirees, with about three times more visiting during the winter of 2004 (n = 217) than during the 

summer of 2003 (n = 67; χ

2

 = 31.30, p <.001). This corresponds to the age difference between 

seasons, with more older-retired people visiting the Refuge in the winter. 

Similarly, 82 percent of community respondents (n = 324) stated that they were currently 

employed and of those, 80 percent (n = 245) indicated that they worked full-time. Sixteen percent 

of community residents indicated that they were retired. 

Generally, most visitors had obtained a college education. Four years of college or technical 

school was reported as the highest level of education by the largest percent of visitors (43 percent, n

= 551). This was also the average education level of visitors. Generally, residents of the town of 

Kilauea had greater than a high school education, and on average, had some college or technical 

education (χ

2

 = 85.76, p < .001). 

 1

 Chi Square (χ

2) is the statistic used to determine if there is a relationship between two variables. “p” is a 

measure of the significance of that relationship. 

2-1 
The average household income among visitors to Kilauea Point NWR was between $75,000 

and $99,000, with the median in the same range. The average household income among community 

residents was significantly lower (χ

2

 = 191.56, p < .001), being between $50,000 and $74,999, with 

the median in the same range. However, according to the 2000 Census data, both the mean and 

median income of Refuge visitors and community residents is above that of the national average 

and median household income. 

Regarding ethnicity and race, 97 percent of visitors (n = 1204) and 95 percent of community 

residents (n = 354) indicated that they were not Hispanic or Latino. For visitors and community 

residents, the most commonly stated racial origin was white (95 percent and 68.2 percent, 

respectively). However, as expected, there were significantly higher percentages of Asian, Native 

Hawaiian, or other Pacific Islanders in the community sample. 

Table 2-1. Demographics of survey respondents. 

Demographics Visitors Community

Male 41% 39%

Female 59% 61%

Average age 51 50

Worked full- or part-time 72% 81% 

Retired 22% 16%

Highest education level Four years of college 

or technical school

Some college or technical 

school

Mean household income $75,000-99,000 50,000-74,999

Race1

White 94.6% 68.2%

American Indian 1.6% 2.1% 

Black or African American 0.6% 0.7% 

Asian 3.0% 20.5%

Chinese (1.1%) (3.5%)

Japanese (0.7%) (7.9%)

Korean (0.5%) (0%)

Filipino (0.4%) (7.9%)

Vietnamese (0.2%) (0%)

Asian Indian (0.1%) (0%)

Other Asian (0%) (1.2%)

Native Hawaiian or other 

Pacific Islander 

0.2% 8.6%

Ethnicity Not Hispanic or Latino 97% 95% 

1

Race percentages are number of responses, not number of respondents, as respondents could check more than one race. 

For visitors, n = 1308; for community residents, n = 431. 

Community residents have a long history on Kauai and in the town of Kilauea (Table 2-2). 

On average, they have lived on Kauai for 22 years, with over half of respondents living on the 

island more than 15 years. Residents’ families have inhabited Kauai an average of over two 

generations, with almost 40 percent of respondents stating they had been there for three or more 

generations. On average, community residents have lived in Kilauea for 17 years. The median 

number of years residents have lived in Kilauea is 10. Five percent of respondents indicated they 

had lived there longer than 50 years. Most residents of Kilauea surveyed were full-time residents. It 

was uncertain if this truly represented the composition of the community or was a result of 

sampling. 

2-2 
Table 2-2. Other demographics of community residents. 

Demographic Averages

Years lived on Kauai 22 

Generations lived on Kauai 2.1 

Years lived in Kilauea 17

Full-time resident 98% 

Part-time resident (n = 8) 2%

Visitor Trip to Kauai 

Visitor respondents were asked a number of questions regarding their trip in order to get a 

better understanding of where they were from, how they arrived on Kauai, and activities they 

participated in while on-island. 

Visitors came to Kauai from a variety of places, though the majority of visitors (97 percent, 

n = 1315) indicated that they lived in the United States, with representation from all 50 states 

(Figure 2-1). The next most common country from which visitors came was Canada, followed by 

England. 

Figure 2-1. Residence of visitors to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.

2-3 
Results indicated that repeat visits to Kauai were fairly infrequent (Table 2-3), with most 

respondents having visited the island only once in the past five years (69 percent, n = 923). 

Table 2-3. Number of visits to Kauai in the past five years. 

Times visited % respondents 

1 69%

2 16

3 7

4 3

5 3

More than 5 3 

n = 1344

Generally, visitors were on Kauai as either their primary travel destination (72 percent, n = 

956) or as an outing from another Hawaiian island (22 percent, n = 291). Almost all of the visitors 

surveyed (96 percent, n = 1299) indicated that they arrived on Kauai by commercial plane. 

Visitors to Kilauea Point NWR reported that the average time they spent on Kauai during 

their most recent trip to the island was about nine days, however, reports varied from a minimum of 

four hours to a maximum of about four months. The modal, or most frequently reported amount of 

time spent on Kauai, was about one week. 

Once on island, for the most part, visitors to Kilauea Point NWR used rental vehicles to 

travel during their visit (Table 2-4). 

Table 2-4. Modes of travel used by Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge visitors during their trip to 

Kauai. 

Mode of travel Percentage of visitors1

Rental vehicle 90% 

Walking 53

Boat 23

Helicopter 19

Private vehicle 12 

Tour van/bus 7 

Bicycle 2

Taxi 2

Other 2

Public transit 1

n = 1344

1

Responses do not add to 100% as respondents could choose more than one option.

Overall, the most frequently reported activities in which visitors participated were general 

sightseeing and beach activities (Figure 2-2). Shopping, photography, wildlife and plant viewing, 

learning about Kauai’s culture and history, snorkeling, and hiking were also frequently reported 

visitor activities. However, more summer visitors than winter visitors participated in snorkeling, 

2-4 
89%

81%

68%

63%

56%

54% 53%

50%

30%

15% 14%

7%

3% 3% 3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

eeing

ctivities

opping

ography

 viewing

/history

General sights

Beach a

Sh

Phot

Wildlife/plant

Learning about culture

Sno

Touring Kauai by va

K

Bi

rkeling

Hiking

n or bus

ayaking

Golfing

Surfing

Fishing

Tennis

cycling

 n = 1346

 Responses do not add to 100% as respondents could choose more than one option.

Figure 2-2. Activities visitors participated in while visiting Kauai. 

surfing, and beach activities (Table 2-5), with higher participation in summer. This was likely due 

to the roughness and clarity of surf and sea in winter (as compared to summer). 

Table 2-5. Activities with significant differences in participation by season of visitation. 

Activity Summer visitors (%) Winter visitors (%) χ2 p

Beach activities 87 75 27.62 < .001 

Snorkeling 64 43 58.02 < .001

Surfing 11 3 31.46 < .001

2-5 
Visitor and Community Resident Trips to Kilauea Point National Wildlife 

Refuge 

The majority of visitors to Kilauea Point NWR had only visited the Refuge once, including 

the visit during which they were surveyed (Table 2-6). The average number of times visitors had 

visited was 1.5 times. 

Kilauea community residents, in general, had not visited Kilauea Point NWR very often 

over the past five years. Across community respondents, 67 percent (n = 220) visited the Refuge 

five or less times. Though the average number of visits was 10.6, there was much variation in 

response (Table 2-6). 

Table 2-6. Number of visits made to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge by visitors and 

community residents in the past five years. 

Times visited Visitors (%)1Community residents (%)

2

0 12

1 75 10

2 14 11

3 4 13

4 2 4

5 2 13

> 5 2 36 

1

n = 1292 

2

n = 398

Community respondents who had not visited the Refuge in the last five years were asked 

what would encourage them to visit the Refuge. The 94 responses (22 percent of respondents 

answered this question) were quite varied. The most frequently cited responses were having free 

admission for the residents of Kilauea Town and simply having more available time or finding time 

to make a visit. In some cases, respondents said that they forget that the option was available. 

Stated one respondent, 

“I need to be reminded to do it, perhaps through signs in town or some other type of 

marketing.” 

Related to prompts for the Refuge was the expressed desire for events that directly involved the 

community or community residents. They might be encouraged to visit if there were an 

“[a]dvertised ‘residents day’ or an event that I could get involved in volunteer opportunity or ‘open 

house’.” 

Another recurring response was the wish for increased access to the area, including being 

able to take in dogs, access to the lighthouse, having Crater Hill opened to the public or community 

residents or for the Crater Hill hike to be reinstated, or increased hours of operation, particularly 

during the evening and night. While there was the mention of additional access, some community 

residents indicated that they only go to the Refuge when they can “show to visiting friends,” or in 

some cases, do not go into the Refuge but enjoy it from outside the entrance. One community 

member declared, 

2-6 
“Many times I visit the lookout above the bay to the east of the lighthouse to see the ocean & 

view.” 

Community respondents were asked if they had attended any special events at the Refuge in 

the past year. There were not large percentages of community residents who participated in any of 

those activities in the past year. Only about a third of community residents attended the Ocean Fair, 

Lighthouse Day, and Holiday Craft Fair, while less than 15 percent reported attending the National 

Wildlife Refuge Week activities (Table 2-7). 

Table 2-7. Special events at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge attended by community residents 

in the past year. 

 Special event % attended

Ocean Fair 30 

Lighthouse Day 27 

Holiday Craft Fair 27

National Wildlife Refuge Week activities 14

n = 358 

Fifty-four percent of visitor respondents (n = 736) said the reason for visiting Kilauea Point 

was that it was one of many equally important reasons or destinations for their visit to Kauai. Fortyfour percent of visitors (n = 579) indicated that the Refuge was an incidental or spur of the moment 

stop on a trip taken for other purposes, and one percent of visitors (n = 17) stated that going to the 

Refuge was the primary purpose of their visit to Kauai. More winter visitors than summer visitors 

indicated that the visit to the Refuge was one of the reasons for visiting Kauai (as opposed to a spur 

of the moment stop; (χ

2

= 35.13, p < .001). 

On average, visitors reported spending close to two hours at the Refuge. This was also the 

modal time reported spent at the Refuge. The average stay reported by survey respondents was 

different than the 40 minute average stay time that was reported by the traffic count study 

conducted by Parson’s Brinkerhoff (PB) in March and August 2003 (Parson’s Brinkerhoff, 

personal communication). PB recorded license plates as cars entered and left the Refuge on two 

days in the two seasons. There were two possible explanations for the differences in numbers. First,

the PB study and this study were conducted over different lengths of time and each average had a 

different margin of error associated with it. Second, in the visitor survey, respondents were asked to 

recollect their visit after they had visited, and there is a possibility that there may have been some 

recall bias. However, the surveys were sent to respondents between two and four weeks after their 

visit. 

For the most part, visitors came to the Refuge with family groups (72 percent, n = 761; 

Table 2-8). Friends or a combination of family and friends were the next most frequently cited 

group types. There was a significant difference between summer visitors and winter visitors 

regarding the type of group with which they visited (χ

2

= 52.60, p < .001), with more winter visitors 

traveling with friends, or a combination of friends and family, than summer visitors. The average 

visitor group size was three, but the most often cited number of people in a group was two. 

Visitor respondents were asked to indicate where they stayed the night before visiting the 

Refuge. These responses can be found in Table 2-9. 

As shown by Figure 2-3, the most common way in which visitors learned of Kilauea Point 

NWR was through travel guidebooks (48 percent, n = 613), followed by visitor brochures and 

highway signage. 

2-7 
Table 2-8. Type of group with which respondents visited Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

Group type % respondents 

Family 72

Friends 18

Family/friends 11

Commercial tour group 2

Organized club or group 1 

Business/company trip 1

< 1 1

 Categorized according to open responses to the “other” category. 

n = 1060

Table 2-9. Place visitors stayed the night before visiting Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

Overnight stay % respondents 

Poipu 23%

Kapaa 21

Princeville 21

Lihue 17

Hanalei 5

Waimea 1

On a cruise ship 2 

On another Hawaiian island 1 

On an airplane < 1 

On the U.S. mainland < 1

Other 7

Visitor and Community Member Experience at the Refuge 

Visitors and community residents (who had visited the Refuge in the past five years) were 

asked a series of questions related to their experience while visiting the Refuge. These questions 

were targeted at the following areas: 

• understanding the importance that activities had on their decision to visit the Refuge, 

• understanding the importance and satisfaction regarding visitor services provided on the 

Refuge, 

• describing the aspects of the Refuge that bring visitors and community residents back, 

and identifying those aspects that could be enhanced; and 

• understanding how certain existing features should be managed to maximize visitor and 

community resident experience at the Refuge. 

2-8 
48%

35%

27%

18%

11%

8% 7% 7%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

60%

6% 6%

3% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1%

0%

5%

Travel guidebook

Visitor brochure

Highway signage

Friends

Family

Other

Local information center

Hotel staff

Local resident

Magazine

TV

In-flight/On-ship information

Travel agent

Refuge staff

Recreational/environmental group

Business associate

USFWS website

Figure 2-3. Information sources visitors used to learn about Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

Importance of Activity 

Stakeholders were asked the importance of specific priority public use activities as 

identified by the Refuge Improvement Act —wildlife observation, photography, and interpretation 

and environmental education— and other compatible activities available at the Refuge. 

Respondents also were asked about two motivations for visiting the refuge: experiencing a serene 

environment, and being in natural and undeveloped lands. Certainly, the argument could be made 

that an activity such as wildlife observation also could be a motivation for other activities (such as 

hunting or photography). Consequently, it was best not to interpret these “importance of activity” 

ratings as implying that some activities were more important than others, but that some activities 

were more important to a larger number of respondents than others. 

Most activities listed in the survey were ranked as “important” or “very important” in a 

majority of respondents’ decision to visit Kilauea Point (Table 2-10; Figure 2-4). The highest 

percentages of visitors ranked viewing scenic overlooks and visiting an historic 

landmark/lighthouse as “very important” or “important” to their decision to visit the Refuge (93 

percent, n = 1316; and 85 percent, n = 1323, respectively). There was a significant difference 

between summer and winter visitors on the importance of viewing whales and/or dolphins (F = 

68.89, p < .001).2

 This is not surprising, since this is an activity limited primarily to the winter 

 2

 “F” is the F-test, also called the F-ratio. It is used in analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing to test the 

significance of differences between variable means. 

2-9 
months. In addition, 30 percent or fewer visitors indicated that participation in environmental 

education programs, and purchasing books and mementos while visiting, were less important 

activities. 

For community residents, the most important activity in the decision to visit Kilauea Point 

NWR was the opportunity to view native seabirds (92 percent rating as “very important/ 

important”); followed by viewing scenic overlooks (91 percent) and visiting a historic 

landmark/lighthouse (79 percent; Figure 2-4, Table 2-10). All but two of the other activities 

(purchasing books about the natural history of the area and purchasing mementos at the gift shop) 

were listed by more than half of respondents as “important” or “very important.” 

There were some significant differences in importance of activity between visitors and 

community residents. These included viewing native seabirds (F = 79.42, p < .001), purchasing 

books about the natural history of the area (F = 131.52, p < .001), being in natural, undeveloped 

lands (F = 73.12, p = .000), and participating in environmental education programs (F = 112.02, 

p < .001). In all instances, community residents rated these activities as more important to their 

Refuge experience than did visitors. 

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Viewing scenic overlooks

Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse

Viewing native seabirds

Viewing whales and/or dolphins

Experiencing a serene environment

Being in natural, undeveloped lands

Taking self-guided walks

Photographing wildlife

Learning about the Refuge from staff/volunteers

Participating in environemental education programs

Purchaing books about the natural history of the area

Purchasing mementos at the gift shop

Other activities

Visitors

Community

residents

Figure 2-4. Importance of activities in visitor and community residents’ decision to visit Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge. 

2-10
Table 2-10. Importance of activities in visitor and community residents’ decision to visit Kilauea 

Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

Visitors Community residents

Very 

important/

important

(%) 

Somewhat 

important/ 

not important

(%) 

Mean 

score 

Very 

important/ 

important

(%) 

Somewhat 

important/ 

not important

(%) 

Mean 

score 

Viewing scenic overlooks of the 

coastline 

931

7 3.6 91 8 3.6

Visiting a historic

landmark/lighthouse 

85 15 3.3 79 21 3.2

Viewing native seabirds

2

78 22 3.2 92 7 3.6

Viewing whales and/or 

dolphins3 77 20 3.1 87 12 3.5

Experiencing a serene 

environment 75 23 3.1 89 10 3.5

Being in natural, undeveloped 

lands2 75 24 3.0 88 9 3.5

Taking self-guided walks with

interpretive signs 

68 30 2.8 80 18 3.2

Photographing wildlife 67 31 2.9 57 40 2.7 

Learning about the Refuge from 

staff/volunteers 60 37 2.6 63 35 2.8

Participating in environmental

education programs2 30 63 2.0 56 40 2.6

Purchasing books about the 

natural history of the area2 15 80 1.6 39 58 2.2

Purchasing mementos at the gift

shop 

14 83 1.5 23 74 1.8

Other activities n = 56 87 9 3.4 98 2 3.9 

1

Where percentages do not add up to 100% across a row, the remaining respondents indicated they had no opinion as to

the importance of an activity. 

2

There were typical statistically significant differences between visitors and community residents in importance of these 

activities to their Refuge experience: viewing native seabirds (F = 79.42, p = .000), purchasing books about the natural 

history of the area (F = 131.52, p = .000), being in natural, undeveloped lands (F = 73.12, p = .000), and participating 

in environmental education programs (F = 112.02, p = .000). 

3

There was a typical statistically significant difference between summer and winter visitors on importance of viewing

whales and/or dolphins (F = 68.89, p < .001). 

 

2-11
Importance of and Satisfaction with Services

Respondents were asked to rate the importance of (on a scale of 1-4, with 1 being not 

important and 4 being very important) and their satisfaction with (on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being 

poor and 5 being outstanding) various services provided at the Refuge. Comparing the importance 

and satisfaction ratings for visitor services can help to identify how well the services are meeting 

visitor expectations. There are several ways to make this comparison. One way is via the 

importance-performance framework (Martilla and James, 1977; and Tarrant and Smith, 2002), 

where mean scores for importance and satisfaction were charted (Figure 2-5). This framework 

combines importance and satisfaction (or performance) into one model. It allows consideration of

how visitors value an attribute, at the same time considering their satisfaction with the attribute. It 

is tool that can be used to prioritize management decisions related to services and features. For 

example, a service with a “low” satisfaction rating that is very important to visitors should be given 

more attention than a service with a “low” satisfaction rating that is not at all important to visitors. Importance 

Figure 2-5. Importance-performance framework (Martilla and James, 1977). 

It was evident by the high percentages (Table 2-11 and Table 2-12) that most of the services 

are important to a large portion of visitors and community residents. The one exception was that 

only a small number of respondents considered the existence of appealing items at the gift shop as 

important. 

When asked about satisfaction with the features that were rated as important, most visitors 

and community residents rated their satisfaction with those services as outstanding or good (Tables 

2-11 and 2-12). 

There was a minimal difference in importance and satisfaction ratings between summer and 

winter visitors regarding information on bird watching, whale watching, and/or wildlife 

photography (for importance, F= 19.17, p < .001; for satisfaction, F= 14.00, p < .001). These 

2-12
differences likely stemmed from season-specific activities that Refuge visitors come to do (e.g., 

whale watching in the winter). 

The last columns in Tables 2-11 and 2-12, and Figures 2-6 and 2-7, compare importance 

and satisfaction using the importance-performance framework. For visitors, only two 

features/services did not fall in the “keep up the good work” quadrant. The presence of appealing 

gift shop or bookstore items was an area where current efforts may be “possible overkill” for both 

visitors and community residents. This suggests that efforts toward providing appealing gift shop or 

bookstore items could be reduced without negatively affecting visitor experience. 

Table 2-11. Visitor importance-satisfaction with services provided at Kilauea Point National Wildlife 

Refuge. 

Activity 

Importance =

very important/

important (%) 

Mean 

importance1

Satisfaction = 

outstanding/

good (%) 

Mean 

satisfaction Rating2

Condition of the natural 

environment 97 4.5 95 4.4 Keep up the good work

Refuge grounds well-maintained 96 4.3 87 4.5 Keep up the 

good work

Wildlife viewing opportunities 95 4.5 95 4.4 Keep up the 

good work

Lighthouse well-preserved and 

maintained 93 4.3 88 4.4 Keep up the good work

Educational kiosks or signs about

the Refuge and its wildlife 85 4.0 89 4.1 Keep up the 

good work

Information on bird watching,

whale watching, and/or wildlife 

photography3

83 4.0 94 4.1 Keep up the 

good work

Natural history information about 

the site 82 3.9 86 4.1 Keep up the 

good work

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to

find 82 4.0 79 4.2 Keep up the good work

Reasonable entrance fees 81 3.9 81 4.3 Keep up the 

good work

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 81 4.0 81 4.4 Keep up the 

good work

Adequate number of parking 

spaces 

78 3.8 52 3.6 Keep up the 

good work

Access for people with physical 

disabilities or walking difficulties 51 3.5 62 4.0 Low priority

Appealing gift shop or bookstore

items 32 2.7 67 3.8 Possible 

overkill

Other services/features (n = 32) 88 4.5 73 3.7 Keep up the 

good work

1

Importance scale is a 4-point scale. Mean scores converted here to 5-point scale to more easily compare to 5-point 

satisfaction scale. 

2

Rating is based on importance-performance framework (Martilla and James, 1977) where satisfaction is plotted on x 

axis and importance is plotted on y axis, and the graph is divided into quadrants (top right = ”keep up the good work,”

bottom right = “possible overkill,” bottom left = “low priority,” and top left = “concentrate here.”) 

3

Minimal significant difference exists between summer and winter visitors regarding importance and satisfaction (for 

importance, F= 19.17, p < .001; for satisfaction, F= 14.00, p < .001). 

2-13
Table 2-12. Community resident importance-satisfaction with services provided at Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge. 

Activity 

Importance =

very important/

important (%) 

Mean 

importance1

Satisfaction = 

outstanding/

good (%) 

Mean 

satisfaction Rating2

Condition of the natural 

environment 99 4.8 87 4.3 Keep up the 

good work

Refuge grounds well-maintained 98 4.7 91 4.4 Keep up the 

good work

Wildlife viewing opportunities 97 4.7 89 4.4 Keep up the 

good work

Lighthouse well-preserved and 

maintained 96 4.5 87 4.2 Keep up the 

good work

Educational kiosks or signs 

about the Refuge and its wildlife 88 4.2 77 4.0 Keep up the 

good work

Information on bird watching,

whale watching, and/or wildlife 

photography

81 4.0 77 4.0 Keep up the 

good work

Natural history information 

about the site 87 4.2 78 4.0 Keep up the good work

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to

find 70 3.8 78 4.1 Keep up the 

good work

Reasonable entrance fees 82 4.1 72 3.9 Keep up the 

good work

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 87 4.2 80 4.2 Keep up the 

good work

Adequate number of parking 

spaces 

75 3.8 60 3.5 Keep up the 

good work

Access for people with physical 

disabilities or walking

difficulties 

77 4.2 69 4.0 Keep up the 

good work

Appealing gift shop or bookstore

items 42 2.9 63 3.7 Possible 

overkill

Refuge special events 61 3.5 68 4.0 Keep up the 

good work

1

Importance scale is a 4-point scale. Mean scores converted here to 5-point scale to more easily compare to 5-point 

satisfaction scale. 

2

Rating is based on importance-performance framework (Martilla and James, 1977) where satisfaction is plotted on x 

axis and importance is plotted on y axis, and the graph is divided into quadrants (top right = “keep up the good work,”

bottom right = “possible overkill,” bottom left = “low priority,” and top left = “concentrate here.”) 

2-14
1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

1 1.522.5 3 3.544.5 5

Performance

Importance Condition of the natural environment Refuge grounds well-maintained

Wildlife viewing opportunities Lighthouse well-preserved and maintained

Educational kiosks or signs about the Refuge and its wildlife Information provided on bird watching, whale watching, and/or wildlife photography

Natural history information about the site Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find

Reasonable entrance fees Helpfulness of Refuge staff

Adequate number of parking spaces Access for people with physical disabilities or walking difficulties

Appealing gift shop or bookstore items

Keep up the good work! 

Concentrate Here 

Low Priority Possible Overkill

Figure 2-6. Visitor importance-satisfaction ratings with services provided at Kilauea Point National 

Wildlife Refuge.

2-15
1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Performance

Importance Condition of the natural environment Refuge grounds well-maintained

Wildlife viewing opportunities Lighthouse well-preserved and maintained

Educational kiosks or signs about the Refuge and its wildlife Information provided on bird watching, whale watching, and/or wildlife photography

Natural history information about the site Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find

Reasonable entrance fees Helpfulness of Refuge staff

Adequate number of parking spaces Access for people with physical disabilities or walking difficulties

Appealing gift shop or bookstore items Refuge special events

Keep up the good work! 

Low Priority Possible Overkill

Figure 2-7. Community resident importancesatisfaction ratings with services provided at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

Factors that Would Bring Visitors and Community Residents Back 

In an effort to enrich the results regarding importance of activity and importancesatisfaction of services, visitors and community residents were asked to respond to two open-ended 

questions: “What would bring you back?” and “What would enhance your experience?” Sixty-eight 

percent of visitor respondents (n = 934) and 63 percent of community residents (n = 266) answered 

the above open-ended questions. The responses to these questions are qualitative and should be 

interpreted as such; however they can inform the quantitative results of this study and provide 

anecdotal insight. The verbatim responses are available in Appendix A and B. 

Reactions of Kilauea Point visitors and community residents to the question “What would 

bring you back?” were largely positive and enlightening. Patterns indicated that both groups 

enjoyed the scenery and the view of the coastline, in addition to the calm, clean, peaceful 

environment. One visitor replied, 

“The serenity and calmness of the area for people and wildlife to co-exist at the refuge will 

bring me back. The beautiful landscape and scenic views of the coastline is another plus.” 

Bird watching and wildlife observation were activities that proved to be meaningful to the 

visitors and community residents alike, particularly viewing albatross, sea turtles, whales, and 

2-16
dolphins. Numerous visitors added that the voluntary use of binoculars was appealing, as one 

person explained, 

“The binoculars were a delightful tool to use in our visit. I wouldn’t have thought to bring any, 

but they enhanced the educational experience. Someone was thinking.” 

The staff and volunteers were described as enthusiastic, friendly, informative, 

knowledgeable, and available to answer questions. Others praised the freedom and ability to enjoy 

the Refuge at their own pace. 

Community resident responses mirrored these feelings, adding that the company of visitors 

would bring them back. Some mentioned that it was simply the “Aloha Spirit” or the pure 

enjoyment of “just being there” that would bring them back. Members of the community have 

been going there since they were young and now the Refuge serves as a place that they can bring 

their children, ultimately reliving their childhood memories and sharing the historic value of the 

lighthouse with others. As one community resident said, 

“We bring our grandchildren to see the refuge and lighthouse...it is important for their learning 

of nature and history in the island of Kauai,” 

Lastly, the environmental education opportunities and tours, and the historical significance 

encompassing the region, were features mentioned that would bring visitors and community 

residents back to the Refuge, with community residents specifically expressing interest in tours, 

class trips, and community-based events. 

Factors That Would Enhance Refuge Experience 

When asked, “What would enhance your experience?” there was a wide range of responses 

from visitors and community residents. Fifty-two percent of visitor respondents (n = 711) and 51 

percent of community residents (n = 216) answered the above open-ended question. The responses 

to this question are qualitative and should be interpreted as such; however they can inform the 

quantitative results of this study and provide anecdotal insight. The verbatim responses are 

available in Appendix A and B.

The most frequent requests were for visitors to have access to the lighthouse and regain the 

right to use the trails within the Refuge. One visitor replied, 

“Being able to make a reservation to go inside the lighthouse and easier access to information 

about the lighthouse, such as its keepers and history, would enhance our experience,” 

Similarly, the most common suggestion from community residents was for residents and 

visitors to regain access to Crater Hill and other hiking trails, perhaps even down to the ocean, and 

to reinstate access inside the lighthouse. Members of the community would like to see the 

lighthouse in working order more often and suggested letting the light shine. Some individuals 

wished that residents and Kilauea community residents would not have to pay full admission to 

enter the Refuge and commented that they would like to be able to walk into the Refuge on foot 

rather than drive. 

Educational activities were also of interest to respondents. Many expressed interest in 

participating in hikes or guided tours within the Refuge. Suggestions included opening trails down 

to the beach and through the nesting grounds for visitors to explore. Those who would prefer a 

guided visit suggested, 

2-17
 “It is difficult to recognize birds when they fly, or really appreciate the experience without 

someone experienced, to talk about his/her passion.” 

Numerous people implied that there was an importance and a desire to have small group 

lectures, films, audio tours, or interactive displays about the history and wildlife. Seeing more 

wildlife was a common theme, however, most seemed to realize that viewing wildlife depends on 

the weather and time of year. It was suggested that the Refuge provide an illustrated guidepamphlet explaining the best time to view birds and animals, and to provide more telescopes and 

binoculars for public use. Some community residents expressed interest in having more 

educational material, specifically information on the history of the lighthouse and Refuge, native 

plants, the environment, and wildlife in the region. Suggestions for providing this information 

included the use of audio tours, workshops, seminars, signage, and allowing both guided and selfguided tours. Community respondents also indicated they would like to see more native fauna. 

 “It is a beautiful spot unlike any others in the world; the uniqueness of it is enough,” 

expressed one individual. 

Community respondents said that they would enjoy more access to educational material, 

such as: mailings, newsletters, brochures, special interest programs, and activities. 

To improve the facilities, both groups suggested the addition of shaded areas, seating, and 

picnic areas would be highly desirable for resting and relaxing in the pristine environment. One 

visitor commented that there were too few stools that children could use for viewing. Comments 

from visitors regarding the accessibility for handicap or disabled persons were very positive; others 

suggested better signage surrounding the Refuge and more parking or a shuttle bus. Additional 

visitor requests included: a larger Refuge, less people, more staff and volunteers, and the 

availability of food and beverages. One individual from the community would like to have a 

person welcoming the visitors at the entrance. Conversely to the above discussion, some visitors 

would not change a thing: 

“Change nothing, it was a wonderful place filled with beauty and pleasant people and it was 

refreshing to not be expected to pay large amounts of money to enter.” 

Visitors stated that if any change occurred, they would like to see the Refuge open earlier and close 

later so they would have the opportunity to enjoy it more. Others in the community would be 

interested in having night visits available as well, providing the opportunity to watch the sunset 

and/or stargazing. Still others hoped that the Refuge would simply be open longer hours. Many 

community residents suggested no changes: “Great balance as a tourist attraction and Refuge,” 

stated one community resident. Another mentioned, “Enjoy it as is - I think the lighthouse is 

lovely, the Refuge is beautiful. I think things are good.” 

Management of Services 

Respondents were asked how they felt features and services should be managed at the 

Refuge. The majority of visitors and community residents felt that most features listed should be 

left as is (Table 2-13). The exceptions to this were access to the lighthouse and visitor impacts on 

wildlife. Both visitors and community residents were evenly split on providing more access to the 

lighthouse (45 and 46 percent, respectively) or leaving access as is (46 and 47 percent, 

respectively). Visitors and community residents also were split fairly evenly on management of

visitor impacts on wildlife, with community residents feeling slightly more strongly about 

2-18
minimizing impacts (43 percent of visitors chose to increase efforts to restrict visitor behavior that 

was harmful to wildlife; 53 percent of community chose this option). In addition, community 

residents also were split on environmental education activities and naturalness. Nearly 60 percent 

of community residents felt environmental education activities should be increased at the Refuge 

and around 40 percent felt more natural conditions should be restored. 

Table 2-13. Visitor and community resident preferences for management of services at Kilauea 

Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

Visitors Community

Feature 

Less Leave 

as is

More Less Leave 

as is

More 

Facilities 2 87 11 2 84 14

Visitor numbers

1

5 79 15 7 69 25

Services 1 78 21 2 72 27

Information signs 6 73 21 11 67 21

Naturalness25 71 25 6 54 39

Environmental education activities 1 67 33 1 41 59

Visitor impacts on wildlife3 2 55 43 4 43 53

Access to lighthouse 9 46 45 7 47 46

1

This statement was worded restrict (listed under “less” in the table)/encourage more (“more” in table) visitation to the 

Refuge. 

2

This statement was worded restore more natural conditions (listed under “more” in table)/allow more landscape 

alterations (“less” in table). 

3

This statement was worded: Increase efforts to restrict visitor behavior that is harmful to wildlife (listed under “less” 

in table)/ decrease efforts to restrict... (“more” in table). 

Preferences for Access 

Visitors were asked whether they would spend more time at the Refuge given a variety of 

different options for learning more about or seeing more of the Refuge and/or surrounding areas. 

Three of these options (a guided history tour of Kilauea Town, a guided hike to view a nesting 

seabird colony, and a guided two-hour hike to the summit of an extinct volcano crater) were 

suggested with fees attached to them. The range of fees was randomly distributed across surveys. In

addition, respondents were asked if they would spend more time at the Refuge if an introduction to 

Kilauea Point was given by a staff member or volunteer, or if a self-guided hike to a scenic view of 

the lighthouse were offered free of charge. The results of these options are shown in Figure 2-8 and 

Figure 2-9. In general, most visitors would spend more time for the free options: an introduction to 

the Refuge and a self-guided hike through a native forest for a scenic view. For fee activities, 

visitors were willing to pay only $5-7 for activities (only a few dollars more than the current $3 

entrance fee), except for a guided hike to the summit of an extinct volcano crater. 

2-19
84%

78%

59%

54%

41%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Self-guided hike

through restored

native forest for

scenic view

Introduction to the

Refuge by staff or

volunteer

*Guided hike to

summit of extinct

volcano crater

*Guided history

tour of Kilauea

town

*Guided hike from

overlook for a view

of nesting seabird

colony

*Service would be offered for a fee 

Figure 2-8. Percent of visitors who would spend more time at the Refuge if options were offered. 

$25

$7

$5

$3

$0 $5 $10 $15 $20 $25 $30

Guided hike to summit of

extinct volcano crater

Guided hike from overlook

for a view of nesting

seabird colony

Guided history tour of

Kilauea town

Refuge entrance fee*

*Intended as a reference by which to judge other fee amounts 

Figure 2-9. Amount of money that greater than 50% of respondents would be willing to pay for a 

given option. 

2-20
Community/Refuge Relations 

Community residents were asked a series of questions regarding the importance of the 

Refuge to residents and their community. They were asked about their attachment to the Refuge as 

a place, about their trust in the Refuge and the USFWS, and benefits and concerns with being a 

neighbor to the Refuge, 

Place Attachment 

With a shift from utilitarian management to an ecosystem or landscape approach to public 

land management, there has been an effort to understand the emotional and symbolic meanings 

associated with natural places or landscapes, and the attachments people form with these places 

(Williams and Stewart, 1998). This attachment or meaning may be personal or shared publicly. 

Williams identified two dimensions of place attachment—“place dependence” and “place identity” 

(Williams et al 1992; Jorgensen and Stedman, 2001). In addition to these two dimensions, a third 

dimension called “place tradition”—the importance of place to family tradition or heritage⎯ was 

tested. All three aspects of place attachment were tested in the community survey. 

Community residents appeared to be somewhat indifferent, although their perceptions of the 

Refuge as a meaningful place leaned toward the positive. About half of the mean scores were 

around the neutral point and half were in the mild agreement range (on a five-point agreement 

scale, where 1= strongly disagree, and 5= strongly agree; Table 2-14). An exception, which tended 

to be higher, was the place-tradition statement, “It is important to me that my children and my 

grandchildren will be able to visit the Refuge.” In addition, the statement “Because of my 

experiences here, I will definitely come back,” received high agreement ratings, though not part of

the place-attachment measure. 

Although community residents feel a sense of attachment to the Refuge, it does not appear 

to be a compelling one. Clearly, on an island that abounds with scenic beauty, residents are not 

solely dependent on the Refuge for the activities in which they participate or as a place with which 

to identify. Local residents do seem to recognize the Refuge, however, as an important place for 

current and future generations to spend time. 

Trust in the Refuge and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

Respondents were asked to rate their agreement with three statements related to trust in the 

agency and the Refuge staff (Figure 2-10). Overall, community residents mildly agreed (mean 

scores falling between 3.4 and 4.2) with all three statements. These answers give an indication that 

community residents are trustful of Refuge staff and USFWS, however not overly so. This is an 

important consideration when interacting with the local community in the ATS public involvement 

process. 

Benefits and Concerns of Being a Neighbor of the Refuge 

Community residents were asked, “What is the biggest benefit to being a neighbor of the 

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse,” and “What is the biggest concern of being a 

neighbor...?” Seventy-seven percent (n = 329) of community respondents provided a response on 

the “benefits” open-ended question and 72 percent (n = 305) provided a response on the “concerns” 

question. The responses to these questions are qualitative and should be interpreted as such; 

however they can inform the quantitative results of this study and provide anecdotal insight. The 

verbatim responses are available in Appendix B. 

2-21
Table 2-14. Community resident place attachment to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

Statement Mean agreement 

score 

Strongly/mildly 

agree1

Strongly/mildly 

disagree

Unsure 

Place dependence 3.25 

No other place can compare to this area. 3.62 57 14 29 

This area is the best place for what I like to 

do. 3.33 38 17 45

I wouldn’t substitute any other place for 

doing what I do here. 3.21 34 20 46

I get more satisfaction out of visiting this 

place than visiting any other. 

3.04 26 23 51

Doing what I do at this Refuge is more

important to me than doing it in any other 

place. 

3.04 26 25 50

Place identity 3.72 

This Refuge means a lot to me. 3.94 68 5 27 

I am very attached to the Refuge. 3.88 66 6 28 

I feel this Refuge is a part of me. 3.56 50 12 38 

I identify strongly with the Refuge. 3.51 48 11 41 

Place tradition 3.67 

It is important to me that my children and

my grandchildren will be able to visit the

Refuge. 

4.60 91 1 8

The Refuge provides me a sense of

connection to past and future generations. 3.80 62 7 31

Coming to places like this Refuge is an

important part of my family tradition. 3.78 60 10 31

Coming to places like this Refuge was an

important part of my childhood. 3.34 41 21 38

This place is special because it is where my 

family and I spend time. 3.33 38 16 46

This place is special because it is where my 

friends and I spend time. 3.15 31 23 46

Because of my experiences here I will 

definitely come back 4.13 78 4 18

1

Mean scores on 5-point Likert scale, where 1= strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree.

2-22
29%

28%

22%

15%

8%

10%

56%

64%

68%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

I have confidence in

decisions made by

USFWS about

managing this Refuge

I have confidence in the

staff at the Refuge

Everything considered, I

trust the Refuge staff

will do what is right for

the Refuge

Neutral Disagree Agree

Figure 2-10. Community resident agreement with statements related to trust in Refuge staff and U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Community residents did see many benefits to being a neighbor of the Refuge, including it 

being a beautiful place to view wildlife and to take visitors. The key words reiterated in their 

responses to the question were preservation and access. Respondents specifically enjoy the 

convenience of having a protected, undeveloped preserve for flora and fauna close by and, in some 

cases, just minutes away. 

“Knowing that there is a safe place nearby that protects and nurtures the natural world and her 

inhabitants is the biggest benefit to being a neighbor to the Refuge,” expressed one member of

the community. 

Without having to travel long distances, locals can experience a beautiful piece of history and 

natural education. It is a point of interest and a place of recreation and leisure to take visitors and 

family. Finally, the respondents feel they benefit from having the Refuge in their neighborhood 

because it enhances the value of the community and small town economy. One community 

resident stated, 

 “Part of our island is being preserved and shared back with the community.” 

The Kilauea community was then asked: “What is the biggest concern of being a neighbor 

of the Refuge?” As the Refuge grows, the residents said their first concern was traffic. If the 

2-23
numbers of tourists increase, they fear that traffic, noise, and speeding also would increase. One 

resident commented, 

“The newly paved road has resulted in more speeding cars, posing a danger to those of us who 

walk to the lookout.” 

Also, many people are concerned that the Refuge will become too crowded and congested 

and/or too expensive. If visitation patterns increase, some individuals expressed concerns for 

pollution, urban development, and negative environmental impact. The community appears 

resolute about keeping the Refuge simple, natural, and protected. As one resident stated, they do 

not want the Lighthouse to become another “all-American amusement park.” Many of the 

responses comprised the general theme that if visitors increased then there was risk of

compromising the natural beauty, and losing wildlife habitat and public access to the Refuge and its 

surrounding public lands. Residents appear uneasy about tourist disrespect and insensitivity for the 

natural environment, suggesting that dogs and cats could perhaps invade the Refuge, injuring the 

nesting birds, and/or the visitors could trash the Refuge as a result of over-development and 

accompanying increased visitation. Though respondents showed a concern for conservation, some 

community residents would promote visitation. However, it is evident that the community is not 

willing to increase public access if, in effect, they would lose access to public lands and experience

an increase in restricted areas. 

Community Quality of Life 

Respondents were asked a series of questions regarding their satisfaction with community 

living in general, land use planning, and participation and communication about these issues. 

When asked about overall satisfaction with community living, residents of Kilauea Town 

are satisfied with living in the community, with 84 percent being either “somewhat” or “very 

satisfied.” Over three-quarters of residents feel things were going well for them in the town of 

Kilauea. Growth and development was listed as the most likely problem (47 percent) that might 

negatively affect respondents’ quality of life in Kilauea. Interestingly, drugs and affordable housing 

(issues of concern at recent Kilauea Town planning meetings) were listed under “other” option on 

this question, but only by a handful of respondents. 

However, when asked to rate the importance of, and satisfaction with, specific community 

aspects, opinions were more mixed and much dissatisfaction appeared. Using the importanceperformance framework, these characteristics are presented below in Table 2-15 and Figure 2-11. 

Residents had the lowest satisfaction with the availability of affordable housing. That issue 

received a high importance score, yet a mean satisfaction score between poor and adequate (1.6), 

and 62 percent rated their satisfaction as poor. Clearly, community expectations regarding public 

transit are not being met, though it appears a somewhat less important issue than housing. Related 

to transit were walkways and paths. This issue appears to have as much disparity between 

importance and satisfaction as did affordable housing. In addition, opportunities for well-paying 

jobs, and number of stores and shops, are unsatisfactory aspects of community living. Parks and 

open space, and low risk of catastrophes were on the line between “keep up the good work” and 

“concentrate here.” The importance of these issues is uncertain, however, because neither fell 

clearly in the “keep up the good work” quadrant, attention may be warranted. 

2-24
Table 2-15. Community resident importance-satisfaction ratings regarding community aspects of 

Kilauea Town. 

Community aspects 

Importance =

very important/

important (%) 

Mean 

importance1

Satisfaction = 

outstanding/

good (%) 

Mean 

satisfaction 

Rating2

Scenic beauty 97 4.7 81 4.2 Keep up the 

good work

Historic character 75 3.9 52 3.5 Keep up the 

good work

Length of commute 66 3.9 42 3.4 Keep up the 

good work

Quality of schools 85 4.6 44 3.3 Keep up the 

good work

Absence of air/noise/light

pollution 

97 4.7 50 3.3 Keep up the 

good work

Low crime rate 99 4.9 51 3.2 Keep up the 

good work

Parks and open space 96 4.7 37 3.0 Uncertain 

Low-risk of natural 

catastrophes 66 3.7 29 3.0 Uncertain

Number of stores and shops 88 3.1 36 2.9 Concentrate 

here 

Opportunities for wellpaying jobs 66 3.8 11 2.1 Concentrate 

here 

Walkways/bike paths 85 4.3 14 2.1 Concentrate 

here 

Public transit that is reliable 

and convenient 65 3.7 11 2.0 Concentrate here 

Affordable housing 83 4.3 8 1.6 Concentrate 

here 

1

Importance scale is 4-point scale. Mean scores converted here to 5-point scale to more easily compare to 5-point 

satisfaction scale. 

2

Rating is based on importance-performance framework (Martilla and James, 1977) where satisfaction is plotted on x 

axis and importance is plotted on y axis, and graph is divided into quadrants (top right =”keep up the good work,” 

bottom right =”possible overkill,” bottom left =”low priority,” and top left =”concentrate here.”) 

2-25
1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Performance

Importance

Low crime rate Quality of schools Parks and open space

Length of commute Number of stores and shops Opportunities for well-paying jobs

Affordable housing Public transit that is reliable and convenient Walkways/bike paths

Absence of air/noise/light pollution Historic character Scenic beauty

Low-risk of natural catastrophes

Keep Up the Good Work 

Concentrate Here 

Figure 2-11. Community resident importance-satisfaction ratings with community attributes of 

Kilauea Town. 

Land Use Planning Communication and Participation 

In communicating with the public, it is important to understand how individuals participate 

in natural resource decision-making and ways in which they commonly obtain information on these

topics. In an effort to better understand these issues, visitors and community respondents were 

asked about their participation in natural resources issues. Community residents also were asked 

about the sources on which they rely for information about land use and development issues. 

The highest percentages of community respondents reported that they got most of their 

information about land use and development issues from a mix of printed (newspapers, 69 percent) 

and interpersonal communication (friends, 62 percent; neighbors, 41 percent; Figure 2-12). Though 

lower, there is some use of electronic media (radio, 40 percent; television, 30 percent). 

2-26
70%

62%

41% 40%

31% 30% 29% 28%

24%

18%

14%

11% 11% 10%

7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Newspaper

Friends

Neighbors

Radio

Neighborhood Assoc

Television

Local newsletter

Community groups

Local business peop

Family

Work colleagues

Internet

Recreational/environ

Local town officials

Business group

iation

le

mental groups

Figure 2-12. Sources community residents use to obtain information on local land use or 

development issues. 

When asked which natural resource or environmental decision-making activities they had 

participated in within the last five years, the largest percentage of visitors indicated that they had 

signed a petition (81 percent, Table 2-16). Other frequently cited activities were attending a public 

hearing or meeting (50 percent), and joining a special interest group (47 percent). Community 

residents also had high participation in petition signing (79 percent) and public meeting/hearing 

attendance (67 percent). Less common participation activities for both groups included writing an 

editorial letter to a newspaper. 

2-27
Table 2-16. Participation in natural resource decision-making. 

Participation activity Visitors (%)1Community (%)2

Signed a petition 81 79 

Attended a public hearing or meeting 50 67 

Joined a special interest group 47 35 

Contacted or wrote a U.S. Senator or State legislator 39 43 

Contacted or wrote a state or federal agency 33 37 

Wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper 14 17 

1

n = 1075 

2

n = 380

Discussion 

Visitors Trip to Kauai 

Kauai is the sole destination for most non-local visitors, with very few repeat visits. While 

on Kauai, they participate in a variety of activities in line with Refuge activities (general 

sightseeing, photography, wildlife/plant viewing, and learning about the culture/history of the area). 

Most Refuge visitors are first-time visitors, both to the island and to the Refuge. They stay on the 

island about a week in duration, which provides opportunity to visit the Refuge during their visit. 

Most visitors are from the United States, while the next largest contingency coming from Canada. 

Visitor and Community Resident Trips to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge 

Most visitors to the Refuge are first-time visitors. Only 10 percent have visited more than 

two times. For about half of the visitors surveyed, the Refuge was one of many equally important 

reasons for coming to Kauai. About 44 percent of visitors surveyed indicated the Refuge was an 

incidental or spur of the moment stop, this being more prominent with summer visitors than winter 

visitors. Visitors appear to learn about the Refuge from guidebooks and brochures. In addition, 

summer visitors tend to be relying on highway signs. Few visitors learn about the Refuge from 

magazines, recreational/environmental groups, or travel agents, which might counter the expected. 

It was unclear whether visitors are simply not using these forms of media, or if information about 

the Refuge is not highlighted in these outlets. Also, word-of-mouth (from friends and family) does

not appear to be a major source of information about the Refuge. 

Though community residents have more opportunity to access the Refuge than do first-time 

visitors, they visit infrequently. Most have visited fewer than five times in the past five years, and 

over 10 percent of those surveyed had not visited at all during that time frame. In addition, 

community respondents did not widely attend any of the special events held at the Refuge in the 

past year. However, about a quarter of residents do visit much more regularly (>10 times over the

past 5 years). 

Visitor/Community Experience at the Refuge 

The most important Refuge activities for visitors are the scenic overlooks and the lighthouse 

experience. However, nearly all of the activities we asked about are “important” or “very 

important” to the majority of visitors. Aside from whale and dolphin watching in winter, summer 

and winter visitors place similar importance on activities they participate in while at the Refuge. 

2-28
They also are equally satisfied with services offered at the Refuge. For all services inquired about, 

the Refuge and its staff are meeting expectations. Community residents also are quite satisfied with

Refuge services. About half of visitors and community residents would like to see more access to 

the inside of the lighthouse, and visitor impacts to wildlife minimized to the extent possible. It is 

uncertain if this indicates understanding of the Refuge System mission of “Wildlife First,” or if 

there is simply a desire to preserve this place of scenic beauty. In addition, though community 

residents are satisfied with current environmental efforts, they would like to see more programs and

activities. 

There appears to be an overall “keep up the good work” attitude reflected in the ratings 

from visitors and community residents, with room for making a “good thing better” in some areas. 

This result appeared to reflect the positive experiences both visitors and community residents have

at the Refuge, not only with the scenic beauty of the place, but also with the services provided. 

Only one service, the opportunity to “shop” (purchasing books and mementos and the 

availability of gift shop and bookstore items), does not appear to be important to a majority of 

visitors or community residents. 

Community/Refuge Relations 

Although community residents do not visit the Refuge often, they seem to identify (though 

not strongly) with the Refuge as a meaningful place. They consider it an important place for current

and future generations, even though they indicated it was not an important part of their own 

childhood or a place they regularly spend time. This may indicate that the Refuge holds some 

intrinsic values for community residents that are not tied to direct use. Kilauea residents also see 

many benefits to being a neighbor of the Refuge, including it being a beautiful place to view 

wildlife and to take visitors. Having a protected natural area in close proximity to the community is 

viewed as a substantial benefit. Concerns with being a neighbor of the Refuge include traffic and 

tourist congestion in town, limited access to parts of the Refuge, and fear of increased tourist 

visitation to the Refuge negatively impacting the naturalness of the site. Residents appear to be 

basically trustful of the Refuge staff and the USFWS. 

Community Quality of Life 

Residents of Kilauea town are satisfied overall with living in their community. However, 

there are several aspects of community life in Kilauea they would like to see improved. Affordable 

housing and opportunities for well-paying jobs are two areas where it appears expectations are not 

being met. Also identified as areas for community improvement are convenient and reliable public 

transit, and walkways and bike paths. As was evidenced by the large turnout at public meetings 

related to these topics, community residents indicate that they actively participated in natural 

resource decision-making, primarily by attending public meetings and signing petitions. In 

addition, nearly half of residents have contacted or written a U.S. Senator or State legislator 

regarding natural resource or environmental issues. Community residents are well educated and had 

a long history on Kauai and in Kilauea Town. They use a mix of printed and interpersonal 

communication, relying on newspapers and friends and neighbors (the “coconut wireless”) for their 

information on land use and development issues. These factors are important to consider when 

developing strategies for effective public participation processes and communication.

2-29

3. Visitor Trip Spending 

Lynne Koontz and John Loomis 

Spending associated with Refuge recreational activities can generate considerable economic 

benefits for the local communities near a Refuge. A tourist usually buys a wide range of goods and 

services while visiting an area. Major expenditure categories include lodging, food, supplies, and 

gasoline. A region (and its economy) is typically defined as all counties within a 30-60 mile radius

of the travel destination. Only spending that takes place within this local area is included as 

stimulating changes in economic activity. Kilauea Point NWR is located near the town of Kilauea 

on the island of Kauai and consists of only one county. As a result, Kauai County comprised the 

economic region for this analysis. 

To determine the impacts of visitor spending within the local economic impact area, only 

spending by those living outside of the local area (hereafter referred to as non-local visitors) was 

included in the analysis. The rational for excluding spending by local Kauai resident visitors was 

two-fold. First, Kauai was the main focus of the impact analysis: it was the impact area. Money 

flowing into Kauai from outside is considered new money injected into that economy. Second, if 

Kauai residents visit the Refuge more or less often, they will correspondingly change their 

spending of money elsewhere in the local area, resulting in no net change to the local economy. 

These are standard assumptions made in most regional economic analyses at the local level. 

The annual visitation estimates for the Refuge were based on 2004 visitation data from the 

USFWS Refuge Management Information System (RMIS). Personnel at each Refuge reported the 

RMIS information; estimates were based on counts of visitors entering the visitor center/office and 

general observation, as well as other methods. According to the RMIS report, there were 472,720 

total Refuge visits in 2004. This estimate included visitors stopping at the overlook (outside the 

Refuge gate), on-site visits to the Point (inside the Refuge gate), and special event visits (inside the 

Refuge gate). While visitors that only stop at the overlook are technically on Refuge lands, only 

visitors that entered the Refuge gate (315,125 visits) for the visitor spending analysis were 

included. Overlook visitors were excluded because the length of stay at the overlook is often very 

short and they do not actually “visit” the main area of the Refuge. Table 3-1 shows the average 

number of visits to the Refuge by non-local visitors (based on 98 percent of visitors being nonlocal, based on survey data). 

Table 3-1. Annual visitation and percentage of nonlocal visitation to Kilauea Point NWR. 

Annual refuge visits

(excludes visits to the overlook)

% of nonlocal

visits 

Annual nonlocal Refuge visits 

(excludes visits to the overlook)

315,125 98% 308,192

3-1 
Kilauea Point NWR Visitor Spending Allocation 

Because Kilauea Point NWR is one of many visitor attractions available on Kauai, it is 

important to account for the differing motivations visitors have for coming to Kauai and the 

importance of visiting KPNWR in relation to their overall trip purpose. Table 3-2 shows the 

breakdown of non-local KPNWR visitors by their response to the survey question about their trip 

purpose. As shown in Table 3-2, approximately 1.3 percent of visitors indicated that visiting 

KPNWR was the primary purpose of their visit to Kauai. A majority (55 percent) of visitors 

indicated that visiting the Refuge was one of many equally important reasons for visiting Kauai, 

and 44 percent indicated visiting the Refuge was just an incidental or spur of the moment stop on a 

trip taken for other purposes (Table 3-2). Table 3-2 reports the corresponding number of Refuge

visits and time spent on Kauai by trip purpose. 

Table 3-2. Breakdown of non-local Kilauea Point NWR visitor survey respondents by trip purpose. 

Trip purpose Percent of visits

Annual # of

Refuge visits 

Number of days

spent on Kauai

Primary 1% 4,006 8.3

Equal 55% 170,122 9.4

Incidental 44% 134,064 8.0

Respondents were asked to “indicate the amount you and members of your group with 

whom you shared expenses (e.g., other family members, traveling companions) spent on your most 

recent visit to Kauai.” For each respondent, reported expenditures were divided by the number of

persons in their group that shared expenses in order to determine the spending per person per trip. 

This was then divided by the number of days spent on Kauai to determine the spending per person 

per day for each respondent. Table 3-3 illustrates the average amount Kilauea Point NWR visitors 

spent during their most recent visit to Kauai for each visitor trip purpose. Because the amounts and

types of spending by winter and summer visitors were similar, the spending estimates in Table 3-3 

show the combined average of summer and winter visitors. Not every group had expenditures in 

every category, so the numbers reported in Table 3-3 represent an average across all visitors for 

each trip purpose, including some who had no expenditures in that category. Table 3-3 shows that, 

on average, visitors spent the most on hotels, restaurants, and rental cars. Visitors whose Refuge 

visit was one of many equally important reasons for coming to Kauai spent more days on Kauai 

and thus spent more per person per trip as compared to visitors whose Refuge visit was their 

primary or incidental reason for visiting the island. The total amount of spending per person per 

day ranged from $132 for primary trip purpose visitors to $127 for equal trip purpose visitors to 

$133 for incidental trip purpose visitors. 

3-2 
Table 3-3. Average amount visitors to Kilauea Point NWR spent during most recent visit to Kauai by

trip purpose type. 

 Primary trip purpose 

visitor spending 

Equal trip purpose 

visitor spending 

Incidental trip purpose 

visitor spending 

 $ Per Person 

per Trip 

$ Per 

Person per 

Day1

$ Per Person 

per Trip 

$ Per 

Person per 

Day

$ Per Person 

per Trip 

$ Per Person 

per Day

Rental car 168.85 23.71 150.29 17.16 123.92 17.09

Gasoline 29.56 4.25 25.12 2.99 20.71 2.95

Hotels/motels 203.02 27.20 407.54 47.34 375.31 48.56

Time share costs 12.50 0.54 7.90 0.83 3.42 0.73

Restaurants 243.31 31.40 180.33 22.38 190.18 24.15

Groceries 66.59 7.97 92.56 9.13 70.28 8.77

Supplies/souvenirs 154.32 16.63 85.71 10.01 97.79 11.03

Refuge bookstore 8.61 1.33 5.62 0.89 3.38 0.73

Refuge entrance fee 3.02 0.54 3.00 0.45 3.03 0.45 

Guided tour of Kauai 3.13 0.31 7.37 1.42 8.06 1.83

Boat/helicopter tours 85.63 12.67 62.23 9.14 77.81 10.46

Equipment rental 14.84 1.43 6.22 0.71 7.89 0.86

Golf or tennis fees 23.44 2.97 15.01 1.67 14.43 1.73

Massage/yoga/spa 0.00 0.00 5.11 0.57 8.34 0.76

Excursion fee 8.96 0.93 16.20 2.61 20.94 2.89 

Total spending $1,025.76 $131.89 $1,070.20 $127.30 $1,025.50 $132.98

1

Spending per person per day is based on an 8-hour visitor day.

When allocating visitor spending for an economic impact analysis, attributing all trip 

expenditures made in Kauai to the Refuge visit may very well overstate the impacts of the Refuge 

if visitors are stopping there en route to other sites or as part of a longer trip (Loomis and Caughlan, 

2004; Stynes, 1999). Therefore, total trip expenditures were only attributed for visitors who 

indicated that visiting the Refuge was the primary purpose or sole destination of their trip to 

Kauai. The way in which spending was determined for visitors whose Refuge visit was an equally 

important reason for visiting Kauai or was an incidental purpose of their island visit are 

summarized in Table 3-4. Spending for visitors that indicated visiting the Refuge was one of many 

equally important reasons for visiting Kauai was allocated to account for the following: 1) all 

expenditures for the Refuge entrance fee and the Refuge bookstore were attributed since these 

expenditures are directly related to visiting the Refuge; 2) spending categories related to other types 

of recreational activities on Kauai were not attributed because they are not related to visiting the 

Refuge. These were the categories of boat/helicopter tours, equipment rental, golf or tennis fees, 

massage/yoga/spa, and excursion fees (Table 3-3); and 3) for all other expenditure categories, only 

a portion (based on the amount of time spent at the Refuge) was attributed because visiting the 

Refuge was one of multiple reasons for visiting Kauai for equal purpose visitors. In Table 3-3, the 

amount of spending per person per day was based on an 8-hour visitor day. Survey results indicate 

that a visit to the Refuge averaged approximately two hours (1/4 of an 8-hour visitor day) for 

winter and summer visitors. Therefore, equal trip purpose visitors were attributed with two hours of 

spending. For individuals on incidental or spur of the moment stops at the Refuge, only 

3-3 
expenditures for the Refuge entrance fee and for the Refuge bookstore were attributed, since these 

expenditures were directly related to visiting the Refuge. 

Table 3-4 illustrates the expenditures that were fully and partially attributed to visiting the 

Refuge by visitor trip purpose. Actual expenditure amounts for the Refuge bookstore and the 

entrance fee (provided by Refuge personnel) were used in place of the survey estimates. 

Table 3-4. Spending attributed to visiting KPNWR in the economic impact analysis. 

Primary purpose

visitors 

Equal purpose visitors Incidental purpose 

visitors 

Full expenditures included 

in impact analysis 

All trip expenditures 

reported in Table 3-3 

(spending per person per 

trip) 

Expenditures for Refuge 

entrance fee and Refuge 

bookstore 

(spending per person per trip) 

Expenditures for Refuge 

entrance fee and Refuge 

bookstore 

(spending per person per 

trip) 

$1,025.76 per person per 

trip 

Refuge Bookstore $5.62 

Refuge Entrance fee $3.00 

Refuge Bookstore $3.38 

Refuge Entrance fee $3.03 

Portion of expenditures 

included in impact analysis 

(based on amount of time 

spent at the Refuge) 

2 hours (1/4 of per person per 

day expenditures in Table 3-3) 

worth of spending for the 

following categories: 

2 hrs of spending 

Rental car $4.29 

Gasoline $0.75 

Hotels $11.84

Timeshare $0.21 

Restaurants $5.60 

Groceries $2.28 

Supplies/souvenirs $2.50 

Guided tour of Kauai $0.36

Economic Impacts Associated with Kilauea Point NWR Visitor Spending 

As shown in Table 3-3, each visitor usually buys a wide range of goods and services while 

visiting Kauai. As more visitors come to an area, local businesses will purchase extra labor and 

supplies to meet the increase in demand for additional services. The income and employment 

resulting from visitor purchases from local businesses represent the direct effects of visitor 

spending within the economy. In order to increase supplies to local businesses, input suppliers also 

must increase their purchases of inputs from other industries. The income and employment 

resulting from these secondary purchases by input suppliers are the indirect effects of visitor 

spending within the local economy. The input supplier’s new employees use their incomes to 

purchase goods and services. The resulting increased economic activity from new employee 

income is the induced effect of visitor spending. The indirect and induced effects are known as the 

secondary or multiplier effects of visitor spending. Multipliers capture the size of the secondary 

effects, usually as a ratio of total effects to direct effects (Stynes, 1998). The sums of the direct and 

secondary effects describe the total economic impact of visitor spending in the local economy. 

The economic impacts associated with spending by Refuge visitors are estimated by the 

following equation: 

3-4 
Number of Refuge visitors * average spending * regional multiplier = economic impact 

Economic impacts are typically measured in terms of number of jobs lost or gained, and the 

associated result for employment income. Economic input-output models are commonly used to

predict the total level of regional economic activity that would result from a change in visitor 

spending. IMPLAN is a computerized database and modeling system that provides a regional 

input-output analysis of economic activity in terms of 10 industrial groups involving as many as 

528 sectors (Olson and Lindall, 1996). The IMPLAN modeling system was used to derive the 

multipliers that capture the secondary (indirect and induced) effects needed to determine the 

economic impacts of visitor spending. The IMPLAN Kauai County level data profile for the year 

2000 was used in this study. The IMPLAN employment data estimates are comparable to the U.S. 

Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Information System 

data (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2003) for the year 2000. IMPLAN’s regional purchase 

coefficients were adjusted to better reflect typical non-local visitor spending patterns. 

Spending related to visiting the Refuge by the current number of non-local Refuge visitors 

(as reported in Table 3-1), accounts for almost $9 million annually in Kauai. The resulting impacts 

of non-local visitor spending on the Kauai economy are presented in Table 3-5. As shown in Table 

3-5, it is estimated that the direct and secondary effects would generate over $4.9 million in 

personal income and 185 jobs annually in Kauai. Most of the personal income and job impacts are 

in the eating and drinking industry, lodging industry, the car rental industry, other service based 

industries, and the federal government sector (due to the entrance fee). In 2000, Kauai County total 

personal income was estimated at $1,410,114,000 and total employment was estimated at 36,874 

jobs (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2003). Therefore, spending associated with visiting Kilauea 

Point NWR represents approximately one-third of one percent (0.4 percent) of total income and one 

half of one percent (0.5 percent) of total employment in the overall Kauai County economy. 

Table 3-5. Economic impacts of non-local Kilauea Point visitor spending in Kauai County. 

KPNWR 

Primary purpose

visitors 

Equal purpose

visitors 

Incidental 

purpose visitors Total

Percentage of nonloca Visitors

1.3% 55.2% 43.5% 

Spending in Kauai County (attributed to visiting the Refuge)

$3,460,514 $5,090,798 $386,208 $8,937,520 

Direct effects of visitor spending 

Income ($/year) $1,142,631 $1,887,569 $200,727 $3,230,927 

Jobs 52.1 70.6 4.7 127.5 

Indirect and induced effects of visitor spending 

Income ($/year) $639,886 $997,846 $62,508 $1,700,240 

Jobs 21.7 33.7 2.1 57.5 

Total effects of visitor spending 

Income ($/year) $1,782,517 $2,885,415 $263,235 $4,931,167 

Jobs 73.8 104.4 6.8 185.0 

3-5 
Discussion 

Although the economic impacts associated with Refuge visitation are somewhat limited in 

terms of the general local economic activity at the county level, Refuge visitation is very important 

to the economy of Kilauea town. Any decrease in visitation associated with a change in Refuge 

management will not have a significant economic effect on Kauai County but could have a 

substantial impact on the town of Kilauea. The IMPLAN model is a county level model, impacts at

the town level could not be addressed. 

 

3-6 
4. Net Economic Benefits of Visiting Kauai and the 

Refuge 

Lynne Koontz and John Loomis 

While visitor spending and associated income and employment represents local economic 

effects, they do not measure the benefits to the visitors themselves. The benefits to the visitors are

measured by how much the visitor would pay over and above their existing costs. This net 

willingness-to-pay (WTP) is the standard measure of benefits in benefit cost analysis (Sassone and 

Shaefer, 1978; Loomis and Walsh, 1997). 

Valuation of Visit to Kauai

To estimate a visitor’s personal benefits from a visit to Kauai, a dichotomous choice 

contingent valuation question was used. Contingent Valuation (CVM) is a method that uses a 

simulated or hypothetical market to determine how much more than the current costs visitors would 

pay for their trip experience. The method is recommended for use by federal agencies performing 

benefit cost analysis (U.S. Water Resources Council, 1983). As suggested by the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration panel on contingent valuation (Arrow, and others, 1993), a 

dichotomous choice format question was asked. In this case, the visitor had only to decide whether 

the trip was worth more than the added cost written into the question. The specific question asked 

was: 

As you know, some of the costs of travel such as gasoline often changes. If the total cost of this 

most recent trip to Kauai had been $______ higher, would you have made this trip? 

 Check one: YES NO

The blank was filled in with one of 11 different dollar amounts. The dollar amounts ranged 

from a low of $10 more to $450 more. The range was chosen based on past visitor surveys. 

Specifically, the bid design drew upon a successful CVM dichotomous choice survey conducted in 

Rocky Mountain National Park (Richardson and Loomis, 2005) and Grand Teton National Park 

(Loomis and Caughlan, 2004). It was believed that the surveys were similar enough to use 

essentially the same bid design. The goal was to have a dollar amount low enough that nearly all 

visitors would answer yes, and a dollar amount high enough that nearly all visitors would answer 

no. The remaining dollar amounts were $20, 30, 50, 70, 90, 125, 175, 250, and 350. 

Since respondents simply answered "Yes" or "No" to a single dollar amount, it is necessary 

to estimate a statistical model to infer what their maximum WTP was for visiting Kauai. 

Specifically, if a respondent answered “Yes” to $10, their WTP was greater than $10. How much 

more they might pay had to be determined by evaluating the percentage of “Yes” responses at each 

dollar amount across the full range of dollar amounts asked of the sample. This involves estimating 

a multiple regression, with a particular distribution known as the logistic distribution. The logistic 

distribution was chosen because it limits the range of the dependent variable of the regression to 

4-1 
between zero and one. Since the survey responses (and the estimated probabilities that a respondent 

will pay) must be between zero and one, this is an appropriate statistical distribution to use. The 

logistic distribution is the most commonly used statistical distribution for estimating WTP from a

dichotomous choice CVM question. The basic format of the simple logistic regression is: 

(1) log(Yes/1-Yes)= Bo

-B1(Dollar Bid Amount) 

where Bo is the intercept or constant term and B1 is the slope coefficient on the dollar amount 

visitors were asked to pay. It was expected that as the dollar amount visitors were asked to pay 

increased, the probability that they would pay that amount would decrease, hence the negative sign 

on the B1 coefficient. Using the logit coefficients, the mean net WTP is calculated as: 

(2) Mean WTP= (natural log(1+exp(Bo)))/B1. 

Appendix E presents the response proportions for saying yes or no at each bid level for 

winter and summer visitors. Table 4-1 presents the results of the simple logit regressions as well as 

the mean WTP per person per day for the overall trip to Kauai. The T-statistics indicate whether the 

coefficients are significantly different from zero. T-statistics larger than 1.965 indicate significance 

at the five percent level, while T-statistics larger than 2.56 indicate statistical significance at the one 

percent level. As can be seen in this table, the coefficients on the bid amount are negative and 

statistically significant at the one percent level. This indicates that the higher the dollar amount 

respondents were asked to pay, the lower the probability they would pay. This demonstrates that 

respondents seriously considered the amount of money they were asked to pay, as those asked to 

pay the higher dollar amounts are less likely to continue to visit. Winter group size averaged 2.6 

people, while summer visitor groups averaged 2.7 people. The length of trip was 9.4 days for 

winter visitors and eight days for summer visitors. 

Table 4-1. Logistic regression coefficients and mean net (willingness to pay) for Kauai trip. 

Winter visitors Summer visitors 

Variable Coefficient T-statistic Probability Coefficient T-statistic Probability

Constant 3.540 13.231 0 4.14956 11.2327 0

Bid -0.006085 6.69997 0 -0.00618 5.2105 0

Likelihood ratio 

statistic 46.06 0 27.98 0

Mean WTP per 

group trip $586 $674

90% Confidence 

interval for mean 

WTP per group trip

$506.63 - 

$704.69 

$565.40 - 

$883.88 

Mean WTP per 

person per trip

$225 $250

Mean WTP per 

person per day

$23.98 $31.25

n= 669 604

4-2 
These figures indicate that the typical winter visitor will pay about $225 more per trip or 

$24 more per day to visit Kauai, while summer visitors will pay about $250 more per trip or $31 

more per day. 

Valuation of Visit to Kilauea Point NWR 

At the time of this study, the Refuge charged a $3 entrance fee via an “honor system.” 

Similar to the WTP question about total trip costs for visiting Kauai, the same type of contingent

valuation questions were asked about: 1) still visiting the Refuge if the Refuge entrance fee were to 

increase; and 2) visiting the Refuge if the Refuge were to charge a fee that included off-site 

parking, shuttle with a tour guide, and the entrance fee. The rational for asking these questions was 

to estimate the visitor personal benefits from visiting the Refuge and to see if a guided shuttle 

would increase or decrease those benefits. These questions were included on the community and 

visitor surveys. 

For the increased Refuge entrance fee question, the respondent had only to decide whether 

visiting the Refuge was worth more than the added cost written into the question. The specific 

question asked on the visitor survey was: 

The current Refuge entrance fee is $3 per person. If the Refuge fee were to increase to $______ 

would you have still made this most recent visit to the Refuge? 

 Check one: YES NO

The blank was filled in with one of 11 different dollar amounts. The entrance fee dollar 

amounts ranged from $5 to $90. The remaining dollar amounts were $7, 9, 12, 15, 20, 25, 35, 50, 

and 70. Appendix E presents the increased Refuge fee response proportions at each bid level for 

visitors and community residents. 

Table 4-2 presents the results of the dichotomous choice CVM logit model for paying an 

increased Refuge entrance fee. For summer and winter visitors and community residents, the 

intercept and bid slope coefficients are statistically significant at the one percent level. The negative 

sign on the bid slope coefficient indicates that the higher the dollar amount the visitor was asked to 

pay, the lower the probability they will pay that entrance fee amount. For the Refuge entrance fee, 

the mean WTP is $13.58 per person for winter visitors, $10.44 per person for summer visitors, and 

$11.09 per person for community residents. 

The probabilities that visitors and community residents will pay the Refuge entrance fee at 

the different fee amounts are shown in Figure 4-1. Based on the WTP survey results, if the fee was 

to increase from $3 to $5, approximately 60 percent of summer visitors and 53 percent of winter 

visitors will pay the $5 Refuge entrance fee. Only three percent of community residents will pay a 

$5 fee to visit the Refuge, indicating that 70 percent of local Kilauea residents either will not visit 

the Refuge because of the entrance fee or will not pay the $5 fee when they do visit the Refuge 

(because they may have a Kamaina Pass; a local discount pass). As shown in Figure 4-1, the fee 

amount where half of the visitors will and half will not be willing to pay to visit the Refuge is $6.49 

for winter visitors and $8.07 for summer visitors. These amounts are lower than the mean WTP 

amounts in Table 4-2 because there are some visitors that were willing to pay the higher end bid 

amounts for the entrance fee, thus driving up the mean WTP amounts. While there is a higher 

probability that more summer visitors will pay an entrance fee in the $5-$8 range, there is a lower 

probability that they will pay entrance fees that are higher than $20, as compared to winter visitors 

or community residents. 

4-3 
Table 4-2. Logistic regression coefficients and mean net willingness to pay for Refuge entrance fee. 

 Winter visitors Summer visitors Community residents

Variable Coefficient T-statistic Probability Coefficient T-statistic Probability Coefficient T-statistic Probability

Constant 0.4509 2.805 0.005 1.034 4.717 0 -0.6694 2.659 0.0078

Bid -0.0695 8.223 0 -0.1282 8.217 0 -0.0373 3.583 0.0003

Likelihood 

ratio 

statistic 

149.45 0 194.43 0 20.45 0

Mean

WTP per 

person 

$13.58 $10.44 $11.09

90%

Confidence 

interval for 

mean WTP 

per person

$12.14 -

$15.46

$9.41 - 

$11.71

$8.64 - 

$16.74

n= 688 624 276

Probability of Paying Increased Refuge Entrance Fee

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Fee Level ($)

Probability

Winter Visitor Summer Visitor Community Resident

Figure 4-1. Probabilities that visitors and community residents would pay the Refuge entrance fee at 

the different fee amounts. 

4-4 
For the question about charging a fee that would include a shuttle with a tour guide and the 

entrance fee, the specific question asked on the visitor survey was: 

If the Refuge were to charge a fee of $___ per person that included parking at an off-site area, a 

shuttle to the Refuge with on-board tour-guide commentary, and the Refuge entrance fee, would 

you have made the trip to the Refuge? 

 Check one: YES NO

In order to compare the value a guided shuttle would add to the visitor’s trip to the Refuge, 

the same increased dollar amounts that were suggested in the entrance fee question were used.. 

Appendix E presents the shuttle fee response proportions for saying yes or no at each bid level for 

visitors and community residents. 

Table 4-3 presents the results of the dichotomous choice CVM logit model for paying for a 

shuttle, guide, parking, and Refuge entrance fee. For summer and winter visitors, the intercept and 

bid slope coefficients are statistically significant at the one percent level, the community residents 

are statistically significant at the five percent level. The negative sign on the bid slope coefficient 

indicates that the higher the dollar amount the visitor was asked to pay, the lower the probability 

they will pay that fee amount. For the Refuge entrance fee that would include a shuttle and guide, 

the mean WTP is $17.24 per person for winter visitors, $14.27 per person for summer visitors, and 

$8.95 per person for community residents. These amounts are higher than the mean WTP amounts 

for only the Refuge fee (without a shuttle and guide) by $3.66 for winter visitors and $3.83 for 

summer visitors. However, community residents mean WTP for the Refuge entrance fee that would

include a shuttle, guide, and off-site parking is $2.14 less than the mean WTP for the entrance fee 

only. 

Table 4-3. Logistic regression coefficients and mean willingness to pay for shuttle, guide, parking, 

and entrance fee. 

 Winter visitors Summer visitors Community residents

Variable Coefficient T-statistic Probability Coefficient T-statistic Probability Coefficient T-statistic Probability

Constant 0.9668 6.002 0 1.628 7.6470 0 -0.5547 2.1845 0.0289

Bid -0.0748 9.218 0 -0.1267 9.4588 0 -0.0507 4.1784 0

Likelihood 

ratio statistic 196.76 0 258.77 0 32.84 0

Mean WTP

per person $17.24 $14.27 $8.95

90%

Confidence 

interval for 

mean WTP per 

person 

$15.63 -

$19.20

$13.08 -

$15.67

$7.21 - 

$12.39

n= 671 604 323 

The probabilities that visitors and community residents will pay a fee for a shuttle, tour 

guide, and the Refuge entrance at the different fee amounts are shown in Figure 4-2. Based on the 

WTP survey responses, approximately 73 percent of summer visitors, 64 percent of winter visitors, 

and 31 percent of community residents will pay a $5 fee that includes a shuttle, tour guide, parking, 

4-5 
and the Refuge entrance fee. This is an 11 percent and 13 percent higher probability for both winter 

and summer visitors, respectively, as compared to paying the fee that only includes entrance to the 

Refuge. As shown in Figure 4-2, the fee amount where half of the visitors would and half would 

not be willing to pay the entrance fee that would include the shuttle and guide to visit the Refuge is 

$12.93 for winter visitors and $12.85 for summer visitors. These amounts are lower than the mean 

WTP amounts in Table 4-3 because there are some visitors that were willing to pay the higher end 

bid amounts for the fee, thus driving up the mean WTP amounts. Similar to the WTP question for 

the Refuge entrance fee only, there is a higher probability that summer visitors will pay the lower 

fee amounts for a shuttle with guide (below $12) but a higher probability that more winter visitors 

and community residents will pay fee amounts above $30. 

Probability of Paying for Shuttle with Guide

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Fee Level ($)

Probability

Winter Visitor Summer Visitor Community Resident

Figure 4-2. Probabilities that visitors and community residents would pay a fee that includes a 

shuttle, tour guide, and entrance fee at the different fee amounts. 

4-6 
Discussion 

WTP questions were asked to estimate the visitor personal benefits from visiting the Refuge 

and to see if a guided shuttle would increase or decrease the benefits associated with visiting the 

Refuge. A survey respondent had the same bid amount for the WTP question about increased 

Refuge entrance fee and for the WTP question about a fee that included the entrance cost, shuttle, 

and guide. As a result, the net increase in value that a shuttle with an interpretive guide would add 

to the visitor’s trip experience was determined. This information can help the ATS team determine

if the benefits of a shuttle system outweigh the costs associated with operating and maintaining the 

shuttle. 

Table 4-4 shows the mean WTP fee that would only include entrance to the Refuge and the 

fee that would include entrance to the Refuge along with a shuttle and interpretive guide. The 

shuttle and guide increases the mean WTP by $3.66 for winter visitors and $3.83 for summer 

visitors. This indicates that having a shuttle and guide would increase the net value of visiting the 

Refuge for summer and winter visitors. However, the mean WTP by local community residents for 

the fee that would include the shuttle and guide is $2.14 lower than the WTP for the fee that would 

only include the Refuge Entrance. This indicates that the local community residents are less willing 

to pay and less likely to visit the Refuge if they have to pay to take a shuttle (Table 4-4). Figures 4-

3, 4-4, and 4-5 show graphical comparisons of the probabilities for paying the Refuge entrance fee 

with and without a shuttle and guide for winter, summer, and community residents, respectively. As 

shown in Figure 4-3, the probability that winter visitors will pay is higher for the fee that would 

include the shuttle and interpretive guide as compared to the fee that would only include entrance to 

the Refuge. Similar to winter visitors, the probability that summer visitors will pay is higher for the

fee that would include the shuttle and interpretive guide as compared to the fee that would only 

include entrance to the Refuge (Figure 4-4). 

Table 4-4. Mean willingness to pay per person for the Refuge entrance fee. 

 Winter visitors Summer visitors Community residents

Refuge 

entrance only 

Refuge 

entrance with 

shuttle & 

guide 

Refuge 

entrance only 

Refuge 

entrance with 

shuttle & 

guide 

Refuge entrance 

only 

Refuge entrance 

with shuttle & 

guide 

Mean WTP

per person 

$13.58 $17.24 $10.44 $14.27 $11.09 $8.95

4-7 
Winter Visitor Probability of Paying Fees

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Fee Level ($)

Probability

Refuge Entrance Fee Refuge Entrance Fee with Shuttle & Guide 

Figure 4-3. Probability of winter visitors paying the Refuge entrance fee with and without shuttle and 

guide. 

Summer Visitor Probability of Paying Fees

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Fee Level ($)

Probability

Refuge Entrance Fee Refuge Entrance Fee with Shuttle & Guide

Figure 4-4. Probability of summer visitors paying the Refuge entrance fee with and without shuttle and 

interpretive guide. 

4-8 
4-9 
As shown in Figure 4-5, for a fee of $9, there is a 27 percent probability that community 

residents will pay either the fee that only includes entrance to the Refuge or the fee that also 

includes the shuttle. For fees below $9, the probability is slightly higher that more community 

residents will pay the fee that includes the shuttle and guide as compared to the fee that only 

includes entrance to the Refuge. At fees higher than $9, the probability is higher that more 

community residents will pay the fee that only includes entrance to the Refuge as compared to the 

fee that includes the shuttle and guide (Figure 4-5). 

Community Member Probability of Paying Fees

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Fee Level ($)

Probability

Refuge Entrance Fee Refuge Entrance Fee with Shuttle & Guide 

Figure 4-5. Probability of community residents paying the Refuge entrance fee with and without 

shuttle and interpretive guide. 

4-10

5. Visitor Trip Behavior and Transportation Options 

By Shana Cecile Gillette 

Introduction 

In the General Plan for the County of Kauai (2000) that provides future guidance for land 

use and county planning, the island’s natural beauty, environment, and rural character are stated as 

“essential” to Kauai’s future as a tourist destination. Out of all the islands, Kauai attracts the most 

visitors interested in nature-based travel. More than 80 percent of visitors to the island visit Kauai’s

resource parks such as Haena, Kokee, Na Pali, and the Refuge. In fact, more than 80 percent of all 

visitors to Kauai’s resource parks were are out-of-state (Carter and Burgess, 2002). 

Resource managers on Kauai face the challenge of balancing the growth in nature-based 

tourism with preservation of the island’s scenic beauty. While Kauai has the highest percentage of

visitors who sightsee (95 percent), go on helicopter tours (26 percent), and backpack (30 percent), 

the island has the lowest percentage of visitors who use public transportation (one percent). Across 

all islands, the rental car remains the top choice of transportation, with the majority of visitors 

taking self-guided tours (76 percent; DBEDT, 2003). 

Kauai residents are reported to to have mixed feelings toward renewed growth in tourism 

for primarily two reasons: 1) over-congestion of the beaches, parks, and trails; and 2) increased 

traffic on the roads (Knox and Associates, 2004). 

The transportation section of this study was designed to better understand the travel 

behavior of visitors to KPNWR and their perceptions and attitudes related to Refuge transportation 

options. In conjunction with the visitor survey, a community survey assessed resident perceptions 

of tourist-related congestion, irritants, and benefits as well as community interest in transportation 

options for visitation to KPNWR. A more thorough understanding of visitation patterns will help 

management minimize visitor impacts on both the Kilauea community and the Refuge while 

continuing to enhance the visitor experience. 

Transportation Options 

Most visitors to Kilauea Point NWR drive to the Refuge in a rental car, the main mode of 

transportation for all visitors on the island. During the peak winter season, visitors arriving during 

hours of high visitation might find the parking lot full and space limited in the temporary overflow 

parking area. The capacity of the Refuge’s parking lots is the Refuge’s limiting factor for visitation. 

If all parking is full, visitors are turned away. 

The reliance that visitors have on the rental car as the preferred form of island transportation 

makes it challenging to introduce alternative transportation options as a visitor demand

management tool. The automobile has a significant influence on visitor trip patterns. A car provides 

individuals and groups with flexibility in route selection, choice of travel time, and on-board 

storage (Turnball, 2000). The trip choices that visitors make on vacation often reflect automated 

driving choices that visitors have carried with them from the frequent, habitual automobile trips 

5-1 
they make at home (Garling, Fugii, and Boe, 2001). Visitors to Kauai, for example, if they are only 

on the island for a few days, may chain together a series of stops in a trip to maximize activity time. 

Introduction of different transportation options into trip itineraries usually necessitates more 

careful and thorough planning by the traveler (Verplanken and others, 1997). Automobile travelers 

tend to do minimal planning for vacations. Instead, they rely more on word-of-mouth information 

and information supplied en route, such as highway signs (National Parks, 1999). Unfamiliarity 

with public transportation or past unpleasant experiences with mass transportation also make it 

difficult for travelers to ascertain short-term benefits in switching to another form of transportation. 

The willingness of Kilauea Point NWR visitors to consider transportation and access

options was assessed through a series of questions on the following issues: 

• Visitor perceptions of crowding: If visitors perceive crowding as a problem, it is 

thought that such a perception might influence their support of alternative 

transportation and access options to alleviate crowding and improve the quality of

visitor experience. 

o How does visitor perception of crowding differ at different times during the 

day at the Refuge? 

o How does parking capacity affect visitor perceptions of crowding? 

• Visitor preferences for transportation and access to the Refuge: 

o Would visitors support restricted access to the Refuge as an option? Does 

visitor willingness to consider alternative transportation differ if that 

transportation mode is linked to public transportation? 

o How does visitor preference for wait times vary for intermodal connections 

or access to the Refuge? 

o How important are factors such as dependability, comfort, cost, and 

efficiency in visitor decision-making?

• Visitor experience with public transportation and park transportation in particular: 

Park transportation differs from public mass transportation because unlike mass 

transit, it is part of the overall park visitor experience. As part of that experience, 

visitors often desire a different design for the shuttle vehicle (e.g. larger windows) 

and on-board commentary from the driver. 

o How frequently do visitors use public transportation? If they do not use it 

often, why? Have they ever used park transportation? 

• Community perceptions of transportation options: Kilauea community support for 

transportation and access options is important because the town serves as a gateway 

community to the Refuge and visitors use roads through the town to gain access to 

the Refuge. 

o What preferences do community residents have regarding transportation 

options? 

o How do those preferences connect with community needs and interests? 

Visitor Perceptions of Crowding 

Overall based on survey results, visitors do not perceive crowding to be a problem at the 

Refuge. In both winter and summer, there were no significant associations between parking 

capacity and visitor perceptions of irritants related to crowding (such as noise, difficulty parking, 

and litter). In the summer season, there were no significant associations between parking capacity 

and visitor perceptions of crowding. For this study, parking capacity was determined by a quick 

assessment of cars in the parking lot during the sampling period (Table 5-1). Parking lot capacity 

5-2 
was recorded in increments of every tenth person sampled. When the field researcher switched to a 

new sample sheet, which was every tenth respondent, the Refuge parking capacity was noted. The 

extent to which the Refuge reached parking capacity or exceeded it, varied by the season and by the 

time (Table 5-2). 3

 

In the winter sample, parking capacity was exceeded more frequently than in the summer. 

When the survey was conducted, overflow parking was not observed during the summer season. In 

the winter season, overflow parking occurred throughout the day. During the winter season, 

overflow parking occurred primarily between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. In the summer, capacity parking 

occurred primarily between the same hours, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. 

The association between parking capacity and crowding appears more significant in the 

winter season due to the Refuge reaching parking capacity or exceeding it. 4 Overall, visitors do not 

perceive crowding to be a problem at the Refuge, but when parking capacity is exceeded and 

overflow parking occur in the winter, visitors do perceive some crowding in the parking areas. 

More than 65 percent (n = 177) of the winter respondents considered the parking lot to be 

“somewhat” to “very crowded,” and more than 52 percent had “somewhat” to “a lot of” difficulty 

parking. These reactions may now be part of the summer Refuge experience as well. In the summer 

2004, Refuge staff noted that parking was more frequently reaching capacity and overflowing into 

the temporary parking areas due to higher visitation levels than in the past when this survey was 

conducted. 5

However, even when parking capacity was exceeded in the winter and the overflow parking 

lot was being used, the majority of respondents did not perceive any other problems related to 

crowding. It is possible that parking is still acting as a limiting factor for visitation, keeping 

visitation to a level that is below most visitor thresholds for crowding (when the overflow parking 

areas were full, Refuge visitors were turned away). 

Table 5-1. Description of parking capacity. 

Parking capacity Description 

≤ 50% Parking lot is less than or equal to half full. 

51-75% Parking lot is greater than half full, but less than or equal to three-quarters full. 

76-100% Parking lot is greater than three-quarters full, but less than or equal to being completely full. 

50% overflow Parking lot is full, overflow parking on temporary lot is less than or equal to half full 

51-100% overflow Overflow parking is greater than half full, less than or equal to being completely full. 

 3

 (for season) Pearson’s R = -.337, p<.001; (for time) Cramer’s V = .120, p<.001

4

 Cramer’s V = .431, p<.001 5

 Personal communication with Refuge staff, February 2005. 

5-3 
 Table 5-2. Description of parking capacity by season and time visited. 

Parking capacity 

Season 

Time

(hours 

when 

Refuge is 

open) 

≤50% 51-75% 

capacity

76-100% 

capacity

≤50% 

overflow 

51-100% 

overflow 

10-11 AM 16.0% 12.3% 18.6% 15.0% 7.5% 

11-12 AM 20.0% 16.8% 24.8% 32.5% 35.8% 

12-1 PM 16.0% 22.8% 9.3% 10.8% 22.4% 

1-2 PM 13.0% 18.7% 15.5% 15.0% 16.4% 

2-3 PM 11.0% 19.4% 16.1% 18.3% 7.5% 

Winter 

3-4 PM 24.0% 10.1% 15.5% 6.7% 10.4% 

Column total 100% 

n = 100 

100% 

n = 268

100% 

n = 161

100% 

n = 118

100% 

n = 67

10-11 AM 12.8% 12.8% 14.6% .0% .0% 

11-12 AM 25.5% 16.7% 28.3% .0% .0% 

12-1 PM 17.4% 17.2% 20.3% .0% .0% 

1-2 PM 17.0% 24.1% 11.3% .0% .0% 

2-3 PM 14.0% 16.3% 9.4% .0% .0% 

Summer 

3-4 PM 13.2% 12.8% 16.0% .0% .0% 

Column total 100% 

n =235

100% 

n =203

100% 

n =212

.0% 

n =0

.0% 

n =0

Visitor Preferences for Transportation and Access to Refuge 

The USFWS and the FHWA are exploring methods for improving visitor access and 

transportation needs at the Refuge because of concerns over traffic congestion and parking 

problems caused by too many vehicles during peak visitation periods. A series of questions to 

measure visitor preferences for different transportation options were included on the survey 

instrument for this study. 

Visitors Unlikely to Visit if Access Restricted; Somewhat Likely to Visit if Shuttle, Off-site 

Parking, or Interpretation Is Provided 

Both summer and winter visitor respondents expressed a low likelihood that they would

visit the Refuge if restrictions, increased fees, or public transportation were the only options 

available. In both seasons, visitors reported that it is “unlikely” to “somewhat likely” that they 

would visit if Refuge management implemented reservations, parking fees, or made the Refuge 

accessible through public transportation (mean score < 2.0). Visitors are “likely” to “very likely” to 

5-4 
consider visiting the Refuge if a dedicated shuttle is provided with off-site parking, if educational 

programs are offered, or if visitation is limited per hour (mean score >2.0). 

The lack of interest in public transportation options by visitors to Kilauea Point NWR may 

be connected to past experience. Nearly 60 percent of all Refuge visitors sampled indicated they 

did not use public transportation in their everyday life, and they cited inconvenience (39 percent as 

one of the main reasons. Visitor support for both educational programs (offered at off-peak hours to 

encourage visitation at less crowded times) and on-site/off-site parking options might reflect 

interest in actions that allowed for visitor self-regulation and self-selection. 

To examine how trip purpose is related to the likelihood of visitation if transportation and 

access options are implemented, a series of one-way ANOVAs were conducted to see if there were 

significant differences in preferences between summer visitors who planned a visit to the Refuge 

(n =307) and visitors who arrived at the Refuge on the spur of the moment (n = 329), since in the 

summer sample these two groups were equally well represented. Differences were found between 

the two groups for most transportation options. However, for most options, the differences between 

the means were statistically different but of no practical significance. The means plots revealed the 

largest and most relevant differences between the means for two options: 1) required reservations

by phone or email to visit the Refuge, and 2) refuge only accessible via the shuttle option with offsite parking.6

Summer visitors who stop at the Refuge on the spur of the moment are less likely to visit 

the Refuge if reservations are instituted or a shuttle is put in place. The difference between these 

two groups can possibly be explained by the nature of trip planning. Visitors who do not 

incorporate the Refuge in their trip planning might be less supportive of options that would restrict 

spontaneous travel behavior by requiring visitors to either plan ahead and/or adjust their travel 

schedules. 

Reliability, On-time Service, Low-cost Fare, and Parking: Factors in Decision to Take a 

Shuttle 

The purpose of a Refuge shuttle is similar to that of many shuttles that already operate in 

the National Parks System. Most shuttle systems in National Parks strive to be dependable, 

comfortable, cost-effective, and efficient. However, shuttle riders are not only riding the shuttle for 

a utilitarian purpose of mobility, but to enhance their visitor experience. In addition to the common 

goals of any efficient mass transportation system, therefore, resource park shuttles focus on 

engaging the visitor with the natural environment (National Parks, 1999). 

The design of the shuttle parking facility also is considered an important factor in visitor 

satisfaction with the shuttle system. Visitors at times will need to wait for the next shuttle, even if 

the time between shuttle headways is fairly short (National Parks, 1999). Providing visitors with 

activities while the next shuttle is en route can help minimize the perceived wait. Refuge visitors 

listed parking near visitor services as an important third or fourth factor in their decision to take the 

shuttle (n = 595). 

Reliability, on-time service, low cost of shuttle fare, and ease-of-parking were cited the 

most often by visitors surveyed as important factors in their decision to take a shuttle. Time, cost, 

and parking near the Refuge or visitor services were often mentioned together as important factors 

(15.1 percent, n = 1136). Time, easy access to parking, and cost were also a trio that was often cited 

together (38.4 percent). And when time, easy access to parking, and costs were mentioned, parking

near the Refuge was an additional factor that was often cited (19.3 percent). On average, visitors 

 6

 Reservation F(610,612) = 58.18, p<.001 and Shuttle F(611,613) = 28.52, p<.001

5-5 
aree willing to wait 20 minutes for a shuttle and 22 minutes for entry into the Refuge if access is 

restricted. 

Community Perceptions of Transportation Options 

Kilauea town is a gateway community to Kilauea Point NWR. The turnoff to the Refuge is 

also the turnoff to the town and the primary access route to the Refuge passes by the town and 

residential housing. Traffic congestion on this route (Kolo Road and Kilauea Lighthouse Road) to 

the Refuge was one reason this ATS study considered options for visitor demand management that 

would reduce the impact of heavy visitation on the quality of life in Kilauea. In conjunction with 

the visitor survey, a community survey assessed resident perceptions of tourist-related congestion,

irritants, and benefits as well as community interest in transportation options for visitation to 

KPNWR. 

Factors for Community Support of Shuttle: Homeowner Privacy Protected and Less Traffic 

Congestion 

Overall, Kilauea community respondents to the survey do not believe that visitors 

contribute to problems in the community. However, for traffic safety and traffic congestion, 

opinion is more evenly distributed between traffic being “no problem” to a “big problem” in town 

(Table 5-3). 

Table 5-3. Kilauea resident perception of visitor impacts to certain community features. 

Feature 

No

problem 

Small 

problem 

Moderate

problem 

Big 

problem 

Does not 

apply 

N

Disruption of daily activities 56% 23% 11% 4% 6% 393 

Personal privacy 53 20 14 6 7 393 

Traffic noise 40 26 19 10 5 400

Traffic congestion in town 30 25 22 21 3 395 

Traffic safety 25 26 26 19 4 396

Other --- 8 33 54 4 24

A small number of respondents listed problems in the “other” category. Most of the other 

problems listed (22 out of the 24 comments received) were related to visitor traffic behavior and 

way-finding. Speeding on Kilauea Lighthouse Road, the need for better signage/directions to the 

Lighthouse, road wear, and turning around in residents’ driveways were among the traffic problems 

that residents identified. 

One of the potential irritants to community well-being is the attenuation of a sense of local 

community (Knox and Associates, 2004). More than 63 percent (n = 256) of community 

respondents expressed little support for a walking tour of Kilauea town if it would mean less 

privacy for homeowners along the tour route, and even if it would result in increased business from 

the tour for local shops. 

However, if the option would benefit the community and not affect the privacy of 

homeowners, more residents are likely to support it. More than 62 percent (n = 254) of respondents 

expressed support for an environmental education center at the top of Crater Hill, even if such a 

center would mean less privacy for adjacent homeowners. 

5-6 
Community respondents are more mixed in their support of a shuttle to the Refuge, even if 

it means reduced traffic congestion on local roads. An equal percentage of residents oppose and 

support the shuttle option (Figure 5-1). There is a significant difference in support for the Kilauea 

walking tour and environmental education center between residents who are likely to support the 

shuttle and those who are not. Residents who support the shuttle also are more likely to support the 

Kilauea walking tour and the environmental education. 

Homeowner privacy was one of the top-ranked factors in the decision of community 

respondents to support the shuttle system. More than 247 residents listed it as an important factor, 

second only in number to the reduction of traffic congestion on the Lighthouse Road (n = 266; 

Table 5-4). 

One hundred twenty-four (56 percent) of the 220 people who ranked traffic congestion as a 

factor ranked it as the number one or number two factor that would encourage their support of a 

shuttle (Table 5-5). Following results of previously discussed questions in which community 

residents appear to place high importance on privacy, the second most cited factor in encouraging 

shuttle support was the preservation of homeowner privacy. Of the 209 people who ranked this as 

a factor, 115 (55 percent) ranked it as the first or second most important factor that would 

encourage their support. 

The combination of factors also helps explain what community respondents consider 

important when contemplating a shuttle. More than one-quarter of respondents to the question cited 

the following three factors together as being important: homeowner privacy, less traffic congestion, 

and shuttle parking near the highway. Nearly as many (19 percent) appended a self-financing 

shuttle as an additional factor. Some of the residents (8 percent) are less concerned about privacy 

and more concerned about shuttle economics and traffic— ranking together congestion, parking 

near highway, self-financing shuttle, and economic benefits to the community.

41%

9%

25%

22%

20%

23% 16%

14%

16%

20%

48%

31%

4%

5%

7%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Environmental education

center

Walking tour of Kilauea for

shuttle visitors

Shuttle to Refuge

Very likely Likely Somewhat likely Unlikely No opinion

Figure 5-1. Likelihood of support for transportation options at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. 

5-7 
Table 5-4. Factors that would encourage community residents to support a shuttle system. 

Factor n

Traffic congestion on Lighthouse Road is reduced 266 

Homeowner privacy is preserved 247 

Shuttle system is self-supported through fees 225

Shuttle system benefits local economy 226 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the highway 209

Shuttle system is linked to other public transportation 173 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the Refuge 120

Other 26

Table 5-5. Rankings for factors that would encourage community residents to support a shuttle 

option. 

Factor Rank (n) 

1

st 2nd 3rd

 

Homeowner privacy is preserved 196 39 28

Traffic congestion on Lighthouse Rd. is reduced 1 77 70 45

Shuttle system is self-supported through fees 33 46 44 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the highway 1

29 53 57

Shuttle system benefits local economy 1 26 31 54

Shuttle system is linked to other public transportation 21 35 33 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the Refuge 18 19 13

1

Order in table changed from number of people who ranked the factor. 

Latent Demand for More Pedestrian and Bicycle Paths 

A latent demand for more pedestrian paths and more public transportation options may exist 

in the Kilauea community. Although most community respondents to the survey rely on their 

personal vehicles for commuting, and they had little experience with other modes of transportation, 

they expressed support and interest in more pedestrian and bicycle paths. More than three-quarters 

of all respondents to the community survey indicated support for Refuge management options that 

increase hiking opportunities at the Refuge and provide pedestrian and bike access to the Refuge 

with the potential completion of a Lighthouse Road pedestrian path. 

The availability of pedestrian and bike pathways is important to community respondents in 

another context as well. In addition to providing a non-motorized link to the Refuge, residents 

believe pedestrian and bike paths to be integral to the quality of life in their community. More than 

85 percent (n = 398) selected pedestrian/bike paths as a feature that is “very important” or 

“important” when selecting a town in which to live. They also are not satisfied with the current

offerings in their community. Residents believe top priority for transportation funds should be for 

pedestrian and bicycle paths. 

5-8 
Visitor Trip Patterns and Behavior 

Proximity and connectivity are two important aspects of trip choice that play an important 

role in the development of island day-trip patterns. Proximity is the distance that visitors need to 

travel between complementary activities. Connectivity is the directness of the route and the ease of

movement between stops (Frank, 2000). 

On Kauai, proximity to different visitor attractions can vary. A day trip that includes a visit 

to Waimea Canyon and to Anini Beach can be quite long. A trip that only includes a stop at Kee 

Beach and Kilauea Point NWR can be short in terms of trip length and complexity. Proximity is 

increased (and distance is decreased) when visitors decide to make stops at visitor attractions that 

are grouped in one geographic location. Connectivity between visitor attractions is determined by 

Kauai’s road network around the island perimeter. Visitors to the North Shore have to retrace their 

steps if they want to visit the West Side. 

As part of this study, visitors to Kilauea Point NWR were asked to indicate their day-trip 

pattern on the day that they visited the Refuge. Visitors marked on a map the order in which they 

made stops during that day. Visitors were encouraged to mention any attractions that they visited 

that were not on the map. From this data, it was possible to determine the role of proximity and 

connectivity in KPNWR visitor day-trip patterns and determine the complexity of most trips. The 

survey sampling strategy provided additional detail because visitors were surveyed over two 

seasons (winter and summer), during different days of the week, and at different times during the 

day. The resulting multi-day data made it possible to test how trip patterns varied by season, day, 

and time. 

The decisions that visitors make prior to and during their visits to Kauai can help clarify 

why and how they select a specific trip pattern on the day that they visit the Refuge. In this study, a 

visitor day-trip pattern was defined as the order in which KPNWR visitors stopped at other visitor 

attractions on the day that they visited the Refuge. 

Several aspects of trip planning were explored in the survey to help explain behavioral

patterns behind trip selection. Refuge visitors were asked their reasons for visiting Kauai in general 

and the Refuge in particular. They answered survey questions about how they spent their time on 

Kauai, what type of transportation they used while they were on Kauai, and their choice of 

activities. Visitors also were asked questions about how they learned about the Refuge, and their 

length of stay on the island. 

The length of time that visitors stay on the island can determine trip lengths and the 

selection of daytime activities that drive day trip choice. The length of time that visitors stay on 

Kauai varies from a few days to several months. In this study, Refuge visitors were asked to 

provide details on how long they stayed on Kauai, where they stayed prior to visiting the Refuge, 

and the duration of their visit to the Refuge. 

The key research questions for visitor-trip patterns and planning were the following: 

1. What role does proximity and connectivity play in KPNWR visitor-trip pattern 

formation? 

2. How does Kilauea Point NWR fit within common day-trip patterns? 

3. How are trip planning, traveler characteristics, and trip patterns associated? 

4. Do trip patterns vary over a temporal framework?

5. How are factors such as length-of-stay related to visitor behavior? 

5-9 
Visitor Trip Patterns 

Visitors surveyed expressed an interest in Kauai’s natural beauty. More than half of Refuge 

visitors in the summer and winter seasons (summer = 57 percent, n = 584; winter = 52 percent, n = 

600) reported participating in three or more outdoor activities: hiking, kayaking, surfing, biking, 

snorkeling, fishing, or wildlife viewing while on Kauai. 

Refuge visitor participation in outdoor activities is reflected in the visitor selection of Kauai 

resource parks and natural phenomena as visitor attractions on Refuge trip itineraries. High visitor 

use of Kauai resource parks is supported by recent research on visitation at Kauai State Parks. 

Three of the most popular parks on Kauai are among the five most popular State Parks in 

Hawaii. Haena, Wailua River, and Na Pali State Parks consistently receive high visitation and host 

mostly out-of-state visitors (Figure 5-2). Visitors to these parks list hiking, walking, and scenic 

views as primary reasons for their visits (Omni Trak, 2004). 

Textbox

Polihale State Park

Russian Fort Elizabeth

Visitation Rates for State Parks: Summer 2003-Winter 2004

Kokee State Park

Waimea Canyon State Park

Na Pali Coast State Park

Wailua River State Park

Haena State Park

0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000

120,428

139,534

West Side 

East Side 

North Shore 

258,170

435,531

615,812

537,480

741,969

Number of Visitors

Figure 5-2. Visitation rates for State Parks in Kauai, Summer 2003-Winter 2004 (Omni Trak 2004).

5-10
As part of this study, Refuge visitors were asked to indicate their day-trip pattern on the day 

that they visited the Refuge. Visitors marked on a map of Kauai the order in which they made stops 

during the day. Visitor attractions such as Haena and Wailua River State Park were included on the 

map. Visitors were encouraged to mention any attractions that they visited that were not on the 

map. 

The map was intended to make the question easy to answer in order to reduce response time 

for survey respondents. However, the question was still fairly time intensive and required 

respondents to recall from memory a day-trip pattern several weeks after it occurred. More than 20 

percent of respondents did not answer the question. Also, some respondents did not include the 

Refuge on their trip itinerary for the day that they visited the Refuge. As a result of these 

differences in recorded data, the total population of respondents for the trip pattern data varies 

depending on what is being discussed. 

Majority of Visitors Spent Day Trips on the North Shore, Started Day Trip at KPNWR 

Based on survey data, the majority of Refuge visitors spend their time at visitor attractions 

on the North Shore on the day that they visit the Refuge. The next most frequent trip pattern is a 

trip that includes stops on the North Shore and East Side. The regions are defined as follows: 

• North Shore: north of KPNWR 

• East Side: South of KPNWR to Lihue (including Lihue and Kalapaki Beach) 

• South Shore: between Lihue and Hanapepe (not including either town) 

• West Side: from Hanapepe to Kalalau Lookout 

For the purposes of this study, trip range is the term used to describe the range of regions 

that were included in the day trip. A North Shore day-trip range, for example, is a trip that only 

includesstops on the North Shore and no stops anywhere else on the island. 

The term trip chain is used to describe the number of stops that a visitor makes during a day 

trip. This term is commonly used to define the stops that a traveler chains together in a sequence in 

order to take part in different activities across a geographical region. The term, perhaps, is used 

more broadly here to indicate the stops that the traveler has chained together in a day trip in order 

to view and/or participate in activities at different visitor attractions. In this study, three different 

types of trip chains were identified: 

1. Limited: a trip chain that consists of 1-3 stops, 

2. Medium: a trip chain that consists of 4-5 stops, and; 

3. Extensive: a trip chain that consists of 6 stops or more. 

In addition to defining the type of trip chain, it also was interesting to note where Kilauea 

Point NWR fit in that trip chain in order to determine the flexibility travelers have in their schedule 

to accommodate changes in transportation and access options at the Refuge. 

The differences between summer and winter trip patterns regarding trip chains were 

moderately significant (Table 5-6). A limited day-trip chain of one to three stops was the most

frequent pattern of trip chain for both Refuge summer and winter visitors. 

There were no differences among winter and summer visitors in regional range of trip 

pattern. There was only one statistically significant difference between trip chains. For day trips 

that only took place on the North Shore, there was a difference in the proportion of the type of trip 

5-11
chains between the two seasons. In the winter, the trip chains appear to be slightly longer, with 34

percent of the trip chains having four to five stops. 

For the other regional ranges, the trip chains do not appear to differ between seasons. 

Overall, the majority of trips (more than 40 percent in each season) took place on the North Shore 

with the second most frequent regional range being a combination of stops on the North Shore and 

the East Side. Other combinations included a trip range of the North Shore and East Side with stops 

in one or both of the other regions. Of those other combinations, a small percent (~8.0 percent) 

were visitors who made the Refuge their sole stop on their day trip (Table 5-7). 

Table 5-6. Percent of different types of trip chains for summer and winter visitors. 

Summer Winter 

n % n % 

Limited

(1-3 stops) 294 55.7 272 47.6 

Medium 

(4-5 stops) 148 28.0 197 34.4 

Extensive 

(6 or more stops) 86 16.3 103 18.0 

Total (n) 528 100 572 100 

Extended Day Trips More Complex, More Likely to Include Attractions on the West Side 

For visitors sampled, the complexity of trip chains increased with the number of stops. 

More than 50 percent of trip complexity (doubling back along the route) occurred when the trip had 

six or more stops. Only 12 percent of all the short trip chains (one to three stops) were complex. 

In addition to the sites provided on the map in the survey, other places were reported as

stops on day trips. Kapaa, Lihue, Princeville, Poipu, Hanapepe, and Waimea were the towns that 

people included as stops on their trip itineraries. 7 Other points of interest were the secret beaches, 

waterfalls, and the guava plantation. 

Although the majority of all respondents answering the trip question stayed on the North Shore, 

each attraction on the map received some visitation. Waimea Canyon was cited as frequently as 

Kalalau Trail on visitor itineraries (Figure 5-4, a cumulative count of winter and summer seasonal 

stops on KPNWR visitor day trips). The three most frequently cited visitor favorite attractions were 

Kilauea Point NWR (41 percent, n=1089), Waimea Canyon (12 percent), and Kalulau Trail (11 percent) 

(Figure 5.4).

8

 7

 Kapaa was the only respondent “write-in” that was included on the map because the other attractions were 

mentioned by less than 30 respondents. 

8

 The number of respondents who checked Waimea Canyon or Kalalau Trail as favorite places was 128 and 

119 respectively, nearly the same number of respondents who visited those sites. 

5-12
Table 5-7. Distribution of trip range and trip chain in summer and winter seasons. 

% Day trip

range

n = 1101

% Trip chain KPNWR stop in 

trip chain1

Limited 

70.9% n = 173 1st stop (72.2%) 

Medium 

27.0% n = 66 1st North Shore (summer) stop (75.8%) 46.2% 

n = 244

Extensive 

2.0 % n = 5 -----

2

Limited 

62.1% n = 146 1st stop (73.1%) 

Medium 

34.2% n = 147 1st North Shore (winter) stop (70.0%) 41.1% 

n = 235 

Extensive 

3.4 % n = 13 ---- 

Limited 

22.2% n = 47 ---- 

Medium 

58.0% n = 106 

---- North Shore/East Side (summer) 15.3% 

n = 81

Extensive 

19.8% n = 41 ----- 

Limited 

25.7% n = 29 ---- 

Medium 

52.2% n = 59 

---- North Shore/East Side (winter) 19.8% 

n = 113 

Extensive 

22.1% n = 25 ---- 

Other regional patterns 

North Shore/East Side and stops in other 

regions 

Summer 

11.0% 

n = 58 

Winter 12.8% 

n = 73

North Shore and stops in other regions 

(with no stops on East Side), 

Stops in other regions but not on the 

North Shore, and 

KPNWR only stop in day trip 

Summer 

27.5% 

n = 145 

Winter 26.4% 

n = 151 

1

How KPNWR is most often cited in the order of the trip chain.

2

Numbers too small to make a distinction between stops. 

5-13
Note: The number of stops at KPNWR doesn’t equal 1,100 because not all respondents indicated KPNWR as a stop on their itinerary.

Figure 5-3. Total number of visitors (sum of winter and summer seasons) who included. 

these attractions on their day trip itineraries (n = 1100—number of respondents to the trip pattern 

question) 

Overnight Stay and Range of Day Trips Associated 

In both winter and summer samples, approximately 20 percent of Refuge visitors stayed 

overnight in Poipu, Princeville, or Kapaa. Slightly less stayed in Lihue (~17 percent).9

 There was 

no significant association between where people stayed and the season. 

The geographical location of each town, however, was associated to the trip range in the 

winter season. The most common trip ranges from all towns were either day trips that only included 

stops on the North Shore or day trips that included stops on the North Shore and East Side. A large 

majority of Kapaa visitors in the winter only made stops on the North Shore. 

Poipu visitors made trips that included stops on the North and South Shores, and the East 

Side (9.1 percent, n = 197). Princeville visitors made the most visits that incorporated all four

regions (10.4 percent, n = 154). 

Visitors on an Extended Stay Took More Helicopter/Boat Tours and Participated in Three or 

More Outdoor-based Activities 

A Refuge visitor’s length of stay on the island is related to how he or she spends their time. 

More than half of winter and summer visitors who took helicopter or boat tours of Kauai (51 

percent, n = 202 winter; 58 percent, n = 242 summer) were on the island for 18-24 days. Refuge 

visitors who stay longer on Kauai also participate in more nature-based outdoor activities (surfing, 

snorkeling, biking, hiking, wildlife viewing, kayaking, and fishing). Sixty-two percent (n = 142) of 9

 (winter n = 638, summer n = 697) 

5-14
winter visitors who participated in four or more outdoor-based activities stayed on the island 21-30 

days. 

Trip Planning of Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Visitors 

Information Use Varied by Trip Purpose and Life Stage 

The use of information sources varies depending on trip purpose and life stage (the Hawaii 

Tourism bureau describes life stages as young, 18-34; middle-age, 35-54; and seniors, 55 and over). 

In the winter, trip purpose had a statistically significant association with the number of

information sources that people consulted. Visitors who had preplanned to visit the Refuge were 

more likely to use three or more information sources than visitors who decided to stop at the 

Refuge due to a “spur of the moment” decision. 10

In the summer season, a more even distribution of life stages made it easier to distinguish 

differences in information-gathering among age groups. In the summer, young people are more 

likely to use highway signs than seniors or middle-age visitors. 11 All ages appear to use 

guidebooks. The differences in information-seeking behavior by different age groups makes more 

sense when trip purpose is compared across age groups. Among the young, Kilauea Point NWR is 

primarily an incidental stop (67 percent, n = 135 summer), hence the use of highway signs to find 

out about the Refuge. Seniors are less likely than young and middle-age to make an incidental 

rather than planned stop (40 percent, n = 171 summer). 

Also related to trip purpose is the number of different information sources cited. More than 

60 percent (n = 257) of summer visitors who learned about the Refuge through three to four 

information sources visited the Refuge as part of their trip plan, whereas 34 percent visited the 

Refuge as an incidental stop. 

Discussion 

Trip Patterns 

Proximity to the Refuge plays a role in the majority of Kilauea Point NWR visitor-trip 

patterns. Visitor preferences for limited day trips on the day that they visit the Refuge includes 

nearby stops on the North Shore. The Refuge is most often the first stop on limited day-trip 

itineraries. This not only allows for flexibility in a visitors’ scheduling, but it provides the Refuge 

with a greater opportunity to introduce visitors to North Shore birds and plants, and discuss visitor 

impacts. 

On longer trip itineraries that include six or more stops, the Refuge is more likely the fourth 

or fifth stop. Visitors who are on limited day trips have more flexibility in their itinerary to 

incorporate an alternative mode of transportation and other multi-modal opportunities into their 

schedule. When designing transportation alternatives and access options it will be important to 

communicate how these actions can contribute to the overall North Shore experience. 

 10 Pearson’s R = -.142 p < .001 

11 Pearson’s R = -.112, p = .005 

5-15
Trip Planning 

Most visitors are likely to learn about the Refuge through a combination of typical traveler 

resources (reference guides, brochures, and word-of-mouth). They also rely on family and friends 

and local residents and businesses while en route. Refuge communication strategies that include 

local business owners and other local sources of information will help ensure that Refuge changes

that may affect visitation are relayed. 

Visitor information-seeking behavior is different depending on the travel context and 

traveler characteristics. Travelers who preplan their trip to the Refuge are more likely to use a 

variety of information sources. They are also more likely to support Refuge management and be 

open to options, such as a shuttle, to manage visitor impact on wildlife. 

Visitors on extended stays are likely to include other modes of transportation in their 

itinerary to add to their visitor experience. Their schedules also may be more flexible to incorporate 

an alternative mode of transportation, such as transit, to the Refuge. 

Visitors from different age groups seek out information in different ways. People under the 

age of thirty are more likely to visit the Refuge in the summer. Information campaigns during this 

season that account for this age distribution will be most effective. 

Visitor and Community Resident Perceptions of Crowding 

Parking demand varies by season, day, and hours at the Refuge. At the time of the survey, 

winter had a higher period of parking demand exceeding onsite capacity. If other access and 

transportation options are considered, it will be important to structure access and transportation 

alternatives to meet demand on a seasonal and daily basis. 

Refuge management currently uses a passive control for managing visitor demand: parking 

availability predetermined how many people could be at the Refuge. If additional alternatives are

considered, managers will need to understand how the alternatives will affect visitor numbers, 

onsite activities, length of stays, and resource protection. 

Visitor Support for Transportation and Access Options 

Most Refuge visitors will not likely visit the Refuge if it implements options that limit 

access. Refuge visitors are more likely to visit the Refuge if additional parking is provided off-site, 

educational programs re provided during off-peak hours, or a shuttle with off-site parking is 

provided. 

If a shuttle to the Refuge is determined to be a viable transportation alternative, several 

factors will increase visitor willingness to use it: reliability, on-time service, a low-cost fare, and 

easy-to-find parking that is either near the Refuge or near visitor amenities. Results showed that 

visitors expect more from a shuttle ride than the utilitarian function of a mass transportation system. 

Because, if implemented, a shuttle would be the first introduction of visitors to the Refuge, the 

information/interpretation component of a shuttle is an important consideration. 

Visitors surveyed are willing to wait for a shuttle from 10-20 minutes. Visitors expressed 

interest in educational programs as an incentive for visiting the Refuge at non-peak hours, although 

this willingness did not translate into willingness to wait longer for a shuttle. It is likely that some 

interpretation at the transportation hub would be welcomed. 

Although visitors are interested in learning more about the town, residents are less 

interested in having more tourists in residential areas. In addition, visitor demand at a potential 

staging area hub or inter-modal transfer facility may be a concern for local residents who are 

concerned about maintaining a feeling of local community and protecting their privacy. 

5-16
Community Support for Transportation and Access Options 

Community respondents appear mixed in their support of the shuttle system. They are more 

likely to support the shuttle if resident privacy is protected, traffic congestion is reduced, and 

parking occurrs near the highway. Respondents cited additional factors that would make them more 

willing to support a shuttle: it would need to be self-sustaining and contribute to the town economy. 

These community preferences and concerns will be important as the Refuge moves forward with 

ATS planning. 

Regarding access, residents would like more access to the Refuge through increased hiking 

opportunities, and more walking and biking paths in the community. Access options that allow 

more community access and feeling of community, while protecting the wildlife and habitat are the 

key to community support. Community residents also would like more opportunities to walk and 

bike. As new transportation alternatives are considered for the Refuge, walking and biking paths, 

circulation in the community, and inter-modal connections will be important issues in discussions 

regarding changes to the existing road network.

5-17

6. References 

Arrow, K., Solow, R., Portney, P., Leamer, E., Radner, R., and Schuman, H., 1993, Report of the 

NOAA Panel on Contingent Valuation, Federal Register, vol. 58, no. 10, p. 4602-14. 

Burby, R.J., 2003, Making plans that matter: citizen involvement and government action, Journal 

of the American Planning Association, vol. 69, no. 1, p. 33-49. 

Carr, D.S., and Halvorsen, K., 2001, An evaluation of three democratic, community-based 

approaches to citizen participation: Surveys, conversations with community groups, and 

community dinners, Society and Natural Resources, vol. 14, p. 107–126. 

Carter and Burgess, Inc., 2002, Planning for Sustainable Tourism in Hawaii, Part 1: Infrastructure 

and environmental overview study, Volume IV: County of Kauai, Prepared for the State of 

Hawaii Dept. of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, 261 pp. 

DBEDT (The Department of Business Economic Analysis Division), State of Hawaii, (a) 2003, 

Visitor Satisfaction & Activity Report. 

Dillman, D., 2000, Mail and Internet Surveys : the Tailored Design Method, J. Wiley Press, New 

York, NY. 

Frank, L.D., 2000, Land use and transportation interaction: implications on public health and 

quality of life, Journal of Planning Education and Research, vol. 20, p. 6–22. 

Garling, T., Fujii, S., and Boe, O., 2001, Empirical tests of a model of determinants of script-based 

driving choice, Transportation Research, vol. 4, p. 89-102. 

Halvorsen, K.E, 2003, Assessing the effects of public participation, Public Administration Review, 

vol 63, no. 5, p. 535–543. 

Jorgensen, B.S., and Stedman, R.C., 2001, Sense of place as an attitude: Lakeshore owners 

attitudes toward their properties, Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 21, p. 233–248 

Knox & Associates (with assistance from Market Trends Pacific, Inc.), 2004, Volume IV: Survey 

of Hawaii Resident Attitudes on Tourism Growth/sustainability, Draft. 

Loomis, J., and Caughlan, L., 2004, Economic analysis of alternative bison and elk management 

practices on the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park: A comparison of visitor 

and household responses, U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Resources Discipline, Open-File 

Report, 2004-1305, 110 p. 

Loomis, J., and Walsh, R., 1997, Recreation Economic Decisions: Comparing Benefits and Costs.

2nd Edition, Venture Press, State College. 

Martilla, J.A., and James, J.C., 1977, Importance-performance analysis, Journal of Marketing, vol. 

41, p. 77–79. 

McCool, S. F., and Guthrie, K., 2001, Mapping the dimensions of successful public participation 

in messy natural resources management situations, Society and Natural Resources, vol 14, p. 

309–323. 

National Parks, 1999, Transportation Alternatives and Advanced Technology for the 21st Century, 

Conference Proceedings, June 1999. 

Olson, D., and Lindall, S., 1996, IMPLAN Professional Software, Analysis, and Data Guide, 

Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Inc. 

Omni Trak, 2004, http://www.hawaii.gov/tourism/files/state_parks_survey_041604.pdf 

Poisner, J., 1996, A civic republican perspective on the National Environmental Policy Act’s 

process of citizen participation, Environmental Law, vol. 26, p. 53–94. 

Sassone, P., and Shaefer, W., 1978, Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Handbook, Academic Press, New 

York, NY. 

Stynes, D., 1999, Economic Impacts of Tourism, Research Bulletin, East Lansing, MI: Department

of Park, Recreation, and Tourism Resources, Michigan State University. 

6-1 
Tarrant, M.A., and Smith, E.K., 2002,. The use of a modified importance-performance framework 

to examine visitor satisfaction with attributes of outdoor recreation settings, Managing Leisure,

vol. 7, p. 69–82. 

Turnball, K.F., 2000, Visitor Transportation at U.S. National Parks: increasing accessibility, but 

preserving the environment, p. 3-6, TR News 210, September-October 2000, p. 3-6. 

U.S. Department of Commerce, 2003, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic 

Information System, www.bea.gov 

U.S. Water Resources Council, 1983, Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for 

Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies, U.S. Government Printing Office, 

Washington DC. 

Verplanken B., Aarts, H., and van Knippenberg, A., 1997, Habit, information acquisition, and the 

process of making travel mode choices, European Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 27, p. 539–

560. 

Williams, D.R, Patterson, M.E., Roggenbuck, J.W., and Watson, A.E., 1992, Beyond the 

commodity metaphor: Examining emotional and symbolic attachment to place, Leisure Science,

vol. 14, p. 29–46. 

Williams, D.R., and Stewart, S.I., 1998, Sense of place: an elusive concept that is finding a home in 

ecosystem management, Journal of Forestry, vol. 96, no. 5, p. 18–23. 

6-2 
Appendix A 

Kilauea Preliminary Visitor Report Statistics 

A-1 
The following appendix contains the information obtained from frequency counts of the 

raw data from the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge visitor survey. The order of the tables 

follows that of the questions in the survey section by section. Summaries and verbatim 

comments of the open-ended questions contained in the survey can be found at the end of the 

frequency report. 

Section 1 

Question 1 

Table 1. Number of visits to Kauai in the past 5 years. 

Times visited % respondents 

1 68% 

2 16 

3 7 

4 3 

5 3 

More than 5 3 

n = 1344 

Table 2. Number of visits to Kilauea Point NWR. 

Times visited % respondents 

1 75% 

2 14 

3 4 

4 2 

5 2 

> 5 2 

n = 1292 

A-2 
Question 2 

Table 3. Transportation by which respondents arrived in Kauai 

Transportation % respondents 

Commercial plane 

Cruise ship 

Air charter—group 

Private plane 

Boat charter—group 

Private boat 

96% 

2 

1 

1 

< 1 

< 1 

n = 1344

Question 3

Table 4. Type of trip being taken by respondent when visiting Kauai. 

Type of trip % respondents 

Vacation with Kauai as sole destination 72%

Outing from another Hawaiian island 22 

Business travel 2 

Part of larger travel plan to visit U.S. or other countries 4 

n = 1322

2% 4% 

72% 

22% 

Kauai sole destination 

Outing from Hawaiian island 

Business travel 

Part of larger travel plan 

Figure 1. Type of trip being taken by respondent when visiting Kauai. 

A-3 
Question 4 

Table 5. Modes of travel used by Kilauea Point visitors during trip to Kauai 

Mode of travel Percentage of visitors 

Rental vehicle 

Walking 

Boat 

Helicopter 

Private vehicle 

Tour van/bus 

Bicycle 

Taxi 

Other 

Public transit 

90% 

53 

23 

19 

12 

7 

2 

2 

2 

1 

n = 1344 

Table 6. Other modes of travel during trip to Kauai 

Other travel modes n 

Canoe/kayak 13 

ATV/motorcycle 7 

Bi-plane/private airplane/helicopter 3 

Commercial airline 1 

Hitchhike 1 

Inner tube 1 

Running 1 

A-4 
53% 

23% 

19% 

12% 

7% 

2% 2% 2% 1% 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

80% 

90% 

100% 

Rental vehicle 

Walking 

Boat 

Helicopter 

Private vehicle 

Tour van/bus 

Taxi 

Other 

Bicycle 

Public transit 

90% 

Figure 2. Mode of transportation used by visitors while on Kauai. 

A-5 
Some patterns in transportation emerged upon closer examination of the data. As indicated in 

Table 7, the largest incidence of travel mode was a rental vehicle only, followed by the 

combination of walking and a rental vehicle; and walking, boating, and a rental vehicle. Sixtythree combinations other than those listed occurred, but the remainder occurred across five or 

fewer respondents. Table 7 portrays a breakdown of the combinations of modes of travel with 

public transit. These combinations and data give further indication of not only the types of 

transportation that were being used, but the ways in which they were being utilized in 

conjunction with one another. 

Table 7. Combinations of travels modes used by any one visitor while on Kauai. 

Combination of travel modes Respondents reporting 

combination 

Rental vehicle only 447 

Walking & rental vehicle 261 

Walking, boat, & rental vehicle 118 

Walking, rental vehicle & helicopter 79 

Walking, boat, rental vehicle, & helicopter 59

Private vehicle only 52 

Walking & private vehicle 34 

Rental vehicle & helicopter 35 

Rental vehicle & boat 31 

Boat, rental vehicle, & helicopter 15 

Walking, rental vehicle, & tour van/bus 14 

Walking, boat, rental vehicle, & tour van/bus 14 

Walking, boat, rental vehicle, helicopter, & tour van/bus 11

Walking, rental vehicle, & private vehicle 9 

Walking, boat, & private vehicle 9

Bicycle, walking, & rental vehicle 8 

Rental vehicle & tour van/bus 8 

Walking, rental vehicle, helicopter, & tour van/bus 8 

Rental vehicle & private vehicle 7

A-6 
Table 8. Combination of public transit and other travel modes used by visitors to Kilauea Point 

NWR. 

Combination of transit with other travel modes Respondents reporting 

combination 

Public transit only 1 

Public transit & rental vehicle 1 

Public transit, rental vehicle, & tour van/bus 1

Public transit, rental vehicle, & walking 1 

Public transit, rental vehicle, walking, & other 1 

Public transit, rental vehicle, walking, & tour van/bus 1 

other 

Public transit, rental vehicle, walking, private vehicle, & 1

Public transit, rental vehicle, walking, & taxi 1 

Public transit, rental vehicle, walking, & boat 2

Public transit, rental vehicle, walking, boat, & helicopter 1 

taxi 

Public transit, rental vehicle, walking, boat, helicopter, & 1

Public transit, walking, & taxi 1 

Public transit, biking, taxi, private vehicle, & tour van/bus 1

A-7 
Question 5 

Table 9. Activities participated in while visiting Kauai. 

Activity Respondents participating 

General sightseeing 89% 

Beach activities 81 

Shopping 68 

Photography 63 

Wildlife/plant viewing 56

Learning about Kauai’s culture/history 54 

Snorkeling 53 

Hiking 50 

Touring Kauai in tour van or boat 30 

Kayaking 15 

Golfing 14

Other activities 11 

Surfing 7 

Bicycling 3 

Fishing 3 

Tennis 3 

n = 1346

* Responses do not add to 100%. Respondents could choose more than one option. 

A-8 
Table 10. Other activities participated in while visiting Kauai.

Activities n Activities n 

Helicopter 18 

Relaxing/resting 15 

Scuba diving 14 

Dining out 13 

ATV/motorcycle tour 8 

Time with friends/family 8 

Horseback riding 8 

Tubing 7 

Attended wedding/got married 5 

Boat tour 4 

Canoeing/kayaking 4 

Luau 4 

Botanical gardens/garden tour 3 

Business meeting 3 

Looking at real estate 3 

Reading 3 

Back-country/backpacking 2 

Bird watching 2 

Driving around/auto tour 2 

Ultra light plane/ powered hang glider 2 

Walking 2 

Windsurfing 2 

Antique hunting 1 

Watching sunsets 1 

Boogie boarding 1 

Camping 1 

Family reunion 1 

Gallery tour 1 

Elderhostel group 1 

Fern Grotto 1 

Geocaching 1 

Kauai museum 1 

Painting 1 

Running 1 

Swimming 1 

Theater 1 

Craft Fair 1 

Volleyball 1 

A-9 
89% 

68% 

63% 

54% 53% 

30% 

15% 

7% 

3% 3% 3% 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

80% 

90% 

100% 

General sightseeing 

Beach activities 

Shopping 

Photography 

Wildlife/plant viewing 

Learning about culture/history 

Snorkeling 

Hiking 

Touring Kauai by van or bus 

Kayaking 

Golfing

Surfing

Fishing 

Tennis 

Bicycling 

81% 

56% 

50% 

14% 

Figure 3. Activities participated in while visiting Kauai. 

Question 6 

The average time a visitor to Kilauea Point NWR reported spending on Kauai during their most 

recent trip to the island was about nine days. The least amount of time spent was four hours, and 

the most amount of time spent was about four months. The modal, or most frequently reported 

amount of time spent on Kauai was about one week. 

Table 11. Time spent at Kilauea NWR on the latest trip. 

Time spent n 

Less than 30 min. 6 

30 min. – 1 hr. 487 

1 hr. 1 min. – 1 hr. 30 min. 125 

1 hr. 31 min. – 2 hr. 471 

2 hr. 1 min. – 2 hr. 30 min. 24 

2 hr. 31 min – 3 hr. 117 

More than 3 hr. 101 

A-10 
Question 7 

Table 12. Place visitors stayed before visiting Kilauea Point NWR. 

Overnight stay % respondents 

Poipu 

Kapaa 

Princeville 

Lihue 

Hanalei 

Waimea 

On a cruise ship 

On another Hawaiian island 

On an airplane 

On the U.S. mainland 

Other 

23% 

21 

21 

17 

5 

1 

2 

1 

< 1 

< 1 

7 

n = 1332 

Table 13. Other places stayed before visiting Kilauea Point NWR 

Place n Place n 

Kilauea 11 

Anini Beach 9 

Haena 9 

Wailua 8 

Anahola/Anahola Bay 7 

Friend’s home/private 6 

home 

Rental house- 5 

Kilauea/Kauai/Hanalei 

Bed & Breakfast 4 

Nawiliwili Harbor 4 

Kalapaki Beach 4 

Maloaa/Maloaa Bay 3 

Barking Sands 2 

Kalihiwai/Kalihiwai Ridge 2 

Kapaa 2 

Aloha beach resort 1 

Aloha Country Inn 1 

Aston Islander 1 

Between Lihue and Kapaa 1 

Camping 1 

Coconut Beach Hotel 1 

Hanapepe 1 

Kaannapoli Beach 1 

Kalaheo 1 

Kauai 1 

Kona 1 

Lae Nani Resort 1 

Lawai 1 

Hanalei 1 

Poipu Kai 1 

A-11 
Questions 8 & 9 

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section 5, “Visitor Trip 

Patterns and Behavior.” 

Question 10 

Table 14. Mode of transportation to attractions on Kauai 

Mode of transportation % respondents* 

Rental vehicle 

Private vehicle 

Walking 

Tour van/bus 

Boat 

Helicopter 

Bicycle 

Public transit 

86% 

11 

3 

2 

1 

1 

< 1 

< 1 

*n = 1332; some respondents chose more than one option. 

Question 11 

Table 15. Responses to whether visitors to Kilauea would use public transit to 

Visitor attractions on Kauai. 

Would you use public % 

transportation if available? 

No 77% 

Yes 23 

n = 1309 

Table 16. Reason for not using public transit to visitor attractions on Kauai 

Reason for not using public transit % 

I prefer personal transportation 78% 

Does not fit my schedule 18 

Too much time 9 

Unreliable 9 

I prefer a guided tour 2 

Too expensive 1 

*n = 957; some respondents chose more than one option. 

A-12 
Table 17. Other reasons for not using public transportation to visitor attractions. 

Reason n 

Prefer own schedule/flexibility 32 

Already had/would have rental car 21 

Disabled/special needs 6 

Inconvenient/needs to be reliable 6 

Traveling with children 5 

Do not like crowds 4 

Number of people in party 3 

Depends on quality of transportation 2 

Would want routes to airport/other places 2 

Uninformed 1 

Depends on travel companions/situation 1 

Depends on location of accommodations 1 

Friends provided transportation 1 

Would use if no other vehicle were available 1 

Only if parking lots are not built to hold the cars 1 

Poor parking keeps crowds down 1 

Have lots of equipment/gear 1 

There was some discrepancy among the percentages due to five respondents indicating that they 

would use public transit, but also giving reasons for not using it. Their responses ranged across 

the six possible responses. One individual submitted positive responses that, in his/her opinion, 

the lack of public transportation would bring: keeping crowds at the Refuge down due to lack of 

parking in the current situation. 

Question 12 

Table 18. Purpose of trip to Kilauea Point NWR. 

Trip purpose % respondents 

One of many equally important reasons or destinations for visit to Kauai 55% 

Incidental stop on trip taken for other purposes or destinations 44 

Primary purpose of visit to Kauai 1 

n = 1332 

A-13 
Question 13 

The average visitor group size at Kilauea Point NWR was about three, but the most often cited 

number of people in a group was two. 

Table 19. Type of group with which respondents visited Kilauea Point NWR. 

Group type % respondents 

Family 72% 

Friends 18 

Family/friends 11 

Commercial tour group 2 

Organized club or group 1 

Business/company trip 1

 < 1 1 Categorized according to open responses to the “other” category. 

n = 1060 

Section 2 

Question 1 

Table 20. Primary place of local purchases. 

Place n 

Kapaa 315 

Lihue 295 

Hanalei 287 

Kilauea 208 

Princeville 198

Poipu 168 

Koloa 41 

Questions 2 & 3 

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section 3, “Visitor Trip 

Spending.” 

A-14 
Question 4 

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section 4, “Net Economic 

Benefits of Visiting Kauai and the Refuge Visitor Trip Spending.” 

Question 5 

Table 21. Responses to whether visitors to Kilauea Point NWR paid the Refuge entrance fee. 

Paid fee % 

Yes 86% 

No 14 

n = 1320 

Table 22. Reasons for not paying the $3 entrance fee to Kilauea Point NWR. 

Reason n 

Used my pass 130

Other 26 

Thought fee was voluntary 18 

Not aware of fee 15 

overpay 

Did not have correct change/did not want to 11

Too expensive 1 

Did not want to pay 1 

Table 23. Other reasons for not paying entrance fee. 

Reason n 

Paid more than $3 6

Included with another fee 5 

Did not have enough money 4 

Close to closing time 2 

Did not go in far/not to lighthouse 2 

Did not see where to pay/no one to collect 2 

pay 

Waived fee to fill out survey/told did not have to 2

Had already seen point/go frequently 1 

Visit did not meet expectations 1

A-15 
A-16 

Question 6 

For a discussion of this question, please refer to the main report, Section 4, “Net Economic 

Benefits of Visiting Kauai and the Refuge Visitor Trip Spending.” 

Section 3 

Question 1 

Figure 4. Ways visitors learned about Kilauea Point NWR. 

48% 

35% 

27% 

18% 

11% 

8% 7% 7% 6% 6% 

3% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 

0% 

5% 

10% 

15% 

20% 

25% 

30% 

35% 

40% 

45% 

50% 

55% 

Travel guidebook 

Visitor brochure 

Highway signs

Friends 

Family 

Other 

Local information center 

Hotel staff 

Local resident 

Magazine 

TV 

In-flight/On-ship information 

Travel agent 

Refuge staff 

Recreational/environmental group 

Business associate 

USFWS website 
Table 24. Other sources from which visitors learned about Kilauea Point NWR. 

Source n 

Stranger/other tourist/word of mouth 6 

AAA 1 

Accident 5 

Previous visits to Refuge/Kilauea/Kauai 45 

Atlas/GPS/map 10 

Bird magazine/periodical 2 

Book 4 

Camping at Anini State Beach 1 

Curiosity 1 

Internet 14 

Love lighthouses/saw lighthouse 9 

Tour guide 1 

There were some patterns to responses to the question of how visitors learned about the Refuge. 

The largest number (n = 208) learned only from a travel guidebook. Other patterns emerging 

included learning only from signs (n = 99), learning only from a friend (n = 98), learning only 

from a visitor brochure (n = 88), learning from both a visitor brochure and a travel guidebook 

(n = 84), and learning only from family (n = 70). 

Question 2 

Ninety-eight percent of visitors (n = 1310) reported that their main mode of transport to visitor 

attractions was the same as that used to visit the Refuge. Of the 29 visitors who indicated that 

the two modes were not the same, 20 used a rental vehicle as their other mode. 

A-17 
Question 3 

Table 25. Importance of activities in respondents’ decision to visit Kilauea Point NWR. 

Activities Importance 

Very Important Somewhat Not No n 

important important important opinion 

Viewing scenic overlooks of the 6% 1% < 1%

coastline 

65% 28% 1316 

Viewing whales and/or dolphins 51 26 13 6 3 1291

Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 43 35 18 3 1 1323 

Viewing native seabirds 39 35 17 6 2 1304

Being in natural, undeveloped lands 38 37 19 5 2 1307 

Experiencing a serene environment 

Photographing wildlife 34 33 22 10 2 1305 

Taking self-guides walks with 25 43 21 9 3 1299

interpreted signs 

staff/volunteers 

Learning about the Refuge from 19 41 28 9 3 1303 

Participating in environmental education 8 22 32 30 8 1283

programs

 Purchasing mementos at the gift shop 3 11 28 55 4 1285 

Purchasing books about the natural 2 13 32 48 5 1288

history of the area 

Other activities 70 16 5 4 5 56

A-18 
Table 26. Importance of activities in respondents’ decision to visit Kilauea Point NWR, 

collapsed. 

Activities Importance a

 Very important/ Somewhat important/ n 

Important Not important 

Viewing scenic overlooks of the coastline 93% 7% 1316 

Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 85 15 1323

Viewing native seabirds 78 22 1323 

Viewing whales and/or dolphins 77 20 1291

Experiencing a serene environment 75 23 1307 

Being in natural, undeveloped lands 75 24 1304

Taking self-guides walks with interpreted signs 68 30 1299 

Photographing wildlife 67 31 1305

Learning about the Refuge from staff/volunteers 60 37 1303 

Participating in environmental education programs 30 63 1283

Purchasing books about the natural history of the area 15 80 1288

 Purchasing mementos at the gift shop 14 83 1285

Other activities 87 9 56

a Where percentages do not add up to 100%, the remaining respondents indicated they had no opinion as to the 

importance of an activity. 

A-19 
Table 27. Other activities important to visitors’ decision to visit Kilauea Point NWR. 

Activity n 

Landscape photography 9 

Activity killing time/break from traveling 7 

Guided hike/tour 5 

Birding 5 

Observing wildlife 5

Beaches/enjoying natural beauty/view 4 

Hiking/trails 3 

Learning experience for children 2 

Bought video tape 2 

Interaction with visitors/guides 2 

Native plants 2 

Exercising 1 

Exploring lighthouse 1 

Biking 1 

Snorkeling 1 

Family time 1 

Nostalgia 1 

Relaxing 1 

Question 4 

Table 28. Most important activity to visitors of Kilauea Point NWR. 

Activity % n 

Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 30 373

Viewing scenic overlooks of the coastline 27 337 

Viewing native seabirds 25 315 

Viewing whales and/or dolphins 21 257 

Experiencing a serene environment 5 58

Photographing wildlife 4 54 

Being in natural, undeveloped lands 4 46 

Learning about the Refuge from staff/volunteers 2 20 

Other activities 1 14 

Taking self-guided walks with interpreted signs 1 8 

Participating in environmental education programs < 1 4

Purchasing mementos at the gift shop < 1 2 

Purchasing books about the natural history of the area < 1 1

n = 1245 

A-20 
Question 5 

Table 29. Importance of services or features to respondents’ satisfaction with their visit to 

Kilauea Point NWR; collapsed. 

Service/feature Importance 

Very Somewhat n 

important/ important/ 

Important Not important 

Condition of the natural environment 97% 3% 1312

Refuge grounds well-maintained 96 4 1310 

Wildlife viewing opportunities 95 5 1305

Lighthouse well-preserved and maintained 93 7 1310 

its wildlife 

Educational kiosks or signs about the Refuge and 85 14 1301

Information provided on bird watching, whale 83 16 1311 

watching, and/or wildlife photography 

Natural history information about the site 82 18 1298

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 82 17 1314 

Reasonable entrance fees 81 18 1314

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 82 17 1306 

Adequate number of parking spaces 78 21 1313

Access for people with physical disabilities or 51 26 1307 

walking difficulties 

Appealing gift shop or bookstore items 33 64 1306

Other services/features 88 12 32 

A-21 
Table 30. Visitor satisfaction with services or features at Kilauea Point. 

Service/feature Satisfaction 

Outstanding Good Average Adequate Poor Does not n apply 

Refuge grounds well-maintained 52% 43% 4% 1% < 1% < 1% 1245

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 51 36 7 2 < 1 4 1234 

50 45 5 1 < 1 < 1 1242 Condition of the natural 

environment 

Wildlife viewing opportunities 49 40 9 2 1 < 1 1234 

Reasonable entrance fees 47 42 9 2 < 1 1 1237

Lighthouse well-preserved and 45 48 5 1 < 1 < 1 1240 maintained 

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 33 53 9 3 1 1 1240

Information provided on bird 

watching, whale watching, and/or 33 47 14 3 1 3 1234 

wildlife photography 

the Refuge and its wildlife 30 51 14 2 1 2 1223 Educational kiosks or signs about 

Natural history information about 26 54 16 3 < 1 2 1223 the site 

20 32 11 3 1 33 1214 Access for people with physical 

disabilities or walking difficulties 

Appealing gift shop or bookstore 17 45 20 6 1 12 1226 items 

Adequate number of parking spaces 16 52 15 13 6 < 1 1242

Other services/features 49 24 3 --- 21 3 33 

A-22 
--- 

Table 31. Importance of services or features to respondents’ satisfaction with their visit to 

Kilauea Point NWR. 

Service/feature Importance 

Very Important Somewhat Not Does not n 

important important important apply 

Wildlife viewing opportunities 65 30 4 1 < 1 1305 

Refuge grounds well-maintained 52 44 4 < 1 < 1 1310 

Educational kiosks or signs about 37 48 11 3 1 1301 

the Refuge and its wildlife 

Reasonable entrance fees 35 46 15 3 1 1314 

Adequate number of parking spaces 32 47 17 4 < 1 1313 

Access for people with physical 24 27 13 13 23 1307 

disabilities or walking difficulties 

Other activities 75 13 9 3 32 

Condition of the natural 66% 31% 3% < 1% < 1% 1312

environment 

maintained 

Lighthouse well-preserved and 55 38 6 1 < 1 1310

Information provided on bird 39 44 13 3 2 1311

watching, whale watching, and/or 

wildlife photography 

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 36 46 14 3 1 1314

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 35 47 16 2 1 1306 

the site 

Natural history information about 31 51 15 2 1 1298

Appealing gift shop or bookstore 6 27 39 25 3 1306

items 

A-23 
Table 32. Other important services/features to Kilauea Point NWR visitors. 

Service/feature n 

Binoculars 11 

Guided hikes/talks 5 

Film 3 

Restroom facilities 2 

Lighthouse information 2 

Nene viewing 2 

Safe environment for wildlife and visitors 1 

Water and snacks 1 

Friendly staff 1 

Information on native plants 1 

Picnic area 1 

Author of book signing 1 

Questions 6 & 7

A summary of the responses to these open-ended questions can be found on page A-39 of this 

appendix. 

A-24 
Question 8 

Table 33. Management of features at Kilauea Point NWR. 

Feature 

More Leave as Less n 

) is (%) ) 

1307 

45 

Leave as is 46 

9 

features (% features (%

Access to 

Lighthouse 

Provide more access to the inside 

of the Lighthouse 

Provide limited access to the inside 

of the Lighthouse 

Visitor impacts 1297 

Increase efforts to restrict visitor 43 

behavior that is harmful to wildlife 

Leave as is 55 

Decrease efforts to restrict visitor 2 

behavior that is harmful to wildlife 

education 

1248 

33 

Leave as is 67 

1 

Environmental 

More programs & interpretation 

Reduce programs & interpretation 

Information 1298 

signs 

Provide more signs 21 

Leave as is 73 

6 

Services 1292 

21 

Leave as is 78 

Provide less visitor info & staff 1 

Limit the number of signs 

Provide more visitor info & staff 

Visitor numbers 

Encourage more visitation 

Leave as is 

1293 

16 

79 

5 

Facilities 1295 

Develop additional facilities 11 

Leave as is 87 

2 

Restrict visitation to the Refuge 

Remove some facilities 

Naturalness 

Allow more landscape alterations 

Leave as is 

Restore more natural conditions 

1284 

5 

71 

25 

A-25 
Question 9 

57% 

67% 

68% 

71% 

75% 

80% 

83% 

27% 

20% 

21% 

23% 

13% 

15% 

13% 

7% 

10% 

8% 

5% 

5% 

8% 

0% 10% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

Di i

l il

Di i i

 i ildli

Visi li

Li

l i ly 

20% 

ff culty parking 

Staff/vo unteer ava ability 

ff culty v ewing wildlife up 

close 

Noise levels 

Changes n w fe behavior 

tor conf cts due to 

crowding 

tter 

Not at al Somewhat A fa r amount A lot Does not app

Figure 5. Contribution of visitor numbers to Refuge experience 

*Numbers for percentages less than 4% are not shown. 

Table 34. Mean ratings for the contribution of other visitors to issues. 

Issue M* 

Noise levels 1.32 

Litter 1.15 

Difficulty parking 1.61 

Visitor conflicts due to crowding 1.21 

Difficulty viewing wildlife up close 1.39 

Changes in wildlife behavior 1.14 

Staff/volunteer availability 1.42 

*Coded on a scale from 1 (not at all) to 4 (a lot). 

A-26 
Question 10 & 11 

73% 

44% 

56% 

56% 

62% 

77% 

26% 

38% 

32% 

33% 

32% 

20% 

4% 

8% 

5% 

12% 6% 

7% 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 100% 

l i

i

i /

l

i

l

90% 

Overal crowd ng 

Refuge's ons te parking lot 

Refuge g ft shop bookstore 

Over ook above Refuge entrance 

On Refuge grounds 

On road from the h ghway to 

Refuge entrance 

Not at al crowded Somewhat crowded Crowded Very crowded Does not apply 

Figure 6. Visitor perceptions of crowding at areas in and around Kilauea Point NWR. 

*Numbers for percentages less than 4% are not shown. 

Table 35. Mean crowding scores at areas around Kilauea Point NWR. 

Area 0* 

In the Refuge bookstore/gift shop 1.35 

At the overlook above the Refuge entrance 1.52 

At the Refuge’s onsite parking lot 1.80 

On the Refuge grounds 1.43 

On the road from the highway to the Refuge entrance 1.25 

Overall crowding 1.29 

*Coded on a scale from 1 (not at all crowded) to 4 (very crowded). 

A-27 
Section 4 

Question 1 

5% 

5% 

6% 

6% 

6% 

16% 

17% 

22% 

25% 

35% 

39% 

41% 

39% 

28% 

27% 14% 

15% 

23% 

27% 

57% 

52% 

20% 

53% 

24% 

0% 20% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 

i

i i

Visi i

Visi ion limi l

isi

i l i i

i i i l le 

i l i

ly ly li ly ly 

18% 

15% 

13% 

35% 

27% 

25% 

38% 

30% 

10% 30% 100% 

Refuge accessible by public trans t only 

Refuge accessible by shuttle w th public trans t link 

tors pay entrance fee and park ng fee 

tat ted to certain number of peop e every hour 

Reservations required to v t Refuge 

Refuge access ble by shutt e w th off-s te parking 

On-s te and off-s te park ng avai ab

Eucat ona programs and guided tours offered at off-peak t mes 

Very like Like Somewhat ke Unlike

Figure 7. Likelihood of visiting Kilauea Point NWR if given management options were 

implemented. 

A-28 
Eucational programs and guided tours offered at off-peak times 59% 41% 

On-site and off-site parking available 55% 45% 

Refuge accessible by shuttle with off-site parking 50% 50% 

Visitation limited to certain number of people every hour 31% 69% 

Visitors pay entrance fee and parking fee 27% 73% 

Refuge accessible by shuttle with public transit link 22% 78% 

Refuge accessible by public transit only 20% 80% 

Reservations required to visit Refuge 19% 81% 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

Likely* Unlikely 

Figure 8. Collapsed likelihood of visiting Kilauea Point NWR if given management options were 

implemented. 

*Likelihoods have been collapsed into unlikely/somewhat likely and likely/very likely 

A-29 
Table 36. Mean likelihood of visiting Kilauea Point NWR if management options were 

implemented. 

Option 0* 

Reservations required to visit the Refuge 1.71

Visitors pay a parking fee in addition to an entrance fee 1.94 

Refuge accessible by public transit only 1.66

Refuge accessible by shuttle that has a public transit link 1.74 

Refuge accessible by shuttle with off-site parking 2.40

Visitation limited to a certain number of people every hour 2.05 

Education programs and guided tours are offered at off-peak 2.62

visitation times to encourage visitation at less crowded times 

Both on-site and off-site parking available with a larger fee for 2.49 

on-site parking and a smaller fee for off-site and shuttle parking 

*Coded on a scale from 1 (unlikely) to 4 (very likely) 

Question 2 & 3 

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section 5, “Visitor Trip 

Behavior and Transportation Options.” 

A-30 
Question 4 

Table 37. Factors affecting visitors’ decision to visit Kilauea Point NWR if it were accessible 

only by shuttle. 

Factor n 

Reliable and on-time service 997 

Cost of shuttle fare 903 

Off-site parking is easy to find 819 

Off-site parking area is near the Refuge 663 

Off-site parking close to visitor services 593 

Quality of tour guide comments on board the shuttle 566 

Opportunity to bike/walk into the Refuge 500 

Off-site parking area is near the highway 406 

Onboard shuttle storage for strollers, bikes, etc 168 

Link to other public transportation 127 

Other 40 

Table 38. Ranks 1, 2, & 3. 

Factor Rank (n) 

1st 2nd 3rd 

Reliable and on-time service 332 243 187 

Cost of shuttle fare 236 183 174 

Off-site parking area is near the 181 127 114 

Refuge a 

Off-site parking is easy to find a 119 194 189 

Opportunity to bike/walk into the 77 83 92 

Refuge a 

Off-site parking area is near the 72 70 82 

highway a 

Off-site parking close to visitor 66 108 112 

services a 

Quality of tour guide comments on 39 77 114 

board the shuttle a 

Other a

 11 1 4 

Link to other public transportation a

 7 14 13 

Onboard shuttle storage for 4 14 18 

strollers, bikes, etc a 

a. Rank changed from number of people who ranked the factor. 

A-31 
Question 5 

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section 4, “Net Economic 

Benefits of Visiting Kauai and the Refuge Visitor Trip Spending.” 

Question 6 

Table 39. Percentage of visitors who would spend more time at Kilauea Point NWR if a guided 

history tour of Kilauea were offered at given fee levels. 

Tour fee Would spend Would not spend n 

more time more time 

$1 77% 23% 171 

$3 66 34 178 

$5 59 41 191 

$7 53 47 178 

$10 46 54 171 

$12 41 59 181 

$15 40 60 177 

Table 40. Percentage of visitors who would spend more time at Kilauea Point NWR if a guided 

hike to view a seabird colony were offered at given fee levels. 

Hike fee Would spend Would not spend n 

more time more time 

$5 55% 45% 175 

$7 53 47 180 

$10 42 58 189 

$12 40 60 176 

$15 43 57 177 

$20 32 68 184 

$25 24 76 178 

A-32 
Table 41. Percentage of visitors who would spend more time at Kilauea Point NWR if a guided 

hike to the summit of an extinct volcano crater were offered at given fee levels. 

Tour fee Would spend Would not spend n 

more time more time 

$5 70% 30% 176 

$10 70 30 179 

$15 64 36 192 

$20 62 38 175 

$25 57 43 184 

$30 46 54 181 

$35 47 53 179 

Table 42. Percentage of visitors who would spend more time at Kilauea Point NWR if the 

following options were offered. 

Option Would spend Would not spend n 

more time more time 

An introduction to the Refuge by Refuge staff 78% 22% 1252 

or volunteer 

A self-guided hike through restored native 84 16 1280 

forest for a scenic view of the lighthouse, 

Kilauea town, ocean, and mountains 

Section 5— 

Question 1 

Table 43. Use of public transit by Kilauea Point NWR visitors. 

Frequency of transit use % respondents 

Never 59% 

A few times a year 30 

Almost every day 4 

At least once per month 4 

At least once per week 2 

n = 1315 

A-33 
Table 44. Reasons that visitors do not use public transit. 

Reason for not using public transit % respondents * 

Inconvenient 39% 

Doesn’t go where I need to go 31 

Service not available 31 

Takes too much time 19 

Other 14 

Not easy to get to 10 

Can’t take bikes or large packages 2 

Too expensive 1 

n = 858 

* Percentages do not add to 100%. Some respondents chose more than one option. 

Table 45. Other reasons for not using public transit. 

Reason n 

Drive car/have own transportation 49 

Do not need it/live in rural area/retired 28 

Age related/additional needs (disabilities, child seats) 10 

Does not match schedule/restrictive 8 

Do not have it provided/does not apply 5 

Always use rental for beaches 3 

Only use when traveling 3 

Ride bike 2 

Walk 2 

Store needed items in car 1 

Company vehicle 1 

Does not work for my line of employment 1 

Not feasible 1 

Crowded 1 

Too lazy to bother 1 

A-34 
Question 2 

83% 

17% 

0% 

20% 

40% 

60% 

80% 

100% 

Yes No 

Figure 9.Have you ever used a transit shuttle or bus at a national park, national forest, or at 

another public facility? 

Question 3 

Table 46. Participation in natural resource decision making. 

Activity Participation 

Signed a petition 81% 

Attended a public hearing or meeting 50 

Joined a special interest group 47 

Contacted or wrote a U.S. Senator or State Legislator 39 

Contacted or wrote a state or federal agency 33 

Wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper 14 

n = 1075 

A-35 
Questions 4 & 5 

The majority of visitors (97 percent, n = 1315) indicated that they lived in the United States, with 

representation from all 50 states (Table 45). The next most common country from which visitors 

came was Canada, followed by England. 

Table 47. Visitors’ state of residence.1 

State n State n 

Alabama 6 Montana 3 

Alaska 6 Nebraska 11 

Arizona 33 Nevada 14 

Arkansas 3 New Hampshire 4 

California 343 New Jersey 32 

Colorado 42 New Mexico 6 

Connecticut 8 New York 55 

Delaware 4 North Carolina 10 

District of Columbia 3 North Dakota 7 

Florida 18 Ohio 33 

Georgia 13 Oklahoma 8 

Hawaii* 22 Oregon 34 

Idaho 19 Pennsylvania 25 

Illinois 45 Rhode Island 1 

Indiana 13 South Carolina 3 

Iowa 19 South Dakota 3 

Kansas 13 Tennessee 8 

Kentucky 8 Texas 40 

Louisiana 5 Utah 18 

Maine 3 Vermont 4 

Maryland 15 Virginia 27 

Massachusetts 31 Washington 90 

Michigan 22 West Virginia 4 

Minnesota 49 Wisconsin 31 

Mississippi 1 Wyoming 1 

Missouri 22 

*Does not include residents of Kauai 

1 97% of respondents (n = 1315) stated that they lived in the United States. 

A-36 
Question 6 

Table 48. Gender of respondents 

Sex Percentage 

Female 59% 

Male 41 

n = 1323 

Question 7 

Table 49. Percentage of respondents by age category. 

Age category Percentage 

18-24 1% 

25-34 14 

35-44 16 

45-54 26 

55-64 27 

65-74 13 

75-84 3 

85 and above < 1 

n = 1307 

Question 8 

Table 50. Employment 

Employment status Percentage 

Work (full- or part-time) 72% 

Retired 22 

n = 1308 

Question 9 

Table 51. Ethnicity of visitors 

Ethnicity Percentage 

Not Hispanic or Latino 97% 

Hispanic or Latino 3 

n = 1245 

A-37 
21 

Question 10 

Table 52. Racial origin of visitors. 

Racial Origin n 

White 1238

American Indian 

Black or African American 8

Asian 

15 14 

9 9 

6 6 

5 4 

3 3 

1 1 

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 2 

Question 11 

Table 53. Education among Kilauea NWR visitors. 

Education Percentage 

Less than high school < 1% 

High school 9 

Some college 21

College degree 27 

Advanced degree 43 

n = 1322 

Question 12 

Table 54. Number of members in visitors’ households. 

Number of household members % respondents 

1 8% 

2 59 

3 13 

4 14 

> 4 6 

n = 1335 

A-38 
Question 13 

Table 55. Income of Kilauea Point NWR visitors. 

Income Percentage 

$10,000 to $14,999 <1 

$25,000 to $34,999 3 

$50,000 to $74,999 20 

$100,000 to $149,999 26 

Less than $10,000 <1% 

$15,000 to $24,999 2 

$35,000 to $49,999 8 

$75,000 to $99,999 21 

Over $150,000 20 

n = 1192 

A-39 
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge & Lighthouse Visitor Survey: 

Summary and Comments from Open-Ended Questions 

Participants visiting the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse who 

agreed to partake in the survey were asked a series of questions, but it was the open-ended 

questions that required a written explanation. To better clarify their experience, they were first 

asked, “What would bring you back?” and secondly, “What would enhance your experience?” 

These questions gave each individual the opportunity to provide a fuller response. The following 

represents categories reflecting general trends and answers. 

Section 3, Question 6: What would enhance your experience at the Refuge? 

When asked “What would enhance your experience?” there was a wide range of 

responses from visitors. The most frequent requests were for visitors to have access to the 

lighthouse and regain the right to use the trails within the Refuge. “Being able to make a 

reservation to go inside the lighthouse and easier access to information about the lighthouse, 

such as its keepers and history, would enhance our experience,” replied one visitor. Many 

respondents expressed interest in participating in hikes or guided tours within the Refuge; 

suggestions included opening trails down to the beach and through the nesting grounds for 

visitors to explore the area. Those who would prefer a guided visit suggest, “It is difficult to 

recognize birds when they fly, or really appreciate the experience without someone experienced, 

to talk about his/her passion.” Numerous people implied that there is an importance and a desire 

to have small group lectures, films, audio tours, or interactive displays about the history and 

wildlife. Seeing more wildlife was a common theme, however, most seem to realize this depends 

on the weather and time of year. It was suggested that Refuge provide a pamphlet illustrating a 

guide for the best time to view birds and animals, in addition to more telescopes and binoculars 

for public use. One visitor commented that the number of stools for children to use for viewing 

was lacking, while others suggest that benches and the availability of seating and/or picnic areas 

is highly desirable for resting and relaxing in this pristine environment. Comments regarding the 

accessibility for handicap or disabled persons were very positive, yet others suggest better 

signage surrounding the Refuge and more parking or a shuttle bus. Additional requests included: 

a larger Refuge, less people, more staff and volunteers, and the availability of food and 

beverages, while on the other hand, some visitors would not change a thing: “Change nothing, it 

was a wonderful place filled with beauty and pleasant people and it was refreshing to not be 

expected to pay large amounts of money to enter.” Visitors stated that if any change occurred, 

they would like to see the Refuge open earlier and close later so they have the opportunity to 

enjoy it more. 

Section 3, Question 7: What experiences have you had at the Refuge that would bring you 

back? 

Reactions to the question “What would bring you back?” were largely very positive and 

enriching. Patterns indicate that the respondents enjoyed the scenery and the view of the 

coastline, in addition to the calm, clean, peaceful environment. One respondent replied, “The 

A-40 
serenity and calmness of the area for people and wildlife to co-exist at the refuge will bring me 

back. The beautiful landscape and scenic views of the coastline is another plus.” Bird watching 

and wildlife observation were activities that proved to be awfully meaningful to the visitors, 

particularly that of the albatross, sea turtles, whales, and dolphins. Numerous people added that 

the voluntary use of binoculars was appealing, as one person explained, “The binoculars were a 

delightful tool to use in our visit. I wouldn’t have thought to bring any, but they enhanced the 

educational experience. Someone was thinking.” Additionally, the staff and volunteers were 

described as enthusiastic, friendly, informative, knowledgeable and available to answer 

questions. Yet, still others praised the freedom and ability to enjoy the refuge at their own pace. 

Lastly, the environmental education opportunities and the historical significance encompassing 

the region were features that would bring visitors back to the Refuge. “We bring our 

grandchildren to see the refuge and lighthouse...it is important for their learning of nature and 

history in the island of Kauai,” a respondent replied. 

A-41 
Verbatim Responses 

Section 3, Question 6: What would enhance your experience at the Refuge? 

 longer opening hours. We came one evening 

earlier in the week & you were closed, so 

perhaps better advertising of opening times. 2) 





Ability to go on more paths--too much closed off 

& not acceptable 

Access into lighthouse 





perhaps a telescope set up to view the birds on 

the cliff face opposite would be helpful & enable 

those who aren't bird 

A bit more parking spaces 

A few more benches under trees to rest or just sit 





Access to hiking trails on the cliffs if this is 

refuge land 

Access to the interior of the lighthouse & a 

chance to see & learn about the clam-shaped 

fresnel lens. 











and view 

A film on history of the locale 

A film on the wildlife & history of the refuge. 

A guided nature walk. 

A guided tour 

A guided visit walk. It's difficult to recognize 











Access to the lighthouse 

Access to the top of the lighthouse 

Access to the top of the lighthouse 

Access to top of lighthouse 

Access to top of lighthouse; more nature walks; 

access to water 

birds when they fly, or really appreciate the 

experience without someone, experienced, to 

talk about his/her passion. 





Accessibility from highway to refuge 

Advance marketing, more high tech/hands-on 

stuff for kids 









A hiking trail that has good scenery along the 

way. Does not have to be a guided tour. 

A large photo (wall mural) of the view from the 

top of the lighthouse 

A little over rated. Beautiful yet not a lot to do 

A more "natural" trail to walk along (despite its 

restricted area) 









All good 

Allow more time for our next visit, more access 

to lighthouse 

Allowed to go up in the lighthouse 

An earlier opening hour would have been nicer. 

Parking is good at the refuge, but poor at the 

overlook above the entrance. 









A more private & meditative experience would 

have been more enjoyable. 

A much larger area. 

A place to hide from the rain 

A place to sit & watch the birds for a longer time 





An umbrella to get out of the sun so i could stay 

longer 

As previously stated--a local brochure described 

a guided hike at the refuge. That was my main 

purpose in coming other than taking pictures. 





A pre-recorded audio/guided tour 

A restaurant; lunch and dinner with a scenic 

The refuge staff informed me that they no longer 

had a guided hike and there was no access to any 

view trails. 







A SHORTER QUESTIONAIRE [sic] 

A sign reminding people in the parking lot not to 

lock their keys in the car! 

A small restaurant to sit and have a bite and 

watch the birds & the ocean. 





At the birds of prey center in boise, we have 

injured birds that cannot be returned to the wild--

these can be viewed by the public. It's very 

popular. 

Audio tour 











A small theatre showing a documentary about 

the animals, plants & birds or a lecturer giving a 

talk with slides or a film (20 min.). A short 

history of the lighthouse & point. 

A tea shop. 

A telescope at the viewing areas & a souvenir 

penny smashing machine 

A tour inside the lighthouse. See the view from 

the top. 

A video of the surrounding area, maybe there 

was one we missed. 













Availability of trails into preserved area 

Background of the lighthouse. Brochure to be 

handed out upon paying fee 

Bathrooms near the lighthouse 

Being able to access the lighthouse 

Being able to bring a picnic and sitting back and 

enjoying the peacefulness. 

Being able to climb the inside of the lighthouse. 

Many nps lighthouses are capable of handling 

visitors but too few are open for such visits. This 

goes for f&wl site also! No good reasons to 

 A walking tour down to the beach restrict access, in most cases. 

 A walking trail or hiking area 

A-42 
 Being able to climb the lighthouse tower and 

view from atop. See mechanics of gears, drive, 

etc. 

 Being able to climb the lighthouse. Beverages. 

 Being able to come more often! 

 Being able to enter lighthouse 

 Being able to explore more areas along the cliffs 

 Being able to explore the area around 

 Being able to go in the lighthouse 

 Being able to go in the lighthouse 

 Being able to go inside and to top of lighthouse 

 Being able to go inside the lighthouse and up in 

it. 

 Being able to go into & up into the lighthouse 

 Being able to go into (up) into the lighthouse. 

Being able to see whales--but we came at the 

wrong time of the year 

 Being able to go into the lighthouse 

 Being able to go to the top of the lighthouse 

 Being able to go to top of lighthouse. Better 

views of birds--only saw three signs what birds 

looked like. I understand not getting too close, 

though. 

 Being able to go up in lighthouse. 

 Being able to go up inside lighthouse 

 Being able to go up into lighthouse & see the 

lens & the view from there 

 Being able to go up into the lighthouse 

 Being able to go up into the lighthouse and 

seeing the lighthouse in use 

 Being able to go up into the top of the lighthouse 

 Being able to make a reservation to go inside the 

lighthouse and easier access to info about 

lighthouse keepers and history. 

 Being able to see albatross babies in February 

 Being able to see more wildlife 

 Being able to spend more time there 

 Being able to take a tour of the lighthouse, both 

up & down 

 Being able to tour the lighthouse itself 

 Being able to tour the whole lighthouse & see 

the view & seeing whales 

 Being able to view the interior of the lighthouse. 

I understand it's only once a year you can go to 

the top. Was disappointed because i enjoy 

lighthouses. 

 Being able to visit more often! 

 Being able to walk up into the actual lighthouse 

& see the view from higher; trails around the 

cliffs, other areas of refuge--ones that wouldn't 

disturb birds 

 Being allowed to walk up in the lighthouse; 

being able to see whales (there weren't any when 

i was there) 

 Being at the refuge at an opportune time for 

more wildlife photography 

 Benches 

 Benches (secluded) 

 Benches to rest & enjoy the view 

 Benches to sit on 

 Benches with views 

 Better description of the light itself 

 Better directional signs on turnoff. I went 

straight instead of left once on road--maybe a 

sign telling how many miles to refuge--as i 

thought i miss [sic] the turnoff. 

 Better directional signs. 

 Better gift shop with good posters, postcards, 

magnets etc to purchase 

 Better management & scheduling of hikes 

 Better parking 

 Better parking 

 Better parking 

 Better parking 

 Better parking 

 Better parking availability 

 Better parking, benches 

 Better parking, though staff members were 

helpful with directing traffic 

 Better parking. 

 Better parking; more information about the 

marine life in the area & the times of year they 

can most likely be seen 

 Better signage for parking 

 Better signage on types of plants. 

 Better signage showing way to refuge. Signs on 

56 extremely poor. Sign at second turn poor. 

 Better video-viewing environment--there was 

too much ambient noise to hear the sound. 

 Better weather (it rained that day) 

 Better weather--it was raining and overcast the 

day we visited. And, getting to see the inside of 

the lighthouse; we wanted to go up inside one 

and get the full experience. 

 Bird poo cleaned off walkway 

 Bookstore lacking historical information 

 Bringing lunch & spending more time 

 Cannot think of anything 

 Can't think of a single thing 

 Can't think of any 

 Can't think of anything 

 Can't think of anything 

 Can't think of anything 

 Care for older people. 

 Cart or tram to take people (especially older or 

disabled) to the lighthouse and then back to the 

parking lot. 

 Chairs or benches to sit down 

A-43 
 Chairs to sit & enjoy the view for long periods 

 Chance to walk on trails--those were closed 

 Clean up the bird waste 

 Cleaning up the duck/bird "poop" 

 Climb to top of lighthouse 

 Closer access to boobies with a guide 

 Closer to wildlife 

 Coming at a time when more wildlife could be 

seen 

 Coming during the whale watching season 

 Coming other than august so i could view the 

wildlife! 

 Couldn't see where it lacked in any area 

 Display of photos shot by visitors. 

 Do not even think of charging $90! 

 Docent tours; hiking trails; seeing more whales 

 Docents 

 Docent-type guides 

 Dolphins 

 Don’t know 

 Don't change a thing 

 Earlier opening 

 Earlier opening 

 Earlier opening time if you come by foot 

 Easier access--better parking position 

 Easier handicap access 

 Educational videos about the lighthouse history 

as well as the area and its people. 

 Entrance into lighthouse (minor); talking to staff 

longer. 

 Everything was excellent the day we were there! 

 Everything was nice-- guided tour opportunity 

would be great 

 Everything was perfect. 

 Everything was wonderful *****staff were 

superb 

 Excellent as is 

 Expanded educational classes for the 

environment and wildlife; possible picnic tables 

out by the parking area; more choices in the gift 

& bookstore 

 Expanded walking areas 

 Experience was great however, would have 

enjoyed access to the lighthouse. 

 Fake, life-size replica of major birds in area 

 Fewer people 

 Fewer people, more wildlife 

 Fine--we would not want to see it overdeveloped 

 First visit was after hours--longer hours. It 

wasn't clear that you could drive down there. 

 Flowers 

 For it to be larger, less crowded 

 Found this experience satisfying 

 Free entrance fee 

 Free gifts 

 General comment about Kauai--the traffic 

conditions were very frustrating. I probably will 

not return as long as conditions remain as they 

are. If i do return i will stay at the resort and not 

go exploring. 

 Getting into lighthouse to view frenzel [sic] lens 

 Go into lighthouse 

 Go up in lighthouse. 

 Go up to top of lighthouse 

 Going to the top of the lighthouse 

 Going to the top of the lighthouse 

 Going up in the lighthouse 

 Going up into the lighthouse & of course if 

whales or dolphins were jumping out of the 

water 

 Good as is. 

 Great 

 Great as is ! 

 Great as is ! 

 Great as is. 

 Great experience--nothing 

 Great the way it is. 

 Great the way it is. 

 Guide at lighthouse; more seabirds & animal 

life; less bird droppings or at least more 

cleaning! More souvenirs 

 Guided tour 

 Guided tour 

 Guided tour of lighthouse 

 Guided tour where ranger will explain the refuge 

 Guided tours 

 Guided tours, snack bar, seating 

 Guided walks 

 GUIDES EXPLAINING WHAT BIRDS 

HABITATE [sic] & WHY THE DIFFERENT 

NESTS 

 Had wonderful time 

 Handouts available about area/history 

 Have more t-shirts for sale in all [doubleunderlined] sizes for adults & children. I wanted 

to buy a shirt but there were none in my size-m. 

 Have whales come closer 

 Having "golf cart" type of transportation around 

grounds for handicapped 

 Having a guided tour of the upper part of the 

lighthouse (as well as the lower part). I think that 

would be fun to see 

 Having a more organized tour regarding info 

about the lighthouse would be helpful 

 Having clearer & closer views of the wildlife. 

 Having it be whale season (seeing a whale) 

 Having 'ranger-like' staff giving talks--not just 

the signs; i love educational stuff. 

A-44 
 Having scientific staff available. 

 Having someone talk about the history of this 

area/attraction 

 Hawaii, oddly, seems to have a dearth of shaded 

parking spaces 

 Hiking into (with shuttle for those unable) 

 Hiking trails? 

 Hourly guided tours, especially if you could 

actually enter the lighthouse. 

 Hula girls 

 I [sic] was good. 

 I can't think of a thing. 

 I can't think of a thing--signs were clear & 

informative. Staff very helpful. Reasonable 

disabled parking 

 I can't think of anything to add 

 I can't think of anything. 

 I can't think of anything. It met my expectations. 

 I didn't really know that there were grounds to 

visit other than the area around the lighthouse. 

 I don't have any suggestions. 

 I enjoyed everything! I am not sure what would 

enhance my experience. 

 I enjoyed it very much. Need access to cold 

water at the main view point where the tv is. 

 I enjoyed my visit very much but if it would 

have been crowded it would have interfered # of 

people at a time may need to be regulated in the 

future 

 I enjoyed the experience & didn't have any 

desire to change it. 

 I feel the refuge was a great experience--i don't 

know if it's possible to have more hiking trails & 

guided tours of these trails. 

 I forgot my binoculars 

 I found the experience just fine overall. I would 

not like to see too many buses, etc., there as i 

think the wildlife & birds may go elsewhere. 

 I had a great experience; not much else could 

have been done to enhance any future 

experiences 

 I had no problem, but my brother has difficulty 

walking long distances. We had no 'handicapped' 

tag for our rental car, nor does he have one at 

home. I just felt badly that he had to walk such a 

distance to see what we came to see (and back 

again!). 

 I had physical problems at the time. 

 I have enjoyed the refuge during different 

seasons i have been to Kauai. Open area on 

holidays. We made 2 trips from poipu because it 

was closed on human rights day. 

 I heard that the docents would lead birders up 

the hill (forget the name of hike). I was 

disappointed that these hikes have been 

cancelled. Please restore! Also, docents should 

be there with spotting scopes for tourists. 

 I know you can't control it, but more wildlife. I 

didn't see any sea turtles this trip 

 I like it the way it is 

 I like it the way it is. 

 I love the peaceful beauty of the refuge & the 

breath-taking scenery! 

 I loved the guided walk that used to be available. 

 I really enjoyed it as it was 

 I think it was handled well 

 I think it was outstanding & can't see any 

improvement 

 I think it would have been nice to go up inside 

the lighthouse itself. 

 I thought it was great! 

 I thought it was perfect 

 I thought it was really neat. I hope one day the 

[sic] rebuild the walking trails. Spoke to a man 

who use [sic] to give guided tours of the trails. 

He was very informative. 

 I understand that some areas were closed off that 

day, but i think that a person's ability to walk 

with the animals (on paths, of course) is very 

under-rated. I liked how there were some "trails" 

with informative signs that allowed me to get 

into the fee 

 I was very satisfied in all respects 

 I went to the refuge because i wanted to see 

albatross & redfooted boobies. I suppose the 

experience could have been enhanced if one of 

each had volunteered to fly over & sit next to 

me! 

 I wish i was able to go up the lighthouse. 

 I wish we had visited during a time of year that 

whales, etc. Could be viewed from this fabulous 

vantage point 

 I would have enjoyed a tour. Tours are 

apparently no longer offered. 

 I would have liked to climb the lighthouse, but i 

understand that would be expensive to maintain 

safely. 

 I would have liked to go up into the lighthouse 

 I would have liked to have seen the top of the 

lighthouse on the inside. It was closed where we 

couldn't go into it 

 I would like to be able to walk into more areas of 

the refuge (without disturbing wildlife of 

course). I would like to know more about the 

history of Kauai peoples, see the inside of the 

lighthouse, hear stories about happenings at the 

lighthouse, ship w 

 I would like to see more hikes, even short ones 

 I would love to have seen whales & dolphins 

A-45 
 I would not change a thing; the staff was very 

friendly & helpful; you are just beautiful people; 

god's chosen. 

 I would prefer that the site remain undeveloped 

to any greater extent. The preservation of natural 

conditions for wildlife is very important to me. If 

anything interpretation can always be improved. 

 I'd like to be able to climb the interior stairs of 

the lighthouse 

 If i could visit Hawaii more often 

 If i had a video/cassette/headset given to me 

along w/binochuars [sic], explaining what i was 

looking at/viewing. 

 If i had realized that they had rental binoculars, i 

wouldn't have to buy them (good idea to rent 

binoculars!) 

 If i had seen a whale 

 If i had seen whales 

 If i had spent more time. Bring my birding 

scope. 

 If it were open later--we got there kind of late & 

had to leave before we wanted to. 

 If the lighthouse was in working condition as it 

was designed and built 

 If the original light was working. 

 If the trails were open. Probably would have 

stayed longer. Would like to see more albatross 

& gooneybirds! 

 If the walkway to lighthouse was washed off 

more often 

 If they had a small snack & drink shop 

 If we would have seen whales/dolphins 

 If you could have a staff member give a guided 

tour, explaining the importance of the 

lighthouse, and the wildlife. 

 Improved and additional parking 

 In my opinion, the only thing that would have 

enhanced my experience & interest at the refuge 

would have been if we could have gone into the 

lighthouse there & been able to walk up the 

staircase to the top. I love lighthouses & was 

disappointed that we w 

 In years past we particularly enjoyed the crater 

hill walk. We would like to see it reopen. 

 Increasing the size of the refuge and having trails 

that allow visiting 

 Info (more) on animals other than birds; trail 

down the cliffs to the ocean. 

 Info center 

 Info tours 

 Interactive faq, more videos. Benches near the 

walkway 

 It was a great experience. Elimination of 

duck/goose poop that was everywhere would 

enhance experience. 

 It was a wonderful visit--the binoculars were 

greatly appreciated! 

 It was already good. 

 It was beautiful & informative 

 It was enjoyable as it was--volunteers pleasant & 

helpful, walking, view beautiful wildlife 

interesting 

 It was fine 

 It was fine 

 It was fine 

 It was fine as is 

 It was fine the way it was 

 It was great 

 It was great as it was. 

 It was great experience[sic]. 

 It was great the way it is. 

 It was great! 

 It was great. Can't think of anything 

 It was mentioned about a bus shuttle system, that 

would be great. More information about the 

birds, maybe a self-guided nature tour. The 

binders of information was rally cheesey, not 

professional at all 

 It was nearly perfect 

 It was perfect. 

 It was pretty maxed out-we had wildlife & 

friendly staff 

 It was quite warm on the day we attended--more 

shaded displays would help and benches/seats in 

shaded areas to watch and identify the birds and 

their nesting 

 It was raining! 

 It was very enjoyable as it was. 

 It was very good, but i would like to have seen a 

whale. 

 It was very hot and crowded. Some visitors were 

not considerate of others. 

 It was very satisfactory 

 It was wonderful 

 It was wonderful and the volunteers were 

absolutely wonderful. Informative and very 

friendly. We really enjoyed our visit there. 

 It would be nice to be able to go up to the top of 

the lighthouse 

 It would be nice to be able to see more of the 

lighthouse itself. 

 It would be wonderful if the refuge could be 

more natural; more areas to walk or hike. Not 

only are there too many cars, the refuge is 

getting crowded. 

 It would have been nice to be able to go to the 

top of the lighthouse, but we understand if that 

might not be possible. 

 It would have been nice to have been able to 

climb up the inside of lighthouse. 

A-46 
 It would have been nice to have seen more 

whales and seals. 

 It's great the way it is. 

 Keep it accessible 

 Keep it as it is 

 Keep lighthouse in top condition; maybe bring in 

naturalists and/or biologists (retired university 

people??) To give talks--show slides--about 

wildlife. 

 Keep up the good work. More complete and 

authoritative (scientific/serious) books for 

purchase on site 

 Keeping the natural setting for the wildlife well 

preserved 

 Larger area, less people 

 Larger parking lot 

 Larger, more to see 

 Learning more on history of the area 

 Less bird poop 

 Less crowds 

 Less people 

 Less people. 

 Less people; early or late opening 

 Less stupid people viewing birds (sorry i 

couldn't help myself) 

 Less vehicular traffic 

 Less wind which i realize you have no control 

over 

 Lighthouse 

 Lighthouse & viewing wildlife 

 Lighthouse was expected (& satisfied) highlight 

of visit. Took photos of it & area surrounding it 

& of albatross flock on nearby hillside. No time 

for anything else. 

 Lighthouse working at night 

 Like to be able to go into lighthouse 

 Lived up to expectations 

 Longer hours, especially sunset 

 Longer hours--we drove in to find out the refuge 

closed in 15 min. 

 Longer open time in hot season 

 Longer season for whale watching 

 Longer walking/hiking opportunity, such as 

being able to hike from the upper parking lot 

(outside the main gate). 

 Longer walks to the attractions would be alright 

for me. If parking were moved farther away, the 

adventure may be more of an experience. 

 Look section 4 no. 6 

 Make the refuge larger 

 Maybe a little more in the gift shop 

 Maybe have additional telescopes to view the 

birds 

 Maybe less bird poop 

 Maybe more info about the ocean there; the 

dolphins we were seeing... 

 More access or opportunities to view & 

photograph wildlife. 

 More activities 

 More advanced tours for birders or naturalists. 

The ability to go up & see the fresnel lens vs. 

Just seeing pictures 

 More and knowledgeable staff. 

 More animals to view 

 More areas accessible to the public 

 More availability of staff to answer questions 

 More availability to see the wildlife (tour going 

through took up much of whale watching area) 

 More benches to sit on to be able to watch 

whales & birds 

 More benches to spend a little time w/out having 

to stand. 

 More binoculars 

 More binoculars (high power) 

 More binoculars available. 

 More binoculars! Had to wait due to crowd. 

 More books about wildlife--whales, dolphins, 

sea turtles. Hosing away bird droppings in 

viewing area. 

 More details about lighthouse 

 More details on the "manned" lighthouse era 

 More docents/volunteers with information 

 More educational information of wildlife 

 More educational signs 

 More educational signs 

 More educational signs/brochures for younger 

visitors 

 More environmental and historical education 

activities 

 More exhibits. 

 More exhibits--ability to climb the lighthouse 

 More guided tours w/natural history & wildlife 

information 

 More handicap parking 

 More helpful refuge staff--to inform us about the 

natural history & preservation of the site 

 More helpful staff. The staff was very 

informative, but not enough to answer so many 

visitors’ questions. 

 More info 

 More info on lighthouse at the lighthouse. If 

there were signs w/info i did not see them. 

 More info on signs; cold drinks, water fountain 

in main area or some shade available--it had to 

be 90+ 

 More info on the birds 

 More info on the self-guided nature trail. Maybe 

recorded message to hear when you press a 

A-47 
button. Being able to go up into the lighthouse--

our kids would have loved to do that. 

 More info/activities in the museum/bookstore 

 More information about refuge wildlife 

 More information in pamphlet barn 

 More information on birds 

 More information on flora/fauna 

 More information on geology/formation of 

ecosystem & putting it in time & scale 

perspectives 

 More information on the wildlife, binoculars 

with a little more power to be able to see the 

birds 

 More information on the wildlife--written--

possibly some guides just walking around 

answering questions & suggesting good sites for 

viewing. 

 More information signs about other stuff besides 

the birds 

 More information--larger visitors center with 

interactive information for visitors 

 More interactive displays about the history and 

wildlife of the region 

 More interpretive help identifying seabirds & 

animals 

 More knowledgeable volunteers to help identify 

birds; a better place to view slideshow/films 

before walking around--place now used too 

noisy with people doing other things in area 

 More mounted binoculars for whale watching 

 More natural wildlife exposure & education--we 

really wanted to do the walk & were very 

disappointed it was unavailable 

 More on the lighthouse 

 More parking 

 More parking 

 More parking 

 More parking & handicap transport from parking 

to light house. Guided tours for handicapped 

persons. 

 More parking area 

 More parking spaces 

 More parking spaces 

 More parking. Access to the top of the 

lighthouse. 

 More people in different areas explaining how & 

where areas of interest would be more people to 

point out things 

 More places to just sit & enjoy the area 

 More places to sit & enjoy view (& less wind) 

 More places to sit & view ocean; better parking 

just outside of refuge to view lighthouse. 

 More places to sit and enjoy the wildlife and 

views 

 More places to sit and relax while enjoying the 

sites [sic]. 

 More places to sit down outside. 

 More places to sit, lunch, unique tours. Picture 

opts. Point out just how special the refuge is to 

those of us who don't know. 

 More powerful binoculars to view whales. 

 More powerful telescopes to see albatross--they 

are magnificant [sic]. 

 More refuge staff available to provide tours 

 More seating 

 More seating 

 More seating to rest in order to stay longer. 

 More seating where scenic views can be enjoyed 

w/o people getting in the way 

 More seating. 

 More shaded areas as a break on lawn area 

 More signage & more opportunities to see 

wildlife & surrounding area (guided tours--self 

& other) to learn more about wildlife & the 

natural habitat surrounding the area. 

 More signs about wildlife and history. I missed 

whales but they were not in season. More photos 

in the lobby 

 More space 

 More staff to answer questions about wildlife 

 More staff/volunteers to teach. 

 More staff; longer hours (closed at 3:00pm!) 

 More stuff in gift shop; more videos to view 

 More telescopes for whale watching 

 More telescopes to view the birds and ocean 

 More things to do & see 

 More time 

 More time & more help spotting whales/dolphins 

 More time to enjoy the beauty--that was our fault 

as we were on our way to north shore for the 

day. 

 More time! 

 More to see 

 More trails on princeville side 

 More trails to hike. 

 More turn offs 

 More vegetation & flowers 

 More vegetation--flowers 

 More viewing points 

 More views of wildlife 

 More walkways--scenic hikes 

 More whales 

 More whales or dolphins, but that isn't your 

problem 

 More whales to see! 

 More wildlife 

A-48 
 More wildlife but that's out of your hands. 

Perhaps, if possible better trails to set closer to 

water. 

 More wildlife viewing opportunities 

 More wildlife viewing, maybe staff out pointing 

things out like you experience at zoos. All we 

saw were a few birds that day and they were too 

far to tell which kind for the most part. 

 My experience was "outstanding", but parking 

could be improved. 

 My experience was excellent. 

 My son enjoyed looking at the dolphins through 

binoculars, but having to wait for the one stool to 

stand on to look over the fence made him 

impatience (and the dolphins farther away). 

More stools for children to stand on would have 

been better 

 My visit was perfect, what i expected 

 Naturalist program at specific times like the 

guided tour but on special topics several times a 

week. I would come more than once a week for 

variety of programs. 

 Nature trails. Information on places to view sea 

life (whales, dolphins, turtles, etc.) 

 Need to schedule a trip in late winter or early 

spring for whale watching 

 Needs more signs on the highway, etc. Helpful 

to finding it. We almost accidentally found our 

way there. 

 Next time we come we would like sunshine not 

thunder and lightning along with 3" of h2o in 25 

min. 

 Next time would spend more time at refuge. 

 Nice rangers & attendees 

 Nice restaurant &/or coffee house nearby (not on 

the premises). 

 No complaints 

 No fee entrance [sic]. 

 No rain 

 No suggestions--i enjoyed the visit 

 No wind & being able to go up to see the lens in 

the lighthouse 

 Not much more--thoroughly enjoyable. 

 Not much, it was pretty wonderful. 

 Not much, it's pretty nice as it is 

 Not much. It was very satisfying. 

 Not much--we had a great time! 

 Not sure 

 Nothing all excellent 

 Nothing but more time--we'll be back 

 Nothing can enhance my experience. I had a 

great time wherever i went on your island. 

 Nothing it was a wonderful place filled with 

beauty & pleasant people & it was refreshing to 

not be expected to pay large amounts of money 

to enter 

 Nothing it was breathtaking. Excellent visit. 

Whales were playing. Birds were beautiful. 

 Nothing more than what i experienced 

 Nothing really. Just being able to maintain its 

natural beauty and non-commercial status is 

enough. 

 Nothing that comes to mind 

 Nothing, i thoroughly enjoyed it 

 Nothing, it was quite nice! Thank you. 

 Nothing, was very good. 

 Nothing. It was a picture perfect day in paradise. 

 Nothing. It was really perfect. One time we 

chatted with a lighthouse naturalist, another time 

someone there pointed out the albatross on a 

distant hill. The natural exquisite view & beauty 

are all you need. Enhancements of infrastructure 

will make the e 

 Nothing. Very good as is. 

 Nothing. We enjoyed our visit. We were just

driving the area & saw the signs. 

 Nothing--having binoculars available was great! 

 Nothing--it was great 

 Nothing--it was great! 

 Nothing--the natural beauty & opportunities for 

our kids to experience wildlife up close are great 

 Nothing--we really enjoyed our visit 

 On our visit the refuge was not crowed so more 

access, trails, for viewing the birds & coastline 

would be a plus. With larger crowds this could 

be a problem. 

 Only visited once; more wildlife near by 

 Open a bit earlier. We came too early and then 

we came back. Better parking. 

 Opening earlier (we had to come back) 

 Opening up the little trail near the restroom? 

 Opportunity to go in the lighthouse 

 Opportunity to hike 

 Oral history from a staff member 

 Our experience was very enjoyable. We were 

told that we went on a good day--no crowds. 

Both times we have gone there have been no 

crowds--august during the week 

 Overall good 

 Overall good experience 

 Overall, i thought it was a great experience. We 

learned lots from a great employee (no 

enhancement needed) 

 Overall, this was a good experience. Parking was 

better in 2003 than 2002 because we were there 

during spring break. This august we visited on a 

weekday afternoon. 

 Parking can be a problem during times when 

there are lots of visitors--it would seem that you 

A-49 
should plan for parking away from the refuge 

and the use of shuttle bus. 

 Parking needs to be better marked with signs. It 

is not clear that you can drive in the entrance. 

 Perhaps a bit more wildlife 

 Perhaps a separate area/room set aside for 

viewing the film 

 Perhaps an audio message telling about the many 

animals on the posted boards around the 

lighthouse. 

 Perhaps beach access 

 Perhaps being able to go up inside the lighthouse 

 Perhaps benches to sit & look out 

 Perhaps if it had been possible to climb up in the 

lighthouse to see the lens more closely! 

 Perhaps more info from volunteers, earphones 

that discuss area & history 

 Perhaps restoring the area to a more natural 

landscape, particularly all the open-grass area, 

thereby also providing some shade with native 

bushes or trees that may have normally grown 

there. 

 Periodic tours/presenters 

 Picnic area; didn't see one. 

 Places to sit & look out--& a lot less goose poop 

 Places to sit & rest/reflect. 

 Places to sit at table for coffee, snacks 

 Places to sit down 

 Possible guided tour. Didn't look into this though 

and may already be available 

 Possibly having hours expanded, but do 

understand the reason to not conflict with 

wildlife 

 Possibly some shaded sitting areas. 

 Providing more staff & visitor information. 

 Ranger talk or video. Visitor center away from 

lighthouse w/adequate parking. Use brochures 

instead of signs to describe birds. More parking 

away from current location--walk or shuttle to 

refuge. 

 Really the only thing that might have been a 

little bit better was the parking lot @ the very 

beginning overlooking a scenic view--cliff--right 

before we went into the actual "refuge". 

 Refuge staff being able to talk to us & give us 

more information about everything there 

 Refuge staff members available outside gift shop 

to answer questions "in person" 

 Refuge staff more accessible & available to 

answer questions and offer information about the 

refuge & wildlife 

 Reinstate the 1 hr guided walking tour of the 

area!! 

 Resting/seating availability 

 Restrooms up by the lighthouse 

 Return parking lots to natural state. Bus visitors 

in from distant parking lot 

 Satisfied 

 Satisfied with the way it is 

 Scheduled talks by park personnel; tours by park 

personnel. 

 Seating areas 

 See attached page 

 See more whales & birds. 

 See more whales and dolphins 

 See whales (different season) 

 Seeing birds up-close; walking past nesting 

areas. A hike on a path through the actual 

nesting grounds, close up view of mammals. 

More contact with wildlife for children. 

 Seeing dolphins and/or whales 

 Seeing more animals (they were all in bushes) 

 Seeing more whales 

 Seeing more wildlife 

 Seeing more wildlife 

 Seeing more wildlife 

 Seeing more wildlife 

 Seeing more wildlife; more binoculars made 

available 

 Seeing more wildlife--we only saw birds. 

 Seeing the dolphins dance & spin again! 

 Seeing the lense [sic] lit. 

 Seeing the whales in the fall 

 Seeing the whales, etc. 

 Seeing whales 

 Seeing whales 

 Seeing whales 

 Seeing whales & sea mammals/fish. Also nenes 

 Seeing whales or dolphins 

 Seeing whales! 

 Seeing wildlife (whales, dolphins, etc.) 

 Seemed just what i expected and wanted 

 Self guided audio tour 

 Self guided nature trails 

 Shade/misting/picnic (no eating) tables being 

able to watch sunsets from lighthouse 

 Shelter for viewing 

 Short films, short lectures 

 Short guided tours (free) or introduction to the 

area, telling me about the things (places, 

wildlife, topography) that i am seeing (or will 

see). Preferably by a guide 

 Short tour from a refuge worker 

 Show damaged birds in cages; able to go to top 

& bottom of lighthouse 

 Signs on the main road should be bigger so that 

you don't miss the turn 

 Small group lectures! 

A-50 
 So happy that transportation was available for 

our friend who has difficulty walking 

 Some benches--nothing fancy--to be able to 

watch wildlife, ocean, just take a break 

 Some shaded areas; more info about the 

lighthouse 

 Someone to help us find and identify the animals 

listed--we really didn't see any of the wildlife. 

 Speakers/radio giving information on the 

wildlife & history of the refuge 

 Spending more time there. Going on the guided 

tours. 

 Staff explanation & information outdoors to 

show you where to look/stand & tell you what 

you see/should see, etc. 

 Structured, live presentations on history 

 Taking a birdwatching tour 

 The ability to get closer to the wildlife. 

 The ability to visit the top of the lighthouse. 

 The beautiful the nature 

 The binoculars were very helpful. 

 The experience was wonderful--enjoyed seeing a 

school of spin(?) Dolphins 

 The gift shop should expand to include tourist 

souvenirs not related to the refuge, making it 

more interesting and definitely more 

profitable!!! Surprising how empty they look! 

 The ground was a mess from the nene birds. 

 The guides enhanced our trip and are important 

to those who know less than we do about birds, 

etc. 

 The lawn was always very heavy in duck 

droppings--cleaning up freq. Would be nice. 

 The roadway within 1/4 mile of parking needs to 

be wider. 

 The visit was most enjoyable 

 There is nothing we would change. If there is 

any suggestion--perhaps a short 5-10 minute 

audio visual targeted toward children 

 There isn't anything that i would change or 

eliminate from refuge. Kauai itself has been one 

of the islands left untouched. 

 There was a monk seal on the beach below. No 

one was there to point it out, no scope to let you 

see it. 

 To actually tour the lighthouse inside. Secure 

trails to or alongside of coastline. 

 To be able to climb the lighthouse 

 To be able to get closer to the nesting bird 

colony. 

 To be able to go inside lighthouse 

 To be able to go up in lighthouse 

 To be able to go up in the lighthouse 

 To be able to go up in the lighthouse 

 To be able to go up in the lighthouse 

 To be able to go up the stairs in lighthouse 

 To be able to walk to the top of the lighthouse 

for the view 

 To be closer or see wildlife that lives close to the 

water line 

 To experience "all" birds--fishes--animals in one 

visit 

 To get to see some whales and dolphins 

 To get what you paid for, seeing birds & poo 

isn't worth $3.00. The lighthouse was awesome. 

Can people go to the top? 

 To have access to the inside of the lighthouse. 

The ability to hike around the area. 

 To learn more about the sea birds. One staff 

member informed me of the courtship process & 

the distances flown to require food for newly 

hatched birds. Maybe add informational videos 

on birds. 

 To see a whale or a dolphin. I suppose one has to 

visit during the right season. 

 To see some more wildlife in the ocean while 

overlooking the water 

 To see the whales 

 To view lighthouse 

 Tour of bird sanctuary. On our first visit we were 

privileged to do your tour 

 Tour of the lighthouse, more displayed info on it 

 Touring light inside lighthouse & exsplaining 

[sic] how important light was to shiping [sic] 

transportation & industry & relateing [sic] 

intenses [sic] where this lighthouse saved a boat 

or ship 

 Tours of the lighthouse 

 Tours of the lighthouse 

 Trail to ocean 

 Trails thru the preserve 

 Uncertain 

 Update buildings, gift/bookshop, better 

merchandise, offer walks to other viewing areas 

 Very good 

 Very good in fact we came two times to the 

refuge. Make no changes that would increase 

number of visitors at one time. Even if you have 

to give out slot times. 

 Very good. Last thing done on island of Kauai. 

Only had 60 min 

 Very informative and an enjoyable part of our 

stay on Kauai. 

 Very pleased 

 Very pleasurable, can view the beautiful coast, 

wildlife and of course the lighthouse (which is 

very nostalgic). 

 Video about the area & habitat 

 Video of history of lighthouse or a recording we 

could activate 

A-51 
 Viewing later than 4pm, but i can see the need to 

balance viewing w/impact on the environment 

 Viewing more whales/dolphins 

 Viewing scopes 

 Visit again. 

 Visiting again 

 Visiting at a better time of year 

 Walking guides 

 Was excellent 

 We did not get to see any whales or turtles. Not 

sure how you can "enhance" this. Maybe have 

"best time for viewing" guide. 

 We didn't see any whales which we would've 

loved to see, but that's outside of your control 

 We enjoyed watching the dolphins with your 

binoculars--even stronger ones would be great! 

 We had a very good experience however a few 

more telescopes may have enhanced the 

experience. 

 We had a wonderful talk about the area from a 

driver who took me up because i am disabled. 

 We had a wonderful time. I can't think of 

anything specific that would have helped. 

 We had great fun; beautiful area; couldn't be 

better. 

 We have always had a wonderful time--very 

helpful staff/volunteers 

 We like it as it is--keep up the good work! 

 We like it just fine 

 We like it very much the way it is 

 We miss the guided walks through the nesting 

area. Is there anyway to reinstate those with very 

limited numbers of people? 

 We plan on returning every year that we return 

to Kauai. 

 We think the refuge is wonderful. We think the 

sights you get to see both scenic & animal life 

depend on the weather & the time of year you 

are visiting. 

 We thought the lighthouse would be bigger & 

open for visitors to walk to the top & look out. 

Neither of us had been to a lighthouse before, 

and were expecting something a little different in 

that regard. 

 We went b/c friends had see dozens of dolphins 

playing that morning--we didn't see any but saw 

a big sea turtle instead. Seeing the dolphins 

would have increased experiences. Even a video 

of dolphins playing around the lighthouse would 

have been cool 

 We were there when you opened in the morning 

but suspect parking could be a major problem. 

Would come when the whales were "in season" 

to watch. 

 We were unable to spend enough time there. 

Enjoyed the lighthouse and surrounding very 

much. 

 We were very pleased by the staff and grounds! 

On that day we experienced the opportunity of 

observing a very large pod of dolphins--your 

staff offered binoculars 

 We were very satisfied. 

 We would have liked to climb to the top of the 

lighthouse 

 We would have liked to see some whales. We 

visited in early sept. To my knowledge it was the 

wrong time of year. Oh well! 

 Whale sighting 

 Whales ! 

 Whales & lighthouse 

 Whales up close! One had been playing right by 

the lighthouse before we arrived (according to 

the docent). 

 Whales, dolphins and sea turtles 

 Wish we would have seen wildlife 

 Workers standing at points--directing your 

attention to something ordinary to Kauai, but 

may not be ordinary to other people not living in 

Hawaii. Wildlife conditioned to humans. 

 Would have been fun to go up in the lighthouse 

 Would have liked to have been able to walk on 

the nature trail 

 Would have liked to have seen some whales but 

probably wrong time of year 

 Would have loved to be able to watch the sunset 

form the lighthouse--seeing whales would have 

been exciting 

 Would like to have seen more of inside of 

lighthouse, or more info on the lighthouse. More 

historical photos & information about 

lighthouse, its keepers & how they lived. 

 Would love to have the bird hike back but 

realize it may have upset the nesting of the birds 

 You have it all! 

 Your [sic] doing a fine job 

A-52 
Section 3, Question 7: What experiences have you had at the Refuge that would bring you 

back? 















It was breathtaking 

The beauty of the area 

1 member of our party was disabled. Very 

accessible & staff very helpful. Whale 

experience--awesome view/photo ops 

1)the binoculars that could be signed out were 

great!!! We had brought only 1 pair & so we 

appreciated this !! 2) would like to come back in 

whale season 3) would love to identify more 

birds & watch them 

The scenic views. 2. The birds and wildlife. 3. 

The ability to enjoy the refuge at your own pace. 

1.the helpful guides; 2.learn more of seabirds' 

3.seeing whales. 

A bird nesting quite near the fence line in back 



























Beautiful Kauai 

Beautiful natural environment & wildlife 

viewing 

Beautiful photos 

Beautiful photos. 

Beautiful scenery 

Beautiful scenery 

Beautiful scenery 

Beautiful scenery 

Beautiful scenery & the lighthouse 

Beautiful scenery, acceptable fee 

Beautiful scenery, birds, whales. 

Beautiful scenery, birdwatching 

Beautiful scenery, helpful staff. Saw dolphins. 

Birds & info about them interesting. Was good 



of the lighthouse 

A couple more short presentations on the natural 

to have the loaner binoculars to see the dolphins 

Beautiful scenery, possibility of "watching" 





history of the whole coastal area and cultural 

history too 

A great day 

A really pleasant place to visit. Every year 





various animals & fishes 

Beautiful scenery, wonderful old lighthouse, 

natural surroundings, birds, whales, dolphins 

Beautiful scenery. Seeing baby birds in the holes 









different & enjoyable. 

Ability to go inside lighthouse 

Ability to view a beautiful place & see wildlife 

Absolutely everything--this refuge is a treasure! 

All 







they use for their nests. 

Beautiful scenery/photo ops 

Beautiful scenery; whale watching; good 

weather 

Beautiful scenic views 

 All  Beautiful scenic views of ocean & coastline 







All of it, the well kept grounds, helpful staff, 

beautiful scenery, the beautiful birds that i 

photographed, it was great! 

All of the above 

All of the above 











Beautiful setting & wildlife 

Beautiful sights & views; lots of birds. 

Beautiful site; multiplicity of birds. 

Beautiful spot; spinner dolphins 

Beautiful view 

 All of the above.  Beautiful view and historic landmark at 















All of them. Fresh air, beautiful ocean, the birds 

and the people there. 

All of them--enjoyed it. 

All the wildlife, the view, the air 

All things considered, i would return. 

Animal sitings, lighthouse, views, beauty 

Appreciated the free use of binoculars 

As a montana boy who sees mostly mountains it 







reasonable price. 

Beautiful view of the coastline makes it a great 

photography location. Also, the seabirds were 

very active here. 

Beautiful view, lighthouse history & whale 

watching & photography 

Beautiful view, scenery. Recommend to friends 

to visit when planning to go on vacation. We had 



was a joy to view the coastline again. 

As before, we had a seal, spinner dolphins & 

a good time and enjoyed our trip. 

Beautiful view; great experience with 





great staff 

Baby birds on the ground 

Beautiful 

birds/wildlife; i appreciate the well-kept 

environment! 

Beautiful views 

 Beautiful  Beautiful views and a lot of bird waste on the 









Beautiful & scenic 

Beautiful atmosphere; access for people with 

physical disabilities or walking difficulties 

Beautiful coastal scenery 

Beautiful coastline and birds, etc. 







grounds 

Beautiful views, helpful volunteers 

Beautiful views. 

Beautiful views. Interesting birds and 

signs/information about them 

A-53 
 Beautiful views--serene atmosphere--the birds 

 Beautiful views--share w/my children 

 Beautiful view--very interesting with whales 

jumping and all the different birds 

 Beautiful weather, beautiful views 

 Beautiful weather; clean, nice, informative 

facility 

 Beautiful wildlife and view! 

 Beautiful, photographic, loved all the animals 

 Beautiful, serene once in a life time spot 

 Beauty 

 Beauty 

 Beauty 

 Beauty 

 Beauty 

 Beauty 

 Beauty & historical significance of the place 

 Beauty & staff helpfulness/friendliness 

 Beauty of lighthouse & dolphins 

 Beauty of scenery; whale watching 

 Beauty of the area 

 Beauty of the area 

 Beauty of the area 

 Beauty of the area! 

 Beauty of the grounds and view, photo sites of 

the lighthouse. 

 Beauty of the place 

 Beauty of view; lighthouse. 

 Beauty, peacefulness, hatching birds 

 Beauty/serenity 

 Beauty/wildlife 

 Beauty--scenery 

 Been 3 times. Will return. Birds/whales! Scenery 

is breathtaking! Visit in January for 3 years--late 

morning/early afternoon--number of visitors not 

a problem! 

 Being able to see animals undisturbed 

 Being able to see/watch the birds and wildlife as 

well as the native plants. 

 Being in touch with nature and having the 

opportunity to be close to nature. 

 Being left alone to explore...not being hounded 

by employees 

 Best scenic view on the island 

 Better parking & longer hours 

 BEUTIFUL [sic] SCENERY 

 Bird & whale watching 

 Bird sanctuary was unexpected but very 

interesting--in addition to overall scenic beauty. 

 Bird sighting & coastline viewing in nature state 

 Bird sightings 

 Bird viewing, whale & dolphin watching from 

shore 

 Bird watching 

 Bird watching 

 Bird watching & the beauty of Kauai’s coastline, 

& whale watching in February 

 Bird watching extraordinaire! White tailed tropic 

birds my favorite 

 Bird watching, whale watching, views, friendly 

staff. 

 Bird watching; whirling dolphins; other wildlife 

watching. 

 Bird/whale watching 

 Birds & view 

 Birds, whales. 

 Birdwatching 

 Birdwatching 

 Birdwatching 

 Birdwatching 

 Birdwatching 

 Birdwatching 

 Birdwatching & photo 

 Birdwatching very exciting 

 Birdwatching, seals & dolphins, beautiful 

scenery, lighthouse 

 Birdwatching, whale watching 

 Birdwatching--whales, dolphins; nature walk, 

hike 

 Bring back tours to crater hill; smaller groups. 

 Chance to view whales 

 Coastal views, animal sightings 

 Coastal views, bird watching, historical 

information 

 Coming in jan & seeing the whales--I’m hooked! 

 Could see dolphins to the west; binoculars to 

borrow with sign-out list (terrific!!) 

 Courteousness of staff, available binoculars for 

free to borrow 

 Crater hill hikes--i will always come back 

anyway but miss the hike. 

 Didn't know what to expect. Great surprise to see 

birds especially albatross. 

 Dolphin & bird watching. Nice environment. 

 Dolphin & whale viewing 

 Dolphin viewing 

 Dolphin watching 

 Dolphin watching and serene atmosphere 

 Dolphin watching. I had no idea that we would 

be able to see them. One of the rangers pointed 

them out. It was very exciting & to get the use of 

the binoculars was even more of a treat; we left 

ours at hotel. 

 Dolphins 

 Dolphins! Cute lighthouse beautiful coast 

 Don't know that i would come back 

 Educational information 

 Educational information on whale activity 

 Educational kiosk, whales, birds, lighthouse--

we'd bring our kids 

A-54 
 Educational opportunities--always learn or see 

something new. We always bring our guests 

there. 

 Enjoy the birds, whales & dolphins 

 Enjoyable atmosphere with stunning views; 

history on the lighthouse 

 Enjoyed all of it 

 Enjoyed birds & views--super! 

 Enjoyed everything. 

 Enjoyment enough 

 Everyone there was very knowledgeable & 

friendly -- views/birds were great! 

 Everything 

 Everything 

 Everything 

 Everything 

 Everything 

 Everything 

 Everything 

 Everything about seeing nature at it's best. It was 

such a calm and relaxing trip. (thank you.) 

 Everything! 

 Everything, it was a wonderful place to see 

 Everything--i love it there 

 Everything--viewing birds & sea mammals 

 Excellent assistance from the volunteers. Visitor 

center staff let us recharge our digital camera 

battery & suggested hikes on the island! Saw 

whales spout too. 

 Excellent bird watching 

 Excellent condition of refuge; outstanding 

picture opportunities 

 Excellent info from volunteer guides 

 Excellent photo opportunities 

 Excellent refuge staff help! 

 Excellent views of coastline & birds; fun to see 

nesting birds; enjoyed learning history of 

lighthouse 

 Excellent whale watching 

 Experience of birding/wildlife/sealife; guide's 

knowledge. 

 Experiencing mother nature and her beauty 

would bring us to the lighthouse again but only 

if we came to visit our friends again one day. 

 Fabulous ocean view; viewing the birds; 

observing dolphins and whales 

 Family sharing--we like lighthouses 

 Finally seeing nene! 

 First visit had very few people. Just luck that 

day. 

 First visit was too short--should have prepared 

better for more time 

 Free binoculars was cool! No rental fee! Don't 

start restricting access to save things--let more 

folks enjoy things--open lighthouse tours. 

 Friendliness of staff & volunteers 

 Friendly place, beautiful coast 

 Friendly staff; reasonable fees; wildlife viewing. 

 Friendly staff; whales; birds; binoculars. 

 Fun watching the birds, whales, surf. Great place 

to take pictures. 

 Generally very good time 

 Generally, everything is great 

 Gift shop blended very nicely with the 

surrounding environment; everything, it will 

always be a stop on my visits to Kauai (unless 

the fee goes to $90.00) 

 Going inside the lighthouse. Peaceful, 

undeveloped area to sit, watch the coast, etc. 

 Good opportunity to photograph wildlife. 

 Good view of red-footed boobies 

 Good viewing of birds & wildlife. I was unaware 

there were so many different kinds there. I 

originally went just to see the lighthouse. 

 Good views 

 Good whale watching. 

 Gorgeous views 

 Gorgeous views, wildlife 

 Great beauty, history, wildlife, photo opts 

 Great bird watching 

 Great environment; helpful staff 

 Great opportunities to view wildlife 

 Great place to come to--i always come at least 

twice each trip to Kauai (10 trips in 15 yrs) 

 Great scenery & wildlife 

 Great scenery, fascinating bird watching 

 Great scenery. 

 Great scenic overlook! 

 Great view 

 Great view--beautiful scenery 

 Great viewing 

 Great views of the ocean & birds & dolphins. 

Please don't overdevelop. Keeping things simple 

works for us 

 Great views! 

 Greatest scenic view on island beside helicopter 

tour 

 Hatching shearwaters, beautiful view 

 Having binoculars available for free was great! 

 Helpfulness of staff; the dolphins & birds 

 Historical 

 Historical value--easy viewing--binoculars for 

use--birds and natural habitat preservation 

efforts & educational experiences 

 History of the site and of the lighthouse. 

 I can't wait to come back to Kauai--it is paradise. 

 I do come back--every time i visit Kauai 

 I don't know that i will ever be able to get back 

to the islands at all, but if i do, the refuge would 

be a significant priority 

A-55 
 I don't know that i'd go back--there really wasn't 

that much to it and so i've pretty much seen what 

there is to be seen 

 I enjoy identifying the birds and their nesting 

habits. Especially interesting were the protected 

areas where birds had made nests near the fence 

and it was possible to view the new hatchlings in 

their nests 

 I enjoyed seeing the nene & other birds. The 

scenery was beautiful. 

 I enjoyed the beautiful view and would like to 

have went [sic] into the lighthouse 

 I enjoyed watching the birds on nearby cliffs. 

 I have the picture we took of an outcropping, 

with little white dots for birds, as the wallpaper 

on my computer. It is serene & a beautiful 

reminder of a great trip. 

 I just enjoyed seeing the wildlife, especially the 

baby birds. 

 I like lighthouses. I would love to come back & 

see it & the refuge again. 

 I liked the lighthouse 

 I love watching the birds, we once (not this last 

trip) watched an albatross trying to land on the 

east side hills of the lighthouse, it was so fun to 

watch. A group of about 15 tourists must have 

stood there 20 minutes or so enjoying. 

 I loved seeing the different wildlife & plants. 

The scenery was beautiful & calming. I was 

expecting just a lighthouse, but everything else 

was a pleasant surprise. 

 I loved the film & all the information contained 

in it--it was very comprehensive 

 I loved the lighthouse & view 

 I loved the wildlife & serenity 

 I never get tired of seeing nature close up, so i 

would visit the refuge if & when i return to 

Kauai 

 I really appreciated the free use of binoculars 

 I was not anticipating the wildlife viewing at the 

refuge & was impressed with this. 

 I was particularly pleased with the availability of 

binoculars and the pleasant, friendly and 

knowledgeable staff/volunteers. 

 I would come back to see the scenery, the birds 

and the whales. 

 I would like to come back in the winter/spring to 

see the whales. We didn't see any dolphins either 

but it was beautiful. 

 I would only go back if we were with someone 

who has never been there 

 I'd come back to enjoy the quiet peaceful 

atmosphere 

 I'd love to see the laysan albatrosses--we missed 

them by two weeks 

 If get a chance, would always visit 

 If i return to Kauai for vacation purposes, i will 

go back 

 If lighthouse is restored & environment 

 If we are lucky enough to come back, the refuge 

would be on our list to see again. 

 In 2000, we filmed a cow and calf in the bay. 

Spy hopping & pec-slaps. We will never forget. 

Could be that the lighthouse is a must see, just in 

case.... 

 Incredible space 

 Informal interactions w/staff, interpretive 

materials 

 Interesting place 

 Introducing new family member traveling w/us 

on future trips. This is a must-see place. 

 It is a beautiful place. I just enjoy being there 

and doing nothing [double-underlined]. 

 It is a beautiful, mostly unspoiled piece of the 

planet. Can we keep it that way? I would come 

back for the view, the birds & animals. 

 It is a unique site--birds--vantage point--history 

 It is a wonderful place to bring guests. 

 It is an enjoyable place, well kept with very 

pleasant people. It makes for a wonderful visit 

each time i am on Kauai. 

 It is in a wonderful location. It is peaceful, well 

maintained, and interesting. 

 It was a pleasant way to spend an hour. I wish it 

would have opened earlier in the morning (9am) 

 It was a wonderful place to visit, as was Kauai 

 It was all good. 

 It was beautiful & its part of history 

 It was beautiful & very well maintained--worth 

the visit 

 It was enjoyable. Enjoyed the wildlife. Would 

like to learn more about the island birds. 

 It was great & exciting to see the baby chicks in 

their nests 

 It was great to see the tropic birds 

 It was peaceful--beautiful vistas, nice people 

 It was really great that you had binoculars 

available for checkout. With them, we were able 

to see dolphins & seals! Pretty exciting coming 

from colorado 

 It was so beautiful & serene 

 It was very calm, relaxing journey!! 

 It was very enjoyable to just watch the huge 

waves as they rolled in & splashed high onto the 

cliffs, watch for whales & other animals/birds, & 

just enjoy the beautiful nature surrounding me. 

 It was very relaxing 

 Its [sic] just a nice place to visit. 

 It's a beautiful area--we liked everything about 

it--views of the coastline are wonderful! 

 It's a great scenic place that i would try to visit 

on each future visit to Kauai 

A-56 
 It's an outstanding place away form the touristy 

areas (of course we haven't been when a large 

tour group was there). 

 It's beautiful! The staff was very friendly. 

 Its beauty 

 Its beauty. 

 Its beauty; seeing the birds; & dolphins on 

previous visit 

 It's enviroment [sic] & setting 

 It's just a cool place 

 It's so serene & the view is breathtaking. The 

birds are wonderful! 

 Just a beautiful serene place. I would like to be 

there for the whale migration at your point. 

Maybe next year. 

 Just a nice place to visit 

 Just being in Hawaii 

 Just being in Hawaii 

 Just being there 

 Just being there once is enough to make me want 

to return time & time again 

 Just being there! 

 Just that we enjoyed seeing it 

 Just the beauty of the whole area 

 Just the general beauty of it all [doubleunderlined]. 

 Just the great ___ [illegible] and the wildlife 

 Just the view 

 Just wonderful wildlife 

 Lassan albatross & humpback whale 

 Learning about the wildlife & nesting habit 

 Lighthouse 

 Lighthouse maintained, wildlife, view 

 Lighthouse of course; scenic views; more 

historic & other info about the site 

 Lighthouse; whale/dolphin watching 

 Like to see the boobys fly backwards. Friendly 

staff 

 Location, informative staff, condition of area 

 Location, weather, scenery 

 Look section 4 no. 6 

 Looking at the dolphins & birds & the 

spectacular view of the ocean & coastline! 

 Looking for turtles below 

 Lots of whales & birds to watch. 

 Love the scenery 

 Loved the historical pictures & beautiful views. 

Interesting plants & birds. Informative 

 May not return 

 Mentioned above. We also observed the monk 

seals and new baby birds! 

 More advertisement. Let people know about its 

location & activities. 

 More binoculars 

 Most. We take friends--ie, newcomers, there. 

 My photos of the area--the wildlife and the 

ocean waves slapping against the coastline w/the 

lighthouse in the background 

 Natural beauty 

 Natural beauty 

 Natural beauty and exposure to wildlife. 

 Natural beauty of environment and spectacular 

views 

 Natural beauty of the lighthouse and land on 

which it is situated. Great views! 

 Natural beauty. 

 Natural beauty. A very refreshing experience. 

 Natural environment, lighthouse 

 Natural history 

 Natural ocean view 

 Nesting birds; whale watching; history of the 

lighthouse & its evolution 

 Nesting chicks, views, info on birds 

 Nice atmosphere; low entrance fee 

 Nice gentleman requesting that we sign up for 

this 

 Nice place 

 Nice scenery, lighthouse, bookstore, photo 

opportunities 

 Nice view 

 Nice view, good place to stretch your legs and 

walk around 

 Nice views 

 Nice, relaxing atmosphere. Beautiful location 

and wonderful animals. 

 No comment 

 No trip to Kauai would be complete without a 

trip to the refuge. The scenary [sic] is heartstopping & the whales are a joyful bonus. 

 None 

 None 

 None 

 None, i believe it was a one time experience 

 Not having to fill out another survey. This is too 

long. 

 Not really anything the way it currently is 

 Observation of wildlife 

 Observing very young (newborn) birds 

 Observing wildlife 

 Ocean & bird viewing 

 Ocean view. 

 Ocean view; birds. 

 Ocean views 

 One of the few parts of the coastline not ruined 

by homes, resorts, golf courses & malls. 

 One of the most beautiful places i've ever seen 

(and i've seen a few). Watching the birds soar up 

the updrafts. 

 Opportunities to view whales. 

 Opportunity to view natural wildlife 

A-57 
 Opportunity to watch seabirds at various stages 

of courting, nesting, raising young, leaving 

young, young starting to fly 

 Outstanding experience; especially whale & 

senic [sic] viewing; volunteers helpful; loved the 

nenes. 

 Outstanding views, wildlife & educational 

opportunities 

 Outstanding views/scenery; natural habitat; 

birds; whales and dolphins (although i didn't see 

any during my visit) 

 Overall attention to preservation and education 

of the wildlife/birdlife and the island history and 

culture 

 Overall beauty & wildlife 

 Overall beauty; educational experiences; 

wildlife. 

 Overall experience was very good in limited 

time. Would like to return and allocate enough 

time to see facilities more thoroughly. 

 Park rangers' knowledge 

 Peaceful 

 Peaceful & beautiful 

 Peaceful feelings, beautiful setting 

 Peaceful setting, great views, nice people 

 Peaceful, serene atmosphere 

 Peacefulness & quiet beauty 

 Phot0shoot of dolphins & whales. Photoshoot of 

lighthouse in early morning & late eve. 

 Photo opportunities 

 Photographic opportunities 

 Photos 

 Photos & clean fresh air & views 

 Physical problems now cured--will return. 

 Pictures 

 Pleasant, peaceful view. Whales in the distance. 

 Pleasant, serene place 

 Pretty location; waves splashing on rocks. 

 Probably will not visit Hawaii again for quite 

awhile even though we loved it. 

 Probably won't come back to Kauai until i've 

visited all the other islands! First trip to Hawaii 

 Quiet atmosphere & beauty of the area 

 Quiet, great nature, whale watching 

 Rainstorm with lightening [sic]. Beautiful to 

watch. 

 Refuge staff member speaking & pointing out 

birds/type. Binoculars to see dolphins, birds. 

Lighthouse history. 

 Refuge was so very appealing especially the 

lighthouse lawns and seeing birds and dolphins 

made it excellent!! 

 Relaxing place to watch dolphins and wild birds. 

One of the staff had a telescope aimed at a monk 

seal sunning on the rocks 

 Resident of australia unlikely to return 

 Same reason great employees--very 

knowledgeable & helpful. Also, the beautiful 

views & serene feeling one gets up there! 

 Saw a baby bird close to walkway in bush 

 Saw dolphins and seal 

 Saw dolphins--really liked lighthouse 

 Saw lots of whales & dolphins as well as the 

birds. The view was beautiful. 

 Saw sea turtles; coastline views were beautiful 

 Scenery 

 Scenery 

 Scenery 

 Scenery & chance to see other wildlife (like 

whales) 

 Scenery & friendly staff 

 Scenery and birds 

 Scenery and quiet 

 Scenery, spinner dolphins 

 Scenery, views 

 Scenery, wildlife, staff. 

 Scenic beauty 

 Scenic beauty 

 Scenic beauty 

 Scenic beauty & wildlife 

 Scenic beauty, wildlife viewing 

 Scenic overlook 

 Scenic overlook 

 Scenic overlook 

 Scenic overlook; wildlife viewing;

watching 

 Scenic photos, views 

 Scenic shoreline 

 Scenic view. 

 Scenic views 

 Scenic views 

 Scenic views 

 Sea turtle--binoculars available 

 Sea wildlife was much more than expected; 

advance marketing could be better 

 Seabirds 

 See #6. 

 See above answer also peacefulness of shoreline; 

bird watching; historic lighthouse 

 See attached page 

 Seeing a frigate bird and the albatross. 

 Seeing a sea lion sunning self on beach rock 

 Seeing albatross and other birds 

 Seeing albatross take off and fly; also dancing 

 Seeing all the birds, whales & sea turtles & 

dolphins 

 Seeing all the variety of wildlife in such a small 

area, including all of the various seabirds, 

whales, monk seals, and indigenous geese that 

were present the day we visited. 

 Seeing baby albatross 

 whale 

A-58 
 Seeing baby birds close up. View was 

spectacular. Would like to be able to go up in 

lighthouse 

 Seeing baby shearwater chicks, nenes, 

tropicbirds; learning about construction of 

lighthouse; beautiful views 

 Seeing beautiful coastline, friendly staff, 

dolphins & seabirds 

 Seeing birds 

 Seeing birds & knowing next time others will be 

there (seasonal) 

 Seeing birds and wildlife mostly unknown in 

california 

 Seeing birds in their nests 

 Seeing birds, monk seal. 

 Seeing dolphins/whales, beautiful ocean view 

 Seeing how beautiful & clean the refuge is 

 Seeing nenes! And tropic birds... 

 Seeing sea turtles, monk seals, dolphins, 

gorgeous scenery! 

 Seeing the albatross would bring us back. 

 Seeing the albatross. It is such a perfectly 

wonderful place. Everything would bring me 

back. I tell all friends who are planning trips to 

Kauai to go to the lighthouse. 

 Seeing the baby birds 

 Seeing the birds 

 Seeing the birds 

 Seeing the birds & coastline 

 Seeing the birds & whales 

 Seeing the birds & whales & huge waves 

 Seeing the birds and the baby birds 

 Seeing the birds soar & land on cliff nests; 

watching whales & dolphins swim. 

 Seeing the coastline, dolphins, birds 

 Seeing the different wildlife 

 Seeing the dolphins and the baby bird helped me 

realize there was more to see than on previous 

visits, one just must look more closely and know 

what to look for 

 Seeing the dolphins & the birds; taking photos 

 Seeing the dolphins and the lighthouse; the 

availability of binoculars for guests to use made 

all the difference in seeing the dolphins. Also the 

volunteers were very friendly & helpful 

 Seeing the dolphins play 

 Seeing the dolphins; the view 

 Seeing the frigate birds, albatross, views--it was 

wonderful 

 Seeing the Hawaiian geese flying wild. I am a 

member & supporter of the British wildfowl & 

wetland trust (headquarters in slimbridge, 

gloucester, england) & it was a chance of a 

lifetime for me to see these endangered birds 

getting back to natural habitat 

 Seeing the monk seal below 

 Seeing the nene up close--well, seeing it from 

any distance would be a thrill, but it was about 

10 feet away! 

 Seeing the whales 

 Seeing the whales & birds 

 Seeing the whales and all the other wildlife 

 Seeing the wildlife 

 Seeing the wildlife and whales; beautiful view; 

beautiful setting. 

 Seeing turtles in water, lots of birds, nests 

 Seeing whales & dolphins 

 Seeing whales and dolphins 

 Seeing whales from the cliffs. 

 Seeing whales from the point. The guides were 

very helpful & friendly. They suggested where 

to look to see the whales. 

 Seeing whales, frigate birds 

 Seeing whales. 

 Seeing wildlife 

 Seeing wildlife (whales, turtles, seals, birds)--

especially seeing mating ritual of albatross & 

whales 

 Seeing wildlife, beautiful view, knowing history 

of place 

 Seeing wildlife, the peacefulness 

 Seeing wildlife. 

 Seeng spinner dolphins! 

 Serene 

 Serene & beautiful views with the natural 

activities of the local birds. 

 Serene, breathtaking beauty & great location to 

view wildlife 

 Serenity 

 Serenity, view, gentle breezes. 

 Serenity; wildlife viewing 

 Sharing with 1st time visits by grandchildren & 

friends! 

 Showing others 

 Sighting a monk seal on the beach below; whales 

surfacing in the waters as they pass the 

lighthouse; seeing a baby bird in it's nest, as 

pointed out by a refuge staff member 

 Sighting whales; availability of binoculars; 

signage telling of natural shore, birds, whales & 

other wildlife. 

 Sightings of whales, seals, turtles & albatross. 

We have amazing photos! 

 Sights of coastline 

 Sight-seeing 

 Spectacular views, bird watching 

 Spectacular views. History. Wildlife. 

 Spinner dolphins, nesting birds, beautiful view 

 Spotted whales off the point 

 Staff loaning out binocs was super cool--thanks! 

 Staff seemed very knowledgeable and glad to be 

of help 

A-59 
 Staff was available to answer questions 

 Staff, view, wildlife 

 Staff, wildlife & scenery were significant factors 

in the positive experience at the refuge 

 Suits my hobby: wildlife photography 

 Taking photos 

 Talked with employee--good info got post card 

from her 

 Talking with the local volunteers 

 Talking with young woman staff person from 

dakota 

 Talks with tour guides. Watching birds. 

 Technical difficulties with my camera 

 The absolute pristine views of the rugged 

coastline & the wildlife. I also enjoy the peace of 

just sitting & enjoying the environment. 

 The beautiful locale. 

 The beautiful lookout & the wildlife 

 The beautiful scenery & seeing the nene (state 

bird of Hawaii) 

 The beautiful scenery and the hope of seeing 

whales and/or dolphins 

 The beautiful scenery, the monk seals, birds 

 The beautiful sight of the ocean waves crashing 

and the natural life view was awesome! 

 The beautiful view 

 The beautiful view 

 The beautiful view of the wildlife. 

 The beautiful view. 

 The beautiful views of the coastline 

 The beauty 

 The beauty 

 The beauty and cleanliness. 

 The beauty and we missed the whales due to 

time of year 

 The beauty of all at that place 

 The beauty of it. 

 The beauty of nature 

 The beauty of nature & lighthouse 

 The beauty of nature. 

 The beauty of the area!! Seeing an albatrose [sic] 

fly low over me--wings (underside--whow! [sic]) 

the whale watching. 

 The beauty of the area. 

 The beauty of the area--sighting of dolphins 

 The beauty of the landscape. 

 The beauty of the sea & the birds 

 The beauty of the sight [sic] & natural habitates 

[sic] & wildlife. 

 The beauty of the site & opportunity to see 

whales & seabirds as well as seeing the 

lighthouse up close. 

 The beauty of the spot--magnificent 

 The beauty! 

 The beauty, the wildlife & i'd love to return to 

see the whales & dolphins 

 The beauty, view & wildlife

 The beauty. 

 The binoculars were a delightful tool to use in

our visit. I wouldn't have thought to bring any, 

but they enhanced the educational experience. 

Someone was thinking 

 The bird & wildlife viewing plus the area in 

general. 

 The birds 

 The birds 

 The birds & to show others. 

 The birds and learning about them=to watch the 

birds fly & soar=beautiful 

 The birds and the views 

 The bird's nest-view 

 The birds were outstanding. 

 The birds, the beauty of the location, the 

peacefulness 

 The birds; whales; the view. 

 The birds--variety & closeness 

 The breathtaking view & your beautiful island 

[smile face] 

 The cleanliness of it all 

 The difference 10 years . . . 1984 vs 2003. 

Missed seeing the turtles...not as close to edge 

or the shrub was too high to see over edge 

 The dolphins 

 The easy access to wildlife viewing 

 The enjoyment of nature 

 The exceptional view of coastline & the very 

friendly staff. 

 The existing wildlife & view 

 The experience 

 The fabulous view 

 The fabulous views & the curtious staff 

 The fact that the refuge is one of the most 

unspoiled, beautiful spots on earth. 

 The friendliness & professionalism of the 

volunteers--they were terrific! 

 The great beauty & majesty of the scenic views. 

 The great photo opportunities. 

 The great view! 

 The guides were excellent. Thank you! Pointed 

out things we may have missed. 

 The Hawaiian ducks close up & ref-footed boo 

[sic] 

 The helpful staff 

 The helpfulness of the staff & volunteers was 

excellent--everyone from the cleaning 

(bathroom) crew to the "tour guides" who 

explained about the birds & gift shop staff were 

helpful w/island destination points. Really none 

of these were asked for--they j 

 The incredible scenery & wildlife & great 

volunteers. 

 The info, the views, the education & the wildlife 

A-60 
 The island with migratory birds 

 The lighthouse & scenery 

 The lighthouse & serenity are more than enough 

 The lighthouse and the view of the coastline. 

 The loaner binoculars for dolphin sighting. Ne 

ne and other native birds. The scenery. Overall, a 

very pleasant experience 

 The marvelous flights of seabirds all around &, 

on some days, all the whale activity. 

 The natural beauty 

 The natural beauty of the area and all of the 

wildlife 

 The natural beauty of the site. Dolphin watching 

 The natural environment 

 The natural environment and beauty of the area. 

We plan to return in February. 

 The naturalists were good at pointing out the 

seal(s) below & the nene geese, whales, etc. 

 The nene geese; a chance to climb inside the 

lighthouse; great whale watching; the talk with a 

volunteer guide/ranger who showed us lots of 

birds, etc. & was a great source of information. 

 The only place i saw nene out of 3 islands 

 The opportunity to see the wildlife & the 

friendliness of the staff 

 The outstanding beauty 

 The outstanding views of the birds; the great 

interpreter signs; the way we were left alone 

(i.e., not bothered by staff)--we enjoy selfguided destinations 

 The overall beauty, serenity and non-commercial 

aspect 

 The overall serenity of the area 

 The overlook 

 The peaceful, beautiful view. The friendly 

people/staff. 

 The people [sic] running the kiosk was very 

informative & friendly. I enjoyed talking to him. 

 The pretty view, peaceful, friendly staff 

 The proximity to the birds. Chance to see 

particular species in flight/nesting, etc. 

 THE PYSICAL [sic] beauty is breathtaking 

 The refuge was one of top experiences in Kauai. 

I don't think changes are necessary. 

 The scenery 

 The scenery & the bird watching. I told my 

children (adults) they should go for this reason 

alone. 

 The scenery . The good vantage point for 

viewing whales. Nearness to parking lot. 

 The scenery was gorgeous 

 The scenery, the birds, the whales. 

 The scenery, the peaceful beautiful setting; 

opportunity to view & photograph wildlife (east 

to find-good location) 

 The scenery, viewing the dolphins, the serene 

environment 

 The scenic beauty along with the whale and bird 

watching--we really enjoy everything there. 

 The scenic beauty. 

 The scenic ocean vistas were nice. The yard 

landscaping was appealing. 

 The scenic overlooks & wildlife 

 The scenic view 

 The scenic view 

 The scenic views/wildlife 

 The sea birds are wonderful to watch 

 The seabirds 

 The serenity & whale watching 

 The serenity, wildlife (particularly the birds) and 

getting away from it all. 

 The sheer beauty! 

 The sheer joy of watching the birds, sighting the 

whales, & the peace of the surroundings. This 

made us come back this February to see the 

whales & the frigate birds which we did not see 

on our first trip. It needs nothing added to it, its 

beauty & the w 

 The sight itself is beautiful. It's worth it for the 

view alone, the wildlife is an outstanding 

experience. I think having the binoculars 

available was wonderful. My children also 

enjoyed the movie. 

 The sight of coastline, wildlife 

 The sight of the lighthouse & the possibility of 

seeing sea turtles, dolphins & whales 

 The sights, the dolphins, it was beautiful 

 The sites were awesome 

 The sitings of wildlife/the lighthouse 

 The spectacular scenic overlook of the coastline 

at the historic lighthouse. The ability to view 

whales, dolphins & the native seabirds. 

 The staff have always been very helpful & in the 

spring when i visited took time to show me a 

baby albatross being fed by parents 

 The staff was extremely friendly. The beauty and 

serenity of the refuge was fantastic. We probably 

would have stayed longer had more snacks and 

refreshments been available. 

 The staff was very helpful and informative, 

especially bob (retired lawyer/surfer-volunteer) 

 The staff were all helpful lending myself & our 

children binoculars & pointing out whales & a 

sea turtle! Showing us books for info. 

 The staff were excellent w/our 2 boys (5 & 9) 

pointing out spinner dolphins, seals, birds. Very 

enthusiastic & knowledgeable. The binoculars is 

a nice added touch! 

 The uniqueness of the refuge--having binoculars 

there to use (free) 

A-61 
 The vast natural environment/landscape, friendly 

knowledgeable staff 

 The very helpful staff. 

 The view 

 The view 

 The view 

 The view 

 The view & staff 

 The view & the birds 

 The view & the birds 

 The view & whales & birds 

 The view and friendly staff 

 The view and wildlife 

 The view from theere [sic] 

 The view is awesome & your staff were so 

helpful with information & friendly 

 The view over the cliff 

 The view was beautiful. 

 The view was incredible! 

 The view was spectacular--great pictures 

 The view! 

 The view, been before & want to return to same 

place 

 The view, seeing the birds, the video was 

excellent--but this trip to Kauai might just be a 

once in a lifetime 

 The view, the cliffs, the birds in their natural 

nests & the lighthouse 

 The view, watching dolphins/whales. 

 The view, wildlife, lighthouse 

 The view. 

 The view/wildlife 

 The view; whale watching 

 The viewing opportunities, good variety & 

quality of gift shop. 

 The views & seeing birds/wildlife 

 The views and the opportunity for wildlife 

viewing were very important. These are what 

would bring me back. 

 The views of the coastline and being able to look 

at flora and fauna would bring me back. 

 The views, the knowledge of the staff 

 The views. 

 The views; the albatross; the history 

 The volunteers were fantastic & extremely 

knowledgeable about everything we asked about 

(whales, wildlife, surrounding areas) 

 The volunters [sic] were very helpful and 

pleasant to all of the visitors. 

 The way you have kept the island well 

maintained & natural--to me it was like stepping 

back into the 1960's. Such a sweet island. 

 The whale watching was particularly good on 

the day we were there. 

 The whale watching, coast line, birds, wall area, 

history of the site 

 The whales 

 The whales 

 The whales and views 

 The whole overall experience. Well worth a 

repeat visit. 

 The wildlife 

 The wildlife 

 The wildlife & the natural undeveloped area. 

 The wildlife and scenic views 

 The wildlife viewing and the amazing views of 

the coast. 

 The wildlife viewing and the amazing views of 

the coast. 

 The wildlife, serenity. 

 The wildlife, the lighthouse & the view 

 The wind, the waves, the big nature 

 The wonderful view, whales and birds--it is 

fantastic! 

 There was a wedding! 

 They were all wonderful. 

 This was my 3rd trip to Hawaii & my 3rd to the 

refuge. Anytime i am in Kauai i will return to 

this beautiful area. 

 To go back inside of lighthouse 

 To see more types of birds, close enough for 

telephoto lens photography 

 To see more wildlife; a different facility to watch 

the videos with more seating 

 To see the outstanding beauty! (and i would love 

to see the whales) 

 To see the wildlife specific to the area/region 

again 

 Top 3 most scenic site on the island 

 Total experience 

 Truly beautiful--would go back to see more 

wildlife 

 Two volunteers especially cordial & helpful--

took time & made our handicapped son feel 

welcome & important. One was named alan hill 

 Unexpected exotic bird viewing at close 

proximity, wonderful views of coastline (loaner 

binoculars are a nice touch) 

 Unusual--easy to access 

 Very good memories--would definitely return 

and recommend it as a place for others to visit! 

 Very interesting 

 Very lovely. 

 Very scenic, will return when we return to Kauai 

 Very well maintained & great photo 

opportunities 

 View 

 View 

 View 

 View 

 View 

 View 

A-62 
























View 

View 

View - see newborn 

View & birds 

View & personnel 

View & the wildlife 

View and condition of historic lighthouse 

View and wildlife 

View is superb. 

View of shoreline 

View of the area 

View seabirds 















Viewing the dolphins and seeing whales 

Viewing the native seabirds! 

Viewing the natural habitants--whales, sea lions, 

dolphins & birds 

Viewing the wildlife 

Viewing the wildlife & learning about them 

from staff & signs 

Viewing the wildlife & learning new facts about 

the animals 

Viewing the wildlife, the lighthouse, the setting 

and the docent at the entrance was very friendly 

and use to live in our area. But, we did not know 

 View, albatrosses her. 













View, birds & dolphins 

View, birds, smells 

View, birds, whales, great environment 

View, wildlife, availability of binoculars to 

borrow 

View. 

View; whales; birds; wildlife; volunteers 









Viewing unusual birds. 

Viewing whales & sea turtles! Very exciting 

experience! Very beautiful! 

Viewing whales and dolphins 

Viewing whales, birds, etc. Conversing with 

well informed staff, especially one retired couple 

at the entrance 

 Viewing a 4-day-old shearwater chick. Other 

excellent birding. The staff was excellent and 





Viewing whales, dolphins & birds. 

Viewing whales; picture taking; fresh air--ocean 

informative as well. Pleasant interactions with breezes 





other visitors. 

Viewing albatross 

Viewing all kinds of wildlife. Helpful & friendly 







Viewing wildlife 

Viewing wildlife & scenery. 

Viewing wildlife such as whales, dolphins, & 





volunteers 

Viewing dolphins and avian life 

Viewing dolphins, tropic birds, boobies, and 

monk seal. Not disturbing wildlife but being able 

to view the animals in their natural habitat. 

Viewing wildlife; interest, knowledge, & 





albatross. 

Viewing lighthouse; helpfulness of 

staff/volunteer; wildlife viewing 

Viewing of whales, dolphins, and the lighthouse 





enthusiasm of guides; so much wildlife in one 

area! Don't change it at all, please. 

Viewing, environment very positive. 

Viewing/photographing birds, enjoying the view 















(didn't get opportunity to see whales & dolphins) 

Viewing of wildlife 

Viewing of wildlife was really great. The staff 

was friendly and very knowledgeable. 

Viewing of wildlife; helpfulness of staff. 

Viewing scenery, lighthouse. Learning of 

history, wildlife. 

Viewing scenery, whales, birds 

Viewing seabirds 

Viewing sea-birds and rookery; visiting 

















of the ocean, visiting the lighthouse. 

Viewing/photography of spinner dolphins & sea 

turtle 

Views 

Views 

Views & serenity 

Views & wildlife viewing 

Views & wildlife. 

Views of coastline & dolphin watching 

Views of coastlines, birds, learning about natural 

lighthouse; opportunity to look for whales 

offshore. 

history 

Views of ocean, birds 















Viewing seabirds--would like to be there to 

coincide with laysan albatross 

Viewing seals, birds & dolphins 

Viewing the birds 

Viewing the birds 

Viewing the birds and coastal landscape 

Viewing the birds, help from the naturalist & the 

volunteers in identification--seeing the whales, 

dolphins, sea turtles--the views of the coast 

Viewing the birds, seeing the baby birds in the 

tunnels, beautiful location. 























Views, birds close up 

Views, seeing birds/wildlife 

Views, signs, well-maintained site 

Views, whales, birds 

Views, wildlife 

Views. Friendly staff. Wildlife 

Views; guided tour 

Visiting Kauai when whales are offshore 

Volunteer talking about wildlife 

Volunteers were well-informed and helpful 

Want to see more whales--saw just one. 

A-63 
 Was very nice. It's been kept up very well 

 Watching dolphin & whales 

 Watching dolphins and the pregnant monk seal 

 Watching nesting birds (sea) 

 Watching sea birds and whales. 

 Watching seabird with staff information 

 Watching the birds & beautiful scenery 

 Watching the birds & sea life and the lighthouse 

is beautiful. 

 Watching the dolphins & birds 

 Watching the ocean & sea creatures & land 

birds. 

 Watching the sea turtles 

 Watching the whales 

 Watching the whales jump was great 

 Watching whales 

 Watching whales & birds 

 Watching whales & wildlife. 

 We always stop here--it is a wonderful 

experience 

 We bring different friends every year so they can 

enjoy the refuge as much as we do 

 We come primarily to photograph birds & 

scenery to use in paintings--will come back for 

that. 

 We do return year after year--esp. Checking on 

the change in the local indigenous plant exhibit 

 We enjoy visiting historical structures. 

 We enjoyed all aspects of the visit 

 We had a wonderful experience! Just the natural 

beauty of area would bring us back. 

 We had visited 2 years ago & noticed a much 

needed improvement of the grounds this year. 

What a difference--simply beautiful. 

 We have been to the refuge dozens of times and 

this year was one of the best. The staff was very 

helpful pointing out birds, monk seals and 

whales. They were doing a good job with the 

visitors. It was a wonderful experience. Keep up 

the good work! 

 We have visited twice and enjoy the serene 

environment beautiful views & wildlife. As long 

as fee does not increase we would probably visit 

again on our next trip to Kauai. 

 We heard it’s a cool place to be in the winter to 

watch the giant waves. 

 We just enjoy the beauty looking at the birds & i 

love lighthouses 

 We liked that things are kept as natural as 

possible. Do not add parking! This will only 

destroy more land. 

 We love the bird walk on the bluff 

 We love the view but most of all seeing the 

birds, whales, dolphins & last time seals. 

 We love the views & the birds but especially 

whale watching. We'll be back no matter what 

you do. 

 We once took the guided hike to the top of the 

crater. It was truly outstanding and would surely 

bring us back. This was closed on our last visit 

due to nesting birds. 

 We saw turtle, seals, wildlife... 

 We saw whales & enjoyed that. Learned about 

your 'birds' -- very interesting. Probably won't 

visit Hawaii again--regretfully. 

 We seen dolphins 

 We took some beautiful pictures and it was quiet 

 We were able to see a few dolphins in the water. 

That was a different/unique experience for us. 

The dolphins & scenery made the visit. 

 We were just visiting this one time 

 We've been to Kauai 5 or 6 times. We are not 

planning to return. 

 We've been twice and each visit was very 

different. So we'll probably visit again on 

another trip. 

 We've enjoyed it both times we've visited. We 

will return & hope to get some items from the 

bookstore. 

 Whale season 

 Whale season 

 Whale sightings, beauty from coastline 

(scenery), seal sightings, refuge info was 

interesting. 

 Whale viewing 

 Whale watching 

 Whale watching 

 Whale watching 

 Whale watching 

 Whale watching 

 Whale watching & bird viewing 

 Whale watching was great on all of my 3 visits. 

The birds, the scenery, helpful staff but not in 

your face 

 Whale watching was great. 

 Whale watching, bird watching, picture taking 

 Whale watching, birds, view 

 Whale watching, nene goose, ocean, view & sky 

 Whale watching, seals, birds 

 Whale watching, the sea views. 

 Whale watching. 

 Whale watching. 

 Whale watching. 

 Whale watching/birdwatching 

 Whale watching; birds nesting close along the 

walks; fabulous scenery; history & information 

about the lighthouse 

 Whale watching; scenic overlook 

 Whale watching; turtle & seal viewing; albatross 

nesting viewing thru telescope 

A-64 
 Whale watching--bird watching 

 Whale/dolphin watching, bird-chicks 

 Whales 

 Whales 

 Whales 

 Whales 

 Whales & children loved it 

 Whales in February 05 

 Whales whales whales 

 Whales, batch of Hawaiian geese 

 Whales, birds 

 Whales, birds, being in Kauai 

 Whales, birds, volunteers, great help 

 Whales, dolphins, birds, ben stiller, great and 

friendly staff 

 Whales; albatross 

 Whales--great view 

 Whalewatching 

 What a lovely, serene place to visit. The wildlife 

beautiful and staff very helpful 

 When on Kauai the refuge is a must for us--

always see wildlife one kind or another. 

 Wildlife 

 Wildlife & scenery 

 Wildlife & view 

 Wildlife (whales) 

 Wildlife and scenic views 

 Wildlife observation 

 Wildlife observation 

 Wildlife observation 

 Wildlife varieties 

 Wildlife view 

 Wildlife viewing 

 Wildlife viewing 

 Wildlife viewing 

 Wildlife viewing 

 Wildlife viewing 

 Wildlife viewing 

 Wildlife viewing 

 Wildlife viewing & information. 

 Wildlife viewing & scenery 

 Wildlife viewing opportunities 

 Wildlife viewing, environmental educ 

opportunities for myself & children 

 Wildlife viewing, scenery & nene. 

 Wildlife viewing, serene environment, overlook 

viewing. 

 Wildlife viewing. 

 Wildlife viewing. 

 Wildlife viewing. 

 Wildlife viewing. 

 Wildlife viewing; natural beauty; lighthouse 

itself; friendly & knowledgeable volunteers! 

They were great! 

 Wildlife viewing; volunteers were very 

informative. 

 Wildlife viewing--i'd come back to see the 

whales 

 Wildlife/birds; lighthouse, view 

 Wildlife/natural setting 

 Wonderful bird-watching; seeing the nesting 

albatross & jumping whales; breath-taking 

views; just to enjoy the general atmosphere; a 

nature hike with a naturalist. 

 Wonderful site, protected, wildlife, informative 

staff 

 Wonderful view 

 Wonderful view for all aspects 

 Wonderful views, staff & info 

 Would always bring any grandchildren to see it 

when they come with us to Kauai. It is important 

for their learning of nature and history in the 

island of Kauai 

 Would come back on every visit for birds (w/or 

without tour) and views 

 Would like to see the albatross flying away for 

their land home 

 Would like to see whales but we always come to 

Hawaii in summer months 

 Would return if we were there again 

A-65 
Appendix B 

Kilauea Preliminary Community Report Statistics 

B-1
The following appendix contains the information obtained from frequency counts of the 

raw data from the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge community survey. The order of the 

tables follows that of the questions in the survey section by section. Summaries and verbatim 

comments of the open-ended questions contained in the survey can be found at the end of the 

frequency report. 

Section 1 

Question 1 

Table 1. Number of visits to Kilauea Point NWR in the past 5 years. 

Times visited % respondents 

0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11-25 

26-50 

51-100 

> 100 

n = 398 

12% 

10 

11 

13 

4 

13 

4 

2 

2 

1 

8 

12 

5 

1 

1 

B-2
Question 2 

Table 2. Things listed that would encourage Kilauea residents who have not visited Kilauea 

Point NWR in the last 5 years to do so. 

Item n 

Free admission 12

Less work/finding time 11 

Visit when family/guests visit 9

Natural beauty 8 

More activities and functions 5 

Access to Crater Hill 5 

Educational opportunities 4 

Later hours 4

Never go in/view from overlook 4 

Walking path to Refuge 3 

Large community event 3 

Need reminders for it 3

Easier access 2 

Able to bring a dog 2 

Away at school 2 

More hiking trails 2 

Younger/too old for it 2 

Biking 1 

More native plants 1 

Couldn’t go regardless 1 

A café with decent food 1 

Too many visitors already 1

Event to get involved with and volunteer opportunities 1 

Fishing access 1 

Grazing livestock on Refuge pasture 1 

1 

1 

If more like a park 

Open Lighthouse 4 times/year for viewing 

More shopping opportunities 

Transportation 1 

An invitation 1 

Informational brochure 1

B-3 
--- --- 

Question 3 

Table 3. Special events at Kilauea Point NWR attended by community members in the past year. 

Event Percent attended 

Ocean Fair 30% 

Lighthouse Day 27 

National Wildlife Refuge Week activities 14 

Holiday Craft Fair 27 

n = 358 

Question 4 

Table 4. Importance of activities in community members’ decision to visit Kilauea Point NWR. 

Activities Importance 

Very Important Somewhat Not No n 

important important important opinion 

Viewing native seabirds 73% 19% 6% 1% 1% 353 

Being in natural, undeveloped lands 72 17 8 2 2 350 

Viewing scenic overlooks of the coastline 67 25 7 1 1 347 

Viewing whales and/or dolphins 64 23 10 1 1 349 

Experiencing a serene environment 63 25 9 1 1 348 

Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 47 32 17 4 1 339 

Taking self-guides walks with interpreted 46 34 15 3 1

signs 

348 

Photographing wildlife 31 26 24 16 3 346 

staff/volunteers 

Learning about the Refuge from 27 36 25 11 2 343 

Participating in environmental education 26 30 27 13 4 345 

programs 

Purchasing books about the natural history 12 27 34 24 3

of the area 

344 

 Purchasing mementos at the gift shop 9 14 31 43 4 346 

Other activities 89 9 2 53

B-4 
Table 5. Activities important to respondents’ decision to visit; collapsed. 

Activities Importance 

 Very important/ Somewhat n 

Important important/ 

Not important 

Viewing native seabirds 92% 7% 353 

Viewing scenic overlooks of the coastline 91 8 347 

Experiencing a serene environment 89 10 348

Being in natural, undeveloped lands 88 9 350 

Viewing whales and/or dolphins 87 12 349

Taking self-guides walks with interpreted signs 80 18 348 

Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 79 21 339

Learning about the Refuge from staff/volunteers 63 35 343 

Photographing wildlife 57 40 346

Participating in environmental education programs 56 40 345 

Purchasing books about the natural history of the area 39 58 344

 Purchasing mementos at the gift shop 23 74 346 

Other activities 98 2 53 

B-5
7 

4 

Table 6. Other activities important to residents’ visit. 

Activity n 

Crater Hill guided hike 10 

Place to take friends/family visiting 

Education/programs for children 6

Enjoying nature 

Hiking/walking 4 

Native plants 

Birding 4 

Climbing up Lighthouse for view 

Fishing 3 

Ocean Fair 

Place to take kids 3 

Picnicking 

Leading hikes 2 

Checking ocean conditions for boating, surfing, diving 

Community craft Fairs 2

Volunteer work 

Lighthouse Day 2 

Just having access 

Kayaking/boating along shoreline 1 

Biking to park entrance 

Movies and guest speakers 1 

National Wildlife Refuge Week 

Painting 1 

Dance hula for special events with halau 

Watching daughters dance hula 1 

View disrespectful tourists 

Food and beverage would be great 1 

We miss watching sunset from Crater Hill 

More access for local public 1

B-6 

4 

3 

3 

2 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 
Question 5 

Table 7. Most important activity to visitors of Kilauea Point NWR 

Activity Percentage 

Viewing native seabirds 40 

Viewing whales and/or dolphins 26 

Learning about the Refuge from staff/volunteers 22

Other activities 12 

Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 12

Experiencing a serene environment 11 

Being in natural, undeveloped lands 8 

Viewing scenic overlooks of the coastline 4 

Photographing wildlife 2 

Taking self-guided walks with interpreted signs 2 

Participating in environmental education programs 1

Purchasing mementos at the gift shop 1 

Purchasing books about the natural history of the area < 1

n = 314 

B-7 
--- 

--- 

Question 6 

Table 8. Importance of services or features to respondents’ satisfaction with their visit to Kilauea 

Point NWR. 

Service/feature Importance 

Very Important Somewhat Not Does not n 

important important important apply 

Condition of the natural environment 82% 17% 1% < 1% 349 

Wildlife viewing opportunities 79 18 3 < 1% 1 349 

Refuge grounds well-maintained 75 23 1 1 345 

Lighthouse well-preserved and 63 33 3 1 < 1 348 

maintained 

site 

Natural history information about the 52 35 9 3 1 348 

Access for people with physical 50 27 11 5 8 341 

disabilities or walking difficulties 

Educational kiosks or signs about the 47 40 9 2 1

Refuge and its wildlife 

350 

Reasonable entrance fees 46 36 12 4 1 349 

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 41 41 10 1 2 346 

Information provided on bird 40 41 15 3 1 346 

watching, whale watching, and/or 

wildlife photography 

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 38 32 13 10 7 347 

Adequate number of parking spaces 34 41 18 6 1 346 

Refuge special events 24 37 22 11 6 344 

Appealing gift shop or bookstore 14 28 33 22 2 348 

items 

B-8
Table 9. Importance of services or features to respondents’ satisfaction with their visit to 

Kilauea Point NWR, collapsed. 

Service/feature Importance 

 Very important/ Somewhat important/ n 

Important Not important 

Condition of the natural environment 99% 1% 349

Refuge grounds well-maintained 98 1 345 

Wildlife viewing opportunities 97 3 349

Lighthouse well-preserved and maintained 96 4 348 

Educational kiosks or signs about the Refuge 88 12 350

and its wildlife 

Natural history information about the site 87 12 348 

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 87 11 346 

Reasonable entrance fees 82 16 349 

Information provided on bird watching, whale 81 18 346

watching, and/or wildlife photography 

Access for people with physical disabilities or 77 15 341 

walking difficulties 

Adequate number of parking spaces 75 25 346

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 70 23 347 

Refuge special events 61 32 344

Appealing gift shop or bookstore items 42 56 348 

B-9
--- 

--- 

Table 10. Community member satisfaction with services or features at Kilauea Point. 

Service/feature Satisfaction 

 Outstanding Good Average Adequate Poor Does not n 

Apply 

Wildlife viewing opportunities 52% 37% 7% 3% 1% 335 

Refuge grounds well-maintained 51 40 7 2 --- 1 336 

Condition of the natural environment 44 43 10 3 < 1 334 

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 39 41 13 3 1 3 333 

Lighthouse well-preserved and 38 49 8 3 2 < 1

maintained 

333 

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 31 47 9 4 2 7 329 

Reasonable entrance fees 29 43 16 8 2 3 330 

Information provided on bird 26 51 14 5 1 3 326 

watching, whale watching, and/or

wildlife photography

site 

Natural history information about the 23 55 15 4 1 2 332 

Educational kiosks or signs about the 22 55 18 4 --- 2 332 

Refuge and its wildlife 

Access for people with physical 21 48 14 4 1 12

disabilities or walking difficulties 

316 

Refuge special events 21 47 13 4 < 1 15 316 

Appealing gift shop or bookstore items 15 48 18 9 2 9 330 

Adequate number of parking spaces 10 50 21 14 4 2 333 

B-10
Question 7 

Table 11. Management of features at Kilauea Point NWR. 

Feature 

More Leave Less 

features as is features n 

(%) (%) (%) 

46 

47 

7 

Access to 

Lighthouse 

345 

Provide more access to the inside of the Lighthouse 

Leave as is 

Provide limited access to the inside of the Lighthouse 

Visitor impacts 

Increase efforts to restrict visitor behavior that is 53 

harmful to wildlife 

Leave as is 43 

Decrease efforts to restrict visitor behavior that is 4 

harmful to wildlife 

41 

59 

1 

Environmental 

education 

343 

More programs & interpretation 

Leave as is 

Reduce programs & interpretation 

Information 345 

signs 

Provide more signs 21 

Leave as is 67 

11 

Services 

27 

72 

2 

Limit the number of signs 

344 

Provide more visitor info & staff 

Leave as is 

Provide less visitor info & staff 

Visitor numbers 

Encourage more visitation 25 

Leave as is 69 

7 

Facilities 

14 

84 

2 

Restrict visitation to the Refuge 

344 

Develop additional facilities 

Leave as is 

Remove some facilities 

Naturalness 347 

Allow more landscape alterations 6 

Leave as is 54 

Restore more natural conditions 39 

Questions 8 & 9 

A summary of the responses to these open-ended questions can be found on page B-35 of this 

appendix. 

B-11 

339 

342 
Question 10 

Table 12. Responses to whether visitors to Kilauea Point NWR paid the Refuge entrance fee. 

Paid fee % 

Yes 66% 

No 34 

n = 336 

Table 13. Reasons for not paying the Kilauea Point NWR entrance fee. 

Reason Percentage 

Other 

No correct change 

Too expensive 

Not aware of fee 

Thought fee was voluntary 

Did not want to pay 

Used pass 

41% 

30 

15 

10 

6 

5 

1 

n = 111 

Table 14. Other reasons listed for not paying fee. 

Reason n 

Free day 9 

Special event 4 

Resident of Kilauea 4 

Didn’t go in 3 

Volunteer 3 

Admission was free in past 2 

Personal tour 2

Rest of family paid 2 

Didn’t see it 2 

School field trip 2 

Not there long 2

Boyfriend on staff 1 

Visited bookstore 1 

Short information session 1 

On bike—no wallet 1 

Went with senior citizen 1 

Boycotting because of fencing on Crater Hill 1

Local residents should be offered a pass 1 

Paid $2 because we went every Sunday 1 

Paid on other visits 1 

B-12 
--- 

Question 11 

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section 4, “Net Economic 

Benefits of Visiting Kauai and the Refuge Visitor Trip Spending.” 

Section 2 

Questions 1 & 2 

A summary of the responses to these open-ended questions can be found on page B-35 of this 

appendix. 

Question 3 

Table 15. Kilauea residents’ perception of visitor impacts to certain community features. 

Feature No Small Moderate Big Does not n 

problem problem problem problem apply 

Disruption of daily activities 56% 23% 11% 4% 6% 393 

Personal privacy 53 20 14 6 7 393 

Traffic noise 40 26 19 10 5 400 

Traffic congestion in town 30 25 22 21 3 395 

Traffic safety 25 26 26 19 4 396 

Other 8 33 54 4 24 

B-13
25% 

30% 

40% 

53% 

56% 

26% 

25% 

26% 

20% 

23% 11% 

4% 

2% 

5% 

7% 

6% 

14% 

22% 

26% 

4% 

6% 

10% 

21% 

19% 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

i i

i

i

i l i ies 

No problem Big problem 

19% 

Traffic safety 

Traff c congest on in town 

Traff c noise 

Personal pr vacy 

Disrupt on of dai y act vit

Small problem Moderate problem Does not apply 

Figure 1. Kilauea residents’ perception of visitor impacts to certain community features. 

*Remaining percentages not shown represent “Does not apply” responses. 

Table 16. Other community features impacted by visitors. 

Other feature listed n 

Speeding on Kilauea Lighthouse Rd. 6 

Need better signage/directions to Lighthouse 5 

Road wear 3 

Turning around in residents’ driveways 2 

Animals on roadway 2 

Auto exhaust 1 

Big busses/bad for runners 1 

Respect for ‘aina 1 

Slow driving 1 

B-14
Question 4 

Table 17. Mean scores of residents’ feelings toward Kilauea Point NWR. 

Statement Strongly/ Strongly/ Unsure n 

Mildly agree Mildly (%) 

(%) disagree (%) 

Place heritage 

It is important to me that my children and my 91 1 8 407 

grandchildren will be able to visit the Refuge. 

Coming to places like this Refuge is an important part of 60 10 31 398 

my family tradition. 

The Refuge provides me a sense of connection to past and 62 7 31 402 

future generations. 

This place is special because it is where my family and I 38 16 46 396 

spend time. 

This place is special because it is where my friends and I 31 23 46 389 

spend time. 

Coming to places like this Refuge was an important part of 41 21 38 384 

my childhood. 

Place identity 

I am very attached to the Refuge. 66 6 28 403 

This Refuge means a lot to me. 68 5 27 402 

I feel this Refuge is a part of me. 50 12 38 399 

I identify strongly with the Refuge. 48 11 41 393 

Place dependence 

This are is the best place for what I like to do. 57 14 29 393 

Doing what I do at this Refuge is more important to me 26 25 50 396 

than doing it in any other place. 

I get more satisfaction out of visiting this place than 26 23 51 398 

visiting any other. 

I wouldn’t substitute any other place for doing what I do 34 20 46 393 

here. 

No other place can compare to this area. 57 14 29 397 

Trust 

Everything considered, I trust the Refuge staff will do what 68 10 22 402 

is right for the Refuge. 

In general, I have confidence in the decisions that the U.S. 56 15 29 402 

Fish and Wildlife Service makes about managing this 

Refuge. 

I have confidence in decisions made by the local staff at the 64 8 28 402 

Refuge. 

Because of my experiences at the Refuge I will definitely 78 4 18 401 

come back. 

I should not have to pay a fee to visit this or any National 31 43 27 406 

Wildlife Refuge 

B-15
Section 3 

Question 1 

16% 

26% 

29% 

38% 

44% 

53% 

55% 

63% 

64% 

22% 

31% 

25% 

20% 

27% 

27% 

24% 

17% 

19% 

13% 

10% 

12% 

12% 

9% 

9% 

5% 

7% 

4% 

7% 

5% 

6% 

9% 

4% 

6% 

4% 

5% 

50% 

22% 

20% 

33% 

18% 

22% 

21% 

5% 

9% 

5% 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

i il

i

l

Fi i ies 

l

i ll 

l

i

ll 

i

l i

lki

No opinion 

25% 

19% 

12% 

12% 

Guided h storic tour of K uea 

town 

Enhanced park ng facilities 

North-shore shutt e system 

sh ng opportunit

Se f-guided hikes to a scenic 

view 

Environmental programs for 

school and community groups 

Guided h kes to Crater Hi

overlooks and seabird co onies 

Guided hikes to the summ t of 

Crater Hi

Pedestr an/bike access to the 

Refuge 

Comp et on of Lighthouse Rd. 

wa ng path 

Very desirable Generally desirable Somewhat desirable Not desirable 

Figure 2. Kilauea town residents’ desirability of visitation options to Kilauea Point NWR. 

*Numbers for percentages less than 4% are not shown. 

B-16
38% 

54% 

57% 

58% 

71% 

79% 

79% 

80% 

83% 

16% 

17% 

13% 

7% 

5% 

5% 

9% 

4% 

6% 

4% 

5% 

5% 

75% 

55% 

17% 

25% 

19% 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

iluea 

l

i

i ies 

l

i

ll 

i

ll 

l

l i

lki

41% 

38% 

34% 

Guided historic tour of K

town 

North-shore shutt e system 

Enhanced park ng facilities 

Fish ng opportunit

Se f-guided hikes to a scenic 

view 

Environmental programs for 

school and community groups 

Guided hikes to the summ t of 

Crater Hi

Pedestr an/bike access to the 

Refuge 

Guided hikes to Crater Hi

overlooks and seabird co onies 

Comp et on of Lighthouse Rd. 

wa ng path 

Desirable Not desirable No opinion 

Figure 3. Kilauea town residents’ desirability of visitation options to Kilauea Point NWR, 

collapsed. 

*Numbers for percentages less than 4% are not shown.

B-17
Question 2 

Environmental education center 

Shuttle to Ref uge 

Walking tour of Kilauea for 

shuttle visitors 9% 

25% 

41% 

20% 

23% 

16% 

22% 

16% 

14% 

48% 

31% 

20% 

7% 

5% 

4% 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

Very likely Likely Somewhat likely Unlikely No opinion 

Figure 4. Likelihood of community support for options at Kilauea Point NWR. 

B-18
Environmental education center 62% 34% 4% 

Shuttle to Refuge 48% 48% 5% 

Walking tour of Kilauea for 30% 63% 7% shuttle visitors 

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 

Very likely Unlikely No opinion

Figure 5. Likelihood of community support for options at Kilauea Point NWR, collapsed. 

Question 3 

Table 18. Factors that would encourage community members to support a shuttle system. 

Factor n 

Traffic congestion on Lighthouse Rd. is reduced 266 

Homeowner privacy is preserved 247 

Shuttle system is self-supported through fees 225 

Shuttle system benefits local economy 226 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the highway 209 

Shuttle system is linked to other public transportation 173 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the Refuge 120 

Other 26 

B-19
Table 19. Ranks 1, 2, & 3. 

Factor Rank (n) 

1st 2nd 3rd 

Homeowner privacy is preserved a 96 

Traffic congestion on Lighthouse Rd. is reduced a 77 

Shuttle system is self-supported through fees 33 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the highway a 29 

Shuttle system benefits local economy a 26 

Shuttle system is linked to other public transportation 21 

Off-site parking for shuttle is near the Refuge 18 

39 28 

70 45 

46 44 

53 57 

31 54 

35 33 

19 13 a.Order in table changed from number of people who ranked the factor. 

Table 20. Other factors listed that would encourage Kilauea community member support of a 

shuttle system. 

Factor n 

Don’t want more parking lots/eyesores 3 

Bike racks on shuttle/bike access to Refuge 3 

Access to the Lighthouse for residents 2 

Off-site parking in commercial district 2 

Residents should not have to use shuttle 2 

Community use of shuttle 1 

Improve Kuhio/Lighthouse Rd. Block 1 

Free shuttle for tour 1 

Cultural exhibits showcased 1 

Frequent enough to avoid long waits 1 

No carving up Crater Hill for shuttle riders 1 

New parking lot between Kong Lung and Lighthouse 1 

Need larger parking lot 1 

Restrict number of visitors 1 

Shuttle not needed 1 

Separate new road bypassing town 1 

Shuttle must be non-polluting 1 

Speed reduced on road 1 

Traffic congestion at Kolo Road and Highway 1 

Walkers/bikers taken into consideration due to traffic 1 

B-20
Question 4

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section 4, “Net Economic 

Benefits of Visiting Kauai and the Refuge Visitor Trip Spending.” 

Section 4

Question 1

63% 

21% 

6% 4% 

1% 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

isfi

isfi

l 

di isfi

Very sat ed Somewhat i ied

sat ed 

Neutra Somewhat 

ssat ed 

Very dissat sf

Figure 6. Satisfaction with living in Kilauea town. 

n = 406 

*Remaining 5% indicated no opinion. 

B-21
Question 2 

46% 

32% 

10% 

5% 

2% 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

Very good Somewhat good Neutral Somewhat bad Very bad 

Figure 7. How things are going for the residents of Kilauea town. 

n = 405 

*The remaining 5% indicated no opinion. 

B-22
Question 3 

Table 21. Importance of features to Kilauea residents when selecting a town in which to live. 

Service/feature Importance 

Very Important Somewhat Not Does not n 

important important important apply 

Safety, low crime rate 89 10 1 < 1 < 1 400

Absence of air/noise/light pollution 80 17 3 --- < 1 400 

Parks and open space 75 21 3 < 1 1 396 

Scenic beauty 77 20 3 < 1 < 1 400 

Quality of schools 69 16 3 3 11 401

Affordable housing 61 23 8 6 4 399 

Walkways/bike paths 56 27 11 3 1 398

Opportunities for well-paying jobs 39 27 15 11 8 394 

Length of commute 39 27 16 7 12 393

Historic character 41 33 18 7 < 1 396 

Low risk of natural catastrophes 35 30 18 12 6 393

Number of stores and shops 18 26 38 17 2 402 

convenient 

Public transit that is reliable and 39 26 20 11 5 392

B-23 
Table 22. Importance of features to Kilauea residents when selecting a town in which to live; 

collapsed. 

Service/feature Importance 

 Very important/ Somewhat n 

Important (%) important/ 

Not important (%) 

Safety, low crime rate 99% 1% 400

Scenic beauty 97 3 400 

Absence of air/noise/light pollution 97 3 400 

Parks and open space 96 3 396 

Walkways/bike paths 85 14 398

Quality of schools 85 5 401 

Affordable housing 83 13 399 

Historic character 75 25 396 

Opportunities for well-paying jobs 66 26 394 

Length of commute 66 22 393 

Low risk of natural catastrophes 66 30 393 

Public transit that is reliable and convenient 65 30 392 

Number of stores and shops 44 55 402

B-24 
Table 23. Kilauea resident satisfaction with conditions of community features. 

Service/feature Satisfaction 

 Outstanding Good Average Adequate Poor Does not n 

Apply 

Scenic beauty 44% 37% 10% 6% 2% 1% 361 

Absence of air/noise/light pollution 12 38 24 15 10 1 361 

Historic character 12 40 32 12 3 2 358 

Quality of schools 11 33 22 13 9 12 362 

Length of commute 10 32 26 11 5 16 352 

Safety, low crime rate 7 44 24 12 12 1 367 

Parks and open space 8 29 31 14 18 1 363 

Low risk of natural catastrophes 5 24 36 18 8 9 347 

Number of stores and shops 3 33 24 26 11 3 360 

Affordable housing 2 6 12 13 62 6 363 

Opportunities for well-paying obs j 2 9 23 18 37 12 355 

Public transit that is reliable and convenient 1 10 16 27 37 9 357 

Walkways/bike paths 1 13 22 23 39 3 358 

B-25 
Question 4 

Table 24. Aspects that negatively affect quality of life in Kilauea. 

Aspect/problem Percentage n 

Growth and development 

Poor local land use planning 

Other problems 

Current economic conditions 

Conflict between community groups 

Lack of public funds 

47% 

31 

17 

12 

11 

8 

187 

122 

69 

46 

42 

33 

*Percentages do not add up to 100%. Some respondents chose more than one option. 

Table 25. Other aspects that negatively affect quality of life in Kilauea. 

Aspect Number of people listing 

Drugs 17 

Affordable housing 9 

Chickens 5 

Crime 4 

Barking dogs 3 

Traffic/traffic noise 5 

Kilauea Neighborhood Association 3 

Development 2 

Jobs for youth 2 

Litter 2 

Housing density 2 

Public access to mountains or beach 2 

Housing turnover 2 

Parks and facilities a mess 1 

Homeless/hippies on beach 1

Civil liberty decay 1 

Lack of ohano influence on agency decisions 1 

Mainland mentality 1 

No adequate hurricane shelter 1 

No fire station 1 

No sewer or drainage system 1 

Growth without growth in park and open land 1 

Racism 1 

Access roads besides Lighthouse Rd 1 

Poor schools 1 

Increased property taxes 1 

Activities for youth 1 

Have swimming pool 1 

B-26 
Question 5 

Table 26. Kilauea residents’ preferences for transportation projects that 

should have priority. 

Transportation project Percentage 

Walkways and bicycle paths 34% 

Highways 30 

Public transit systems 24 

Local streets and roads 21 

n = 406 

*Percentages do not add up to 100%. Some respondents chose more than one option. 

Question 6 

Table 27. Residents’ preferences for addressing traffic, development, air pollution, and open 

space issues. 

Issue Percentage 

Slowing down growth and development 41% 

Improving local land use planning 38 

More coordination between local community groups 10 

Other needs 8 

More public funds 8 

A change in economic conditions 5 

n = 405 

*Percentages do not add up to 100%. Some respondents chose more than one option. 

Question 7 

Table 28. Response to whether community residents had heard about land use or development 

conflicts. 

Heard of conflict Percentage 

Yes 82% 

No 18 

n = 402 

B-27 
Question 8 

Figure 8. Sources of information on land use and development issues. 

Table 29. Other sources of information listed by respondents. 

Other source categories n 

70% 

62% 

41% 40% 

31% 30% 29% 28% 

24% 

18% 

14% 

11% 11% 10% 

7% 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

80% 

90% 

100% 

Newspaper 

Friends 

Neighbors 

Radio

Neighborhood Association 

Television 

Local newsletter 

Community groups 

Local business people 

Family 

Work colleagues 

Internet 

Recreational/environmental groups 

Local town officials 

Business group 

Coconut Wireless 2 

Church of the Pacific 1 

Real estate people 1 

Senior Center meetings 1 

Talking to elders 1 

B-28
Section 5 

Question 1 

80% 

60% 

40% 

20% 

0% 

31% 

69% 

Yes No 

Figure 9. Have you ever used a transit shuttle or bus at a national park, national forest, or at 

another public facility? 

Question 2 

Table 30. Kilauea residents’ means of commuting. 

Transportation Percentage 

Drive alone 70% 

Other 20 

Walking or bicycle 8 

Carpool 5 

Public transit 1 

n = 405 

B-29 
Table 31. Categories of other means of transportation or responses. 

Category/response n 

Don’t work/retired 13 

Work from home 15 

Does not apply 3 

Don’t work here 2 

Motorbike/moped 2 

Hitchhike 1 

Work in town 1 

Disabled/don’t commute 1 

Drive for a living 1 

Ride a horse to the ranch 1 

Airplane (Oahu) 1 

Don’t commute 1 

B-30
--- 

--- --- --- 

Question 3 

44% 

16% 17% 

7% 

5% 

0% 

10% 

20% 

30% 

40% 

50% 

60% 

70% 

i i

sati

l 

i

Very sat sf ed Somewhat i

sfied 

Neutra Somewhat 

dissat sfied 

Very dissat sfied 

Figure 10. Kilauea residents’ satisfaction with their commute to work 

*The remaining 11% stated that they had no opinion. 

Table 32. Satisfaction by commute type. 

Very Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Very 

satisfied satisfied dissatisfied dissatisfied 

Drive alone 129 51 51 24 11 

Walk/bicycle 22 5 2 3 

Carpool 7 4 6 1 2 

Public transit 1 1 

B-31
Question 4 

Table 33. Participation in natural resource decision making. 

Activity Participation 

Attended a public hearing or meeting 67% 

Contacted or wrote a state or federal agency 37 

Contacted or wrote a U.S. Senator or State Legislator 43 

Wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper 17 

Signed a petition 79 

Joined a special interest group 35 

n = 380 

Question 5 

Table 34. Number of years lived on Kauai. 

Years on Kauai Percentage 

1-5 

6-10 

11-15 

16-20 

21-30 

31-40 

41-50 

> 50 

15% 

15 

13 

17 

16 

9 

5 

39 

n = 410 

Table 35. Number of generations on Kauai. 

Generations on Kauai Percentage 

0 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

> 5 

8% 

30 

28 

20 

11 

1 

4 

n = 161 

B-32 
Question 6 

Table 36. Number of years lived in Kilauea. 

Years in Kilauea Percentage 

0-5 

6-10 

11-15 

16-20 

21-30 

31-40 

41-50 

> 50 

24% 

21 

14 

13 

14 

5 

4 

5 

n = 407 

Question 7 & 8 

For a discussion of these questions, please refer to the main report, Section2, “Visitor and 

Community Resident Experience.” 

Question 9 

Table 37. Sex of respondents 

Sex Percentage 

Female 61% 

Male 39 

n = 410 

Question 10 

Table 38. Age of respondents as categorized by the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Age category Percentage 

19-24 2% 

25-34 11 

35-44 20 

45-54 33 

55-64 20 

65-74 8 

75-84 4 

85 and above 1 

n = 392 

B-33 
Question 11 

Table 39. Community resident employment. 

Employment status Percentage 

Work (full- or part-time) 81% 

Retired 16 

n = 431 

Question 12 

Table 40. Ethnicity of residents. 

Ethnicity Percentage 

Not Hispanic or Latino 95% 

Hispanic or Latino 5 

n = 307 

Question 13 

Table 41. Racial origin of residents. 

Racial Origin n 

White 294

American Indian 

Black or African American 3

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 

Samoan 1

 Hawaiian-Chinese 

Asian 3 

 Filipino 34 

Japanese 34 

Chinese 15 

Indonesian 1 

Tai 1 

B-34 

9 

35 

1 
Question 14 

Table 42. Education among Kilauea NWR visitors. 

Education Percentage 

Less than high school 3% 

High school 16 

34 

College degree 23 

Advanced degree 24 

Some college 

n = 402 

Question 16 

Table 43. Income of Kilauea Point NWR visitors. 

Income Percentage 

$10,000 to $14,999 4 

$25,000 to $34,999 10 

$50,000 to $74,999 26 

$100,000 to $149,999 13 

Less than $10,000 2% 

$15,000 to $24,999 9 

$35,000 to $49,999 17 

$75,000 to $99,999 14 

Over $150,000 5 

n = 361 

B-35 
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge & Lighthouse Community Survey: 

Summary and Comments from Open-Ended Questions 

Participants of the community who responded to the Kilauea Point National Wildlife 

Refuge & Lighthouse Survey were asked a number of open-ended questions in order to invite 

self expression and detailed information of their experience. The information received varied 

from person to person but answers were recurring, illustrating a general theme. These answers 

were used as building blocks to assess the communities concerns and experiences. Four 

questions were asked throughout the survey to uncover what would bring them back, what would 

enhance their experience, and lastly, what is the biggest benefit or concern of being a neighbor of 

the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge & Lighthouse? Their responses are formulated into 

general topics and are illustrated below. 

Section 1,.Question 8: What would enhance your experience at the Refuge? 

The first open-ended question directed toward community respondents asked, “What 

would enhance your experience?” This type of question can be used as an opportunity to link 

their experience at the Refuge with management practices to determine if their needs and 

objectives are satisfied. Are they receiving a first-rate opportunity for a wildlife-oriented 

recreational and educational experience? Are programs and facilities for the visitor’s enjoyment 

fulfilled and meet their expectations? Many respondents opt to not change a thing: “Great 

balance as a tourist attraction and Refuge;” yet others offer suggestions for change and 

improvement. The most common suggestion is for residents and visitors to regain access to 

Crater Hill and other hiking trails, perhaps even down to the ocean, and secondly; to reinstitute 

access to the inside of the lighthouse. Members of the community would like to see the 

lighthouse in working order more often and suggest letting the light shine. Others would be 

interested in having night visits available providing the opportunity to watch the sunset and/or 

stargazing, still others hope that the Refuge will simply be open longer hours. Some individuals 

wish that residents and Kilauea community members would not have to pay full admission to 

enter the Refuge and have commented that they would like to be able to walk into the Refuge on 

foot rather than have to drive. To improve the facilities, respondents suggest adding shaded 

areas, seating, and picnic areas. Respondents also indicated they would like to see more native 

fauna. “It is a beautiful spot unlike any others in the world; the uniqueness of it is enough,” 

expressed one individual. As indicated by many community members, they would enjoy more 

access to educational material, such as: mailings, newsletters, brochures, special interest 

programs and activities. In other words, they are interested in having more information on the 

history of the lighthouse and Refuge, native plants, the environment and wildlife in the region. 

Suggestions included providing this information through audio tours, workshops, seminars, 

signage, and allowing both guided and self-guided tours. One individual would like to have a 

person welcoming the visitors at the entrance. Though many shared ideas for Refuge 

modifications, others commend the existence of the Refuge without changes being made, “Enjoy 

it as is - I think the lighthouse is lovely, the Refuge is beautiful. I think things are good.” 

B-36
Section 1, Question 9: What experience have you had at the Refuge that will bring you 

back? 

Secondly, the community was asked, “What would bring you back?” A wide range of 

responses were offered and included both the social and natural environment. For example, 

some individuals cherished the view of the coastlines, cliffs, surf, flowers and wildlife; while 

others value the presence of informative guides, volunteers, a friendly staff, and the company of 

visitors. Others say that it is simply the “Aloha Spirit” that would bring them back. Members of 

the community have been going there since they were young and now the Refuge serves as a 

place that they can bring their children, ultimately reliving their childhood memories and sharing 

the historic value of the lighthouse with others. Special events and informative affairs also prove 

to be an element that will bring the community back. Respondents encouraged the existence of 

educational programs and tours, class trips, and community based events. Lastly, Crater Hill 

hikes, exploration of the Lighthouse, and the pure enjoyment of “just being there” to view 

wildlife, such as: the albatross, whales, seals, seabirds, turtles, and dolphins were among the 

most common responses to why the members of the community would come back to enjoy the 

Refuge. 

Section 2, Question 1: What is the biggest benefit to being a neighbor of the Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse? 

The next set of open-ended questions asked residents of the community to express their 

thoughts of Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge in terms of its meaning to them and to their 

community. First, they were asked what the biggest benefit is to being a neighbor of the Refuge. 

The key words reiterated in the responses from the community are preservation and access. 

Respondents specifically enjoy the convenience of having a protected, undeveloped preserve for 

flora and fauna close by and in some cases just minutes away. “Knowing that there is a safe 

place nearly that protects and nurtures the natural world and her inhabitants is the biggest benefit 

to being a neighbor to the Refuge,” expressed one member of the community. Without having to 

travel long distances, they can experience a beautiful piece of history and natural education. It 

is a point of interest and a place of recreation and leisure to take visitors and family. Lastly, the 

respondents benefit from having the Refuge in their neighborhood because they say it enhances 

the value of the community and small town economy. “Part of our island is being preserved and 

shared back with the community,” articulated a community respondent. 

Section 2, Question 2: What is the biggest concern of being a neighbor of the Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse? 

The Kilauea community was then asked: What is the biggest concern being a neighbor to 

the Refuge? As the Refuge grows the residents first concern is traffic. If the numbers of tourists 

increase, they fear that traffic, noise, and speeding will also increase. “The newly paved road has 

resulted in more speeding cars, posing a danger to those of us who walk to the lookout,” 

commented one resident. Also, many people are concerned that the Refuge will become too 

crowded and congested and/or too expensive. If visitation patterns increase, some individuals 

B-37
express concerns for pollution, urban development, and environmental impact. It is evident that 

the community is adamant about keeping the Refuge simple, natural and protected. In other 

words, as one resident stated: they do not want the Lighthouse to become another “all-American 

amusement park.” Many of their responses surround the general theme that if visitors increase 

then they are compromising the exploitation of natural beauty, the loss of wildlife habitat and 

public access to the Refuge and its surrounding public lands. Various people were uneasy about 

tourist disrespect and insensitivity for the natural environment, suggesting that dogs and cats 

could perhaps invade the refuge, injuring the nesting birds and/or the visitors could trash the 

Refuge as a result of overdevelopment increasing visitation. The respondents show a concern for 

conservation, additional respondents promote visitation, but it is evident that the community is 

not willing to increase public access if in effect they themselves will lose access to public lands 

and experience and increase in restricted areas. 

B-38
Verbatim Responses 

Section 1, Question 8: What would enhance your experience at the Refuge? 





1.Take down fences at Crater Hill. 2. Stop 

charging. 3. Let pedestrians enter. 

19th century "period costumes" (for staff); Less 

"Federalism"; more so the maritime motif 





Being able to take myself & my children up into 

the lighthouse. 

Being able to walk in without a car and/or ride a 

bicycle in 





a better craft fair w/music & food area 

A few more shaded areas to get out of the sun 





being inside lighthouse 

Being open on weekends per visitors [sic] 





a mailing 2x year w/program for next 6 months--

talks by environmentalists 

A newsletter stating hours, activities, special 

interest items. 





request 

better hours, open earlier, longer hours 

binocular availability & telescopes set up on 

wildlife 





A night time visit. 

A shady place to sit. More access to Crater Hill 

area. Later hours. 





binoculars 

Calm seas & being the first opihi picker of the 

season!! 

 A single piece comprehensive brochure at a 

reasonable price 





can't think of a thing 

can't think of anything 

 a trail to the bay (HA!)  can't think of anything 

 a zoo  Careful expansion to respect the larger numbers 





















Access to Crater Hill for walking or bike 

w/access thru to Rock Quarry 

access to Crater Hill without a guide or tour 

group 

access to hiking trails (limit #s going in a time) 

access to lighthouse 

Access to more areas of the refuge without 

causing damage to plants & animal wildlife 

access to ocean 

access to old lighthouse 

always enjoy it 

As a resident of area, I would like to be able to 

WALK into refuge, not HAVE to drive. 

At this time no comment, but there's always 

room for some changes. 





















of people the visitor industry constantly invite 

[sic] to the island--visitor friendly. Redo 

intersection of Kuhio Hwy. 

Crater Hill hike 

Crater Hill hike ; tours of the site with a GOOD 

interpote [sic] 

Crater Hill hike reinstituted 

Discount on entrance fee for riding bicycle into 

refuge [smile face] 

don't care 

educational; protecting the environment 

Encourage people to visit 

fewer people 

fewer people 

Fewer people there but that cannot be helped 

 audio tour with increased info  fewer visitors allowed; more environmental 





be able to go in the lighthouse 

Being abel [sic] to use Crater Hill (to drive there, 

that is a public area). 





education; a Kama'aina rate for locals 

fishing 

For the community--I think it's nice to have 

 being able to go everywhere on the site...ie, 

Crater Hill 

sunset opportunities--where people from Kauai 

can feel they are treated special...Leisure pace, 





Being able to go to the top of Crater Hill 

Being able to go up Crater Hill. Walking along 

the cliffside. 





less people, quiet environment 

Free 

Free admission for local residents 









being able to hike to the top of crater 

being able to hike up Crater Hill & to the point 

being able to hike up to the lookout during 

business hours (at our leisure) 

Being able to sit on the grass area fronting the 

lighthouse & have lunch with my children 

(brown bag) 











free entrance to Kilauea community members (or 

discounted) so we could use it more 

Free entrancy on foot/charge if driving & 

parking. Rest area/refreshments. 

Get to do activities below more often! 

Going inside lighthouse, guided tour? Bino's 

[sic] available at gift shop 

going into the old lighthouse 

B-39
 going on the hikes 

 going to top of lighthouse 

 Gosh--more personal information--I guess I felt 

it was "interesting" but need to know more--

always felt a bit flat after leaving--how you do 

that I do not know 

 guarentee [sic] to see more wildlife 

 guided Crater Hill hikes 

 Guided hikes, guided tours, more marine 

information 

 guided tours 

 guides 

 Have geological info on islands; provide shaded 

area w/sitting on point; allow people be 

introduced [sic] to native plant nursury [sic] 

 Having more access by foot like we did years 

ago 

 Having more free time (Refuge is great) 

 higher frequency of nature walks 

 hiking access to Crater Hill/the wooden 

perch/the Point where old dumping (I was told 

by old timers) area overlooking Rock Quarry 

 I don’t know 

 I don’t know 

 I enjoy it as is 

 I enjoy it as it is & recommend it to all of my 

visiting guests. 

 I have enjoyed each experience--it would be nice 

to go up to the lighthouse 

 I just love going there--& seeing the beauty! 

 I like it as it is 

 I like it the way it is. 

 I like the Refuge just the way that it is. 

 I love the lighthouse just the way it is 

 I love the way it is 

 I should take the time to visit more 

 I think it's perfect the way it is. 

 I think the lighthouse is lovely, the refuge is 

beautiful. I think things are good. 

 I think we should have a daily shuttle to & from 

 I wish I could bike there. Then I would visit 

more frequently & perhaps check out the gift 

shop for family gifts. 

 I would like to be able to go up in the tower & 

see the clamshell lens. 

 I would like to see the lighthouse lit up at dusk 

 If the entrance fee would be lowered for people 

who have been raised & are raising their children 

here in Kilauea. 

 Improved access: (1) bicycle & pedestrian access 

(2) access to Crater Hill lookout & hiking (3) 

shuttle vans from highway site (4) increased 

hours. 

 improved information--history, environment, 

birds, mammals, etc.. 

 increased native plant & ecosystem area 

 Informational brochures, more info tours 

 interesting speakers 

 It is a beautiful spot unlike any others in the 

world; the uniqueness of it is enough. 

 it is fine as is 

 It was always wonderful & very friendly 

knowledgeable staff 

 It would be nice if there were walking trails 

 It's just fine as is. 

 Keep facility open until sunset (later in 

Summer). 

 Keep the natural scenic beauty 

 Keiki Day where children could receive 

something memorable (experience also) 

 Knowing that people aren't unwittingly being 

exposed to mercury vapors when they ascend the 

lighthouse stairs. 

 landscaping--all native 

 leave as is 

 less charge 

 less crowds 

 Less odor from the birds [sic] droppings 

 less people 

 less people 

 lighthouse access 

 lighthouse access (interior of lighthouse) 

 Locals rarely visit the lighthouse. Most of the 

donation revenue comes from tourists. It should 

be free or discounted to the few residents who 

actually come. 

 longer hours 

 Lower enterance [sic] fees. 

 Maybe a film on different types of wildlife on 

the island 

 more access 

 More access to Crater Hill area 

 More access to lighthouse 

 more access to lighthouse 

 More access to other refuge lands such as Crater 

Hill, Hanalei Valley & this refuge on the south 

side. 

 more activities for kids 

 more binoculars 

 more birds & animals to watch 

 more digital information, slides, movies, etc. for 

kids; need a snack shop, water, sodas, hot dogs, 

etc.; need special "camara" [sic] to see areas of 

the ocean dolphins & bird watching 

 More educational opportunities in the evenings! 

 More explanation on background 

 more fairs example ocean during whale season 

B-40 
 more formally presented info--short tours/talks 

(10 mins) 

 more free to self guide (wider time during day) 

 more guided tours 

 More guided tours of cliff area 

 More hiking access 

 More history about the 'point' & island 

 more info from guided tours 

 More info on native plants & their uses. More 

info on Hawaiian culture. 

 More info on wildlife & environment 

 More interaction with wildlife 

 More interactive educational exhibits. Bigger 

bookstore. 

 more lighthouse access 

 more marine mammals 

 more native fauna 

 more native plants, less visitors from outside, 

more community 

 More nature hikes 

 More of a community feel; to [sic] restrictive 

 more parking 

 more plants & wildlife 

 More seating to enjoy the view. 

 More self-guided info; more places to sit. 

 More small educational signs 

 More uniformed staff to interact with visitors in 

formal interpretive programs. 

 more viewing scopes or binoculars 

 more workshops & seminars to educate public--

including adults 

 more written info for public 

 Mostly I visit the Refuge & Lighthouse with 

visitors from United Sates, etc. 

 My experiences have been outstanding--I can't 

think of anything to improve it. 

 My personal experiences there have been 

positive & fulfilling 

 native plants, where are they, etc. 

 nice as is 

 Night & evening special event tours; star gaze 

with informed guide speaking of Hawaiian 

cosmology & watch evening nite [sic] habits of 

wildlife (esp. on full moon) 

 Night time events--star gazing, fund raising, etc., 

walking trails 

 no comment at this time 

 No idea on that 

 no screaming children, UNATTENDED! 

 none 

 not sure 

 Nothing! It's beautiful! Maybe a walkway/bike 

path [smile face]. 

 Nothing, it's all good. 

 nothing, we enjoy it the way it is 

 Nothing. I enjoy it for what it is. 

 Nothing. I like the refuge as is. I would visit 

more often if free. 

 nothing--great as a refuge & tourist attraction (& 

that balance is probably HARD to create!) 

 OK-now 

 One evening per week where site open later & 

stays open in evening as birds come to land. 

 one free day a month preferably on a weekend 

 open all the time 

 Open gate at Crater Hill to allow access 

 Perhaps offering hikes? Community access 

beyond what the regular visitors do. "Help the 

Lighthouse" days or some cleanup days posted. 

 Permit more access to other part of the Refuge 

 picnic areas; less tourists 

 picnicking [sic] 

 Places to sit & watch whales & birds 

 Re-establishment of walk [sic] tours to the top of 

Crate [sic] Hill. Public access to Bali Hai view at 

end of Seaclifff cul-de-sac. 

 Re-open Crater Hill guided hike 

 restaurant 

 restoring the lead hike up Crater Hill 

 Satisfied, but maybe some native plants or an 

area with rare native plants 

 season pass 

 See more wildlife & the natural habitats they live 

in. 

 seeing beautiful birds & variety of them 

 seeing orchids & plants 

 Seeing the light lit more often 

 self-guided trails with more overlook (ocean 

scenic views) 

 skeet shooting :^) [smile face] kidding... 

 slide shows on the hour 

 Some type of night experience under a full 

moon. 

 Someone welcoming you to the preserve 

 the ability to walk Crater Hill at will 

 the beauty of nature 

 The guided walks to see the birds in natural 

habitat & Crater Hill is a very important aspect 

of the experience & should be reinstated. 

 There should be a break for local residents of 

Kilauea for the admission fee 

 to be able to walk up to the crater easily when I 

want to 

 To remember the Hawaiian names of the 

birds/aquatice [sic] mammals. 

 To watch the lighthouse really work 

 Trails & other walking opportunities 

B-41 
 Walking path into facility along road--not all of  We are adequately pleased with each visit. 

us locals drive in--we walk in from town.  wildlife observations 

 walkway continued from Kilauea town to  Would like to be able to walk down instead of 



Lighthouse 

Water available at contact station. Water 

having to drive 

fountain has poor flow quantity 

Section 1, Question 9: What experience have you had at the Refuge that will bring you 

back? 

 Crater Hill hikes (2) educational programs (3) 

informative guides-volunteers 

 a beautiful spot to view God's creation 

 a beautiful wedding 

 albatross, view of whales when they are here 

 All 

 all an outstanding experience 

 All were excellent. I will always return, 

especially with guests. 

 always coming back 

 amazing bird viewing & sightseeing 

 art activities--kids 

 As above, & always for the birds 

 Awesome nature, engaging guides, good 

bookshop 

 Beautiful coastline, views & seabird viewing 

 Beautiful experience, just being there. I've been 

going there since I was a young child when the 

Moriarty Family was there. I will take my child. 

 Beautiful surroundings/manne & birdlife 

 beautiful view 

 Beautiful views. Quiet. 

 Beauty & ono opihi! Good fishing/diving. 

 Beauty of water & cliff views 

 being able to go everywhere on the site...ie, 

Crater Hill 

 being able to watch the native birds in the 

Refuge/Lighthouse. 

 Bird life & surf 

 bird watching 

 bird watching, watching the surf 

 birds 

 birds & sea life 

 birds up close, flowers 

 birds, birds, birds 

 birds, whales, beauty 

 birds, whales, turtles 

 Birds, whales--just a great spot 

 Birds--Whales 

 birdwatching--the scenic coastline 

 bring back my neighbor & family 

 childhood memories 

 Class trips 

 close encounters 

 Close observation of birds 

 Coast sightseeing 

 Community-based events. Connecting with other 

folks who love the lighthouse; enjoying the 

babies; whales; dolphins; cruising with the 

Moriarty's [sic] in the old days... 

 conservational activities 

 Cousteau speaking 

 Crater Hill 

 Crater Hill hike 

 Crater Hill hike 

 Crater Hill hike, contact w/helpful volunteers 

 education 

 educational tours 

 Engaging volunteers who taught about the 

computer access for students & albatross etc.--I 

almost volunteered for whale counting but my 

work was in the way--next year! 

 Enjoyed the historic value of the lighthouse.

 Enjoying the natural area 

 environment 

 excellent viewing of whale, birds, etc. 

 Excitement on the faces of visiting family 

members 

 experiencing a serene environment 

 Extraordinary visuals! 

 Fabulous views & weather. Great history & 

wildlife information 

 family history 

 fledgings [sic], spectacular views 

 Friendly & informative volunteers & staff. 

 Friendly workers 

 friendly, knowledgable staff; handicapped 

services excellent 

 Generally, all good--volunteer work the best; 

always bring visitors & recommend to guests. 

 Get to go to the top of the Lighthouse! Being 

there at night--the full moon! 

 going into the Lighthouse 

 going upstairs to see house light 

B-42
 good photographs, Charlie Martin 

 good views of wildlife & landscape 

 Great staff interaction & of course the natural 

beauty & wildlife. 

 Great staff, great views, birds! 

 Great staff; great views; cleanliness 

 great views of marine life 

 Great whale & dolphin spotting! Love to see the 

birds. 

 guided hike 

 guided walks 

 guides 

 having close contact with the nene & other 

wildlife/seeing baby birds; using the facility as 

an educational experience for my child 

 Having the Refuge open on Saturdays is a major 

plus. I am able to plan activities with friends & 

share the Refuge with youth who otherwise 

would not visit. 

 high concetration [sic] of sea birds, native plants 

 Hike into bird santuary [sic] 

 hike into refuge 

 Hiked to cliffs w/friends 

 hikes 

 Hiking the Crater Hill 

 historical events 

 I drive a school bus so I enjoy the field trips to 

Refuge 

 I go every day off to take in the beauty but I do 

not walk down to center. 

 I go there when I want to see birds, look down 

the coast--it would be nice to be able to watch 

sunset from there. 

 I just love taking a walk & viewing what it has 

to offer. The money is well spent knowing it 

helps to keep the park alive. 

 I like the atmosphere/location 

 I like the history provided in the center. 

 I live in Kilauea but the Refuge & Lighthouse is 

special so it is great to visit & observe the birds, 

ocean, & visitors. 

 I lived here since before it was a refuge & the 

shear [sic] experience of standing out on the 

point is enough for me. 

 I love hearing all the noise the birds make as the 

sun begins to set. I love the view. 

 I love the air, the winds, the viewing of the birds, 

the coastline 

 I loved the ocean fair, but I suggest have it at a 

different time of year (rain!!) 

 I will always come back. 

 Information, spectacular views, native vegetation 

 Informational tour of lighthouse, wildlife 

viewing, friendly & knowledgeable staff 

 It is just a really beautiful place to take in the 

coastline. 

 It is very important to preserve the wildlife 

specially [sic] the one [sic] who are in danger of 

extintion [sic]. 

 It is very pretty overlook. It is a really nice place 

to just look at & watch wildlife & nature. 

 It's a great place. The use of binoculars is a 

wonderful idea. Liked the video, too. 

 It's natural beauty & serenity. 

 It's sheer beauty & magnificence 

 It's the people that excite me--meaning the staff, 

Cathy, David & Judith. Their enthusiasm & 

dedication inspire me & touch the lives of 

countless others. 

 its uniqueness & serenity 

 just a great visit very peaceful 

 Just being able to walk around & view the 

wildlife. 

 just relaxing, enjoy scenery, etc. 

 just the natural beauty the way it is 

 just watching & listening to the birds; whale 

watching 

 Last year our school (2003/2004) Kula El. had 

an excursion there that was outstanding. It was 

very informative, educational, & age 

appropriate. 

 Local fauna & flora, ocean-watching, craft fair, 

art lessons 

 Low entrance makes frequent visits possible. It 

is a special & beautiful place--nothing else like 

it. Staff is wonderful. It is always exhilarating to 

be there. 

 magic 

 many 

 Monk seals on the beach below; hearing good & 

awesome things about your field trips for 

children 

 more access to shore-line fishing 

 more hula 

 More information about how to help the 

lighthouse. 

 mother nature's show! 

 My childhood days growing up in Kilauea, 

memories that will never be forgotten 

 natural beauty 

 natural beauty 

 natural beauty, birds 

 Natural beauty--hikes & information 

 natural environment--coastline--birds 

 Naturalness & beauty of the area 

 Nature hike up Crater Hill 

 nature, quiet, peace 

 Nesting seabirds, big surf 

B-43 
 Nice place to visit when I have company/visitors 

 Nice staff--beautiful scenery--great guided tour. 

 nice views 

 no comment at this time 

 none 

 observing friends [sic] 1st visit reaction 

 Observing wildlife & the natural surrounding 

environment 

 Ocean Day & Lighthouse Day are GREAT! I 

have not been able to attend the other 2 days 

because of work schedule. 

 Ocean Fair & whale season 

 ocean fair; whale viewing; seabird viewing 

 Ocean Fairs 

 OK-now 

 Overlook at sunrise--hiking to top of Crater Hill 

-- watching ocean from lighthouse 

 permits to go fishing or being able to go fishing 

 photos of the birds & coastline, seeing so many 

birds up close 

 pristine nature views 

 Saw whales & dolfins [sic], love lighthouse 

penninsula [sic] & Crater Hill hike. 

 seabird viewing 

 seabirds, nenes -- viewing 

 sealife, friendly staff eager to answer questions 

 seeing baby birds 

 seeing natural wildlife 

 seeing seal; nice staff 

 seeing so many birds 

 seeing so many birds, beautiful veiws [sic] 

 seeing the birds, Albatross & whales 

 seeing the favorable reaction of guests 

 Seeing the various wildlife & plants such as 

naupaka. 

 seeing the whales & porpoises 

 Seeing the whales with my kids 

 seeing the wildlife 

 Seeing wildlife & going in the lighthouse. 

 Seeing wildlife in its own natural environment 

 seen enough 

 So many--Frigate birds soaring--mostly my 

place to "commune with nature" 

 some history of "Industrial Revolution"--

spawned sugar production "human resources" 

ABUSE is aired. 

 special days 

 special events 

 special events 

 special events 

 special events bringing tourists 

 spectacular location, well-maintained 

 Staff 

 sunset bird watch & night walk when shearwater 

is nesting 

 Sunsets on the hill!! 

 terrific view of coast line! 

 The air, view, bird [sic], location, Mokuaeae, 

dolphins off Kaupea. 

 the Aloha Spirit 

 The Aloha Spirit. 

 The ALOHA with lots of information. 

 The amazing scenery 

 the awe of whales & albatross 

 The beautiful scenery 

 The beautiful scenery & history is worthwhile 

visiting. 

 the beauty it beholds 

 The beauty of the area & the wildlife. 

 The beauty of the place 

 the beauty--whales 

 The binoculars to view wildlife, cabbage on a 

stick [sic], whales, birdwatching. 

 the birds 

 The Crater Hill walk offers an educational 

experience unlike the others offered. 

 The crystal lense [sic]; whale & bird watching. 

 the fun expearinces [sic] 

 the hike 

 The marine & bird life & natural beauty is 

always rewarding. 

 The natural beauty & abundance of wildlife & 

sea life 

 The natural beauty & environmental control of 

such a pristine area! 

 The natural environment, protection of species. 

 the ocean view, wahels [sic] & dol. 

 The overall experience of the wildlife & the 

beautiful serene surroundings 

 The overall visit & info 

 the power/beauty of the place 

 The refuge open late for special occasions so 

people can experience the end of the day there. 

 the road--enjoy all my visits 

 the scenery, the wildlife, the view 

 The special events, to share with child. 

 The view 

 the view 

 The view, the helpfulness of the staff & the 

nature walk to view the nesting birds on the 

hillside. 

 the view, the wildlife, the courteous refuge 

employees 

 The view. 

 The views & wildlife. 

 the wildlife 

 the wildlife 

B-44 
 The wildlife viewing opportunities are excellent  views, waterfowl, loved tracking the migration 

& for the most part, the volunteer docents are of the albatross 







knowledgeable & friendly. 

The wonderful view! 

They were all good! 

to see high surf & paint paintings 







Visiting the sight [sic] & talking with staff. 

Volunteering 

walking up lighthouse steps; viewing nesting 

birds in habitats 

 too many  Walks on cliff 

 Touring the lighthouse, hikes to Crater Hill  Watching the native birds 

 Tours-seabirds-whales-everything. It's a special  watching the whales/dolphins 



























place. 

Traditional Hawaiian events, I.e., dancing, 

storytelling--volunteer services to help injured 

birds--or bird care 

view 

view & birds 

viewing albatross & other birds & high surf; 

lighthouse is beautiful; spectacular views 

viewing lens 

viewing the birds & whales 

Viewing the interior of the lighthouse & of 

course, the serene environment & wildlife. 

viewing the natural beauty, wildlife & 

ocean/large surf conditions. 

Viewing the wildlife 

viewing wildlife, seeing lighthouse, learning 

opportunities 

viewing wonderful natural beauty with my 

family & friends (& viewing the birds) 

views 

views & wildlife; environmental education & 









































Watching whales, & environment 

whale & bird & dolphin-watching 

whale & dolphin & bird sitings [sic] 

Whale Watching 

Whale watching & albatross chick fledging 

whale watching, birds in action, visiting inside 

the lighthouse 

Whale watching. Bird hikes. 

whale/dolphin sighting/seabird viewing 

whales & seabird viewing 

whales & wildlife 

Whales! 

whalewatching 

wild birds, beautiful view, educational signs 

wildlife & plants 

wildlife sightings & scenery; sunset viewings 

wildlife viewing 

wildlife viewing 

wildlife, whales, beauty 

wildlife/views/serenity always bring me back 

worked as volunteer 



care 

Views of the area, gift shop, seeing whales  zazen 

 views, watching the birds 



Section 2, Question 1: What is the biggest benefit to being a neighbor of the Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse? 

 It is a beautiful place. 

 A beautiful place to take visitors 

 A beautiful quiet place to commune with the 

ocean, sky & the birds. 

 a piece of important history of our island & to 

save wildlife nesting grounds 

 A place for visitors/locals to enjoy/preserve 

natural beauty, yet presented in such a way that 

safety, viewability & nondestruction of habitat 

occurs 

 a place of history & natural education 

 a place to see wildlife up close 

 a place to take visitors 

 a place to take visitors 

 a protected area of Kauai not to be developed 

 A safe haven for the birds, the environment & 

visitors. It is always a pleasure to take family & 

visitors & to enjoy the continuous upgrades. 

 a sancuary [sic] for wildlife 

 A scenic & calm, beautiful spot nearby. Place to 

take visitors. 

 A well run wildlife sanctuary is an asset to our 

community & visitors 

 a world-class refuge in our back yard 

 Abbundance [sic] of native birds & absence of 

helicopter over 

 Ability to take my son there frequently for 

educational opportunities 

 able to drop in at a moment's notice 

B-45 
 Abundant sea birds in neighboring areas like 

Kaupea & Kahili beaches (Secrets & Rock 

Quarries) 

 access easily 

 access to Crater Hill like it used to be for 

residents only, tours for visitors 

 access to environmental beauty & education 

 access to location 

 access to natural lands, bird sanc [sic]. 

 access to ocean viewing & wildlife protection 

 Access to protected natural beauty & ecosystem 

 access to Refuge 

 an area that wasn't developed--protected bird & 

sea animals 

 an educational, gorgeous place to send our 

guests! 

 An open area is preserved--visually & for 

wildlife 

 appearance & educational 

 area remains natural--development is limited 

 availability of the wonderful area to share with 

mainland family & friends 

 be able to go there anytime 

 beautiful area 

 Beautiful location to view whales, dolphins & 

birds 

 beautiful scenic views 

 Beautiful untouched hillsides, visitors along 

Lighthouse Road where our new church & farm 

are being built 

 beauty 

 Beauty & history of site 

 Being [sic] to care about the Refuge/Lighthouse 

 Being a part of its history. 

 being able to bike there 

 Being able to bring visitors & family members to 

such a beautiful spot is special. 

 Being able to enjoy seeing & interacting with the 

wildlife that the refuge supports. 

 being able to ride my bike to the lookout & view 

it 

 Being able to talk to tourist about Gods [sic] 

creation! 

 Being able to view nature in an uncrowded, 

serene locale--it's like falling into a different 

world. I rarely attend your events--usually visit 

on "off times"--less crowded. 

 Being able to visit & enjoy the surroundings 

 Being able to visit the lighthouse any day. 

 Being able to visit the point & its incredible 

beauty. 

 Being close to this point of interest & observing 

the birds in this vicinity 

 Being in an environment supportive of nature 

 being minutes away from such a spectacular 

refuge 

 Being so near to a protected wildlife refuge, &, 

having visiting nenes, knowing they are safe 

 birds 

 BIRDS! Place to bring my kid on Sunday to see 

ocean from above 

 breath taken! [sic] 

 bringing students 

 Brings in the tourist $ to Kilauea 

 Brings visitors into Town 

 business traffic 

 close access 

 close by 

 close proximity & more birds near & through the 

neighborhood 

 Close to all that beauty & info 

 close to facility 

 Close to unbuildable natural spot 

 close to where we live 

 Distant view 

 don't know 

 don't know 

 ease of access 

 easy access 

 easy access 

 easy access 

 easy access 

 easy access to the beautiful landscapes 

 Easy access to wildlife & scenery 

 Easy to get to the lighthouse 

 education in backyard 

 enhances value of the community 

 enjoy looking at the birds & whales & dolphins 

 Enjoying the lighthouse (quaint!) & the nene 

flying in formation 

 fed reg 

 frequent visits 

 Get a chance to view wildlife 

 Gives character & renown to area--keeps us 

linked (aware) to area's natural resources; staff 

very community minded. 

 Going to a beautiful natural place. People 

w/money can't buy it! 

 good for business 

 Good place to take visitors--good for local 

schools 

 great place to go & take visitors 

 Great place to take friends to see wildlife 

 Grew up in area, 1 grandmother worked for 

plantation. Went up to lighthouse to play with 

friends. Old playground. 

 Guarantee the Point will stay natural & 

wonderful 

B-46
 guides 

 have a special interest in lighthouses 

 Have not spent much time @ the Refuge, but 

love having the nene population here. 

 having a beautiful nature park in "backyard" 

 Having a beautiful area for sea birds & nene 

nesting area. 

 Having a historic & a beautiful spot to view 

nature & history for our community. 

 Having a historic landmark. Having a place for 

wildlife. Having it undeveloped so people can 

experience the beauty of nature. 

 having a natural area preserved forever 

 Having a pristine place to bring guests to visit. 

 Having a protected area that won't get buit [sic] 

on or developed. 

 having a protected place for the wildlife 

 Having availability to a federal protected area. 

 having close access to Refuge 

 Having close, easy access to one of the most 

beautiful spots in the world. 

 having easy access 

 Having it nearby 

 having it preserved 

 having less development 

 having save [sic] the open space 

 having such a wonderful place so close by 

 Having the natural environment preserved. 

 having the opportunity to see the amazing 

wildlife 

 having the protected area 

 having to share it with my kids 

 help one another 

 historic 

 Historic area--no shopping malls 

 historic site 

 historic value 

 historical value & interest 

 history 

 I am glad the birds & wildlife have a home. 

 I believe in preserving wildlife & having refuges 

for it. It's a good thing. I'm not sure it directly 

impacts my being a neighbor. 

 I can drive/walk/or bike down whenever 

 I can go there any time I want to for a reasonable 

fee 

 I can see native birds in a naturel [sic] setting. 

 I can visit often. 

 I can walk there even though I don't go inside I 

still can enjoy the area & view 

 I enjoy the natural open space. 

 I feel having a place where one knows they can 

go, it's taken care of, we are greeted as 

individuals & the birds have a refuge--these 

things create a really good feeling. 

 I have a pass & can go anytime 

 I have pastures all along Kaupea Rd & enjoy the 

nesting birds--whales & dolphins 

 I like living near such a beautiful place 

 I like the fact that there is a wildlife refuge 

nearby. 

 I like to ride my bike down to the gates, but I 

rarely go in b/c of the fee & the crowds. 

 I love living near a refuge, it feels healthy. 

 I love the place and am proud to take friends & 

family there 

 I walk to get excercise [sic] because I live 

nearby--I really enjoy walking to the lighthouse! 

 I write lots of letters (pen pals) all over the world 

I send them lots of snapshots of Kilauea 

lighthouse 

 It brings customers to our small neighbor [sic] 

for our small businesses. 

 It gives me a great place to jog to & stay in 

shape 

 It has history [sic] significance & sharing it with 

visitors is of importance. 

 It helps the various businesses in Kilauea. 

 It is a beautiful place 

 It is a spectacular place/site to have in one's 

neighborhood. 

 it is a tourist spot 

 It is a wonderful place that is accessible to all 

people. It allows us humans to interface with the 

beauty & dynamism of the natural world & 

reminds us of who we are & the vastness & 

beauty of the world we live in. 

 It is beautiful 

 It is nature, appealing to everyone. Biggest 

benefit marking most northern point in state. 

 It is nice to bring family & friends to view the 

ocean. 

 It is part of Kilauea 

 It is so beatiful [sic] & I am proud how it is kept 

for the wildlife. 

 It’s a nature preserve: wildlife haven among an 

area with development; peace; conservation; 

history 

 its [sic] a beautiful & historic place--important to 

the birds that nest there 

 It's a beautiful landmark for the North Shore, 

Kauai. 

 It's a historic site. It provides jobs for local 

residents. 

 It's a landmark 

 It's an area that is preserved & not developed. 

 Its beauty-preserved-unchanging 

 It's close to home if visitors are visiting. 

B-47 
 Its easy & welcome acess [sic] to our guests 

 Its location 

 It's part of the island's history & the most 

northern Hawaiian vantage point 

 Just a great scenic view & place to visit for our 

visitors & a great refuge site for our wildlife. 

 Keeping that area open space--void of any 

development 

 kids & adults are more aware of nature 

 Knowing I live close to a beautiful area 

 Knowing it is there & taking friends & family to 

visit 

 Knowing it won't be developed & educational 

activities for kids. 

 Knowing my neighborhood cares about wildlife 

& having it close by. 

 Knowing that area will always remain the way it 

is & not be developed 

 Knowing that it will stay open space for wildlife 

 Knowing that the land is being preserved for 

future generations & that the birds have a safe 

haven. 

 Knowing that there is a safe place nearby that 

protects & nurtures the natural world & her 

inhabitants. 

 Knowing that there is an activity so close by. 

 Knowing the land is protected for the wildlife. 

The peace & quiet. 

 Knowing the Refuge exists 

 Knowing there is a safe, natural environment for 

seabirds. 

 Knowledge that maritime navigation & safety is 

enhanced (should their GPS systems fail & 

sextant get rusty & miscallibrated [sic]). 

 Land is not developed--a natural landscape 

 Living close to one of the most beautiful places 

on Kauai 

 Living next to a Bird & Marine Sanctuary is a 

dream come true-RARE & SPECIAL. I have lots 

of winged visitors to my garden. 

 long family history 

 more bird wildlife around my home 

 more people 

 Most beautiful spot in the world! 

 National Educational Facility in near proximity 

 native habitats undisturbed no lights on Crater 

Hill at night 

 natural beauty & wildlife!! 

 Natural beauty that is being preserved, & the 

access that schools have to the refuge. 

 natural environment, wildlife 

 natural preserve 

 Natural protection of animals 

 natural, uncluttered environment 

 NC 

 Nenes--they visit us daily. We have counted over 

200 on our lawn. 

 nesting seabirds/historic lighthouse 

 Next to natural beauty & environment that is 

managed & maintained. Preservation of historic 

lighthouse. 

 nice bike ride 

 Nice green area, no homes, lots of birds! Very 

nice! 

 nice scenic point 

 Nice views scenery 

 no benefit 

 no benefit to [sic] restrictive 

 No benefit to me. 

 No benefit. Good for the birds. 

 none 

 none 

 none 

 none personally, tho [sic] I'm sure some 

businesses are helped 

 None. 

 None--traffic is bad! 

 one of the most important refuges for birds on 

Kauai 

 open land & wildlife 

 open land & wildlife 

 open space, wildlife conservation & abundance 

 open spaces being preserved 

 open spaces--not developed 

 Opportunities for the children (& all of us) to 

view & be educated about wildlife & history @ 

Kilauea Point 

 Our daily a.m. walk to the lighthouse is 

breathtaking & beneficial to our well being with 

our exercise. 

 Part of our island is being preserved & shared 

back with the community. 

 People can't build around that area. 

 People know I live near a scenic area of Kauai. 

 People know where Kilauea is located. 

 personal privacy & minimal entrance/other 

charge 

 physical proximity to other tourist destinations 

 Place to take visiting family 

 Point saved from further commercial 

development (ie, condos, gated communities, 

etc.) 

 preservation 

 preservation & access 

 preservation of area 

 Preservation of native flora & fauna 

 Preservation of natural landscape inc. flora & 

fauna 

B-48
 preservation of open space 

 Preservation of open space & wildlife habitat 

 preserve nature & wildlife 

 Preserved land--no development, conscious 

community, pride 

 preserved open space 

 preserving native birds like nene geese & the 

views 

 Preserving natural habitat for bird wildlife 

 pride 

 PRIDE in a beautiful, national refuge that brings 

people together. 

 pristine area of refuge 

 pristine area preserved--no lights on Crater hill 

during nitetime [sic] 

 Private property owners restrict so much access 

to coastal viewpoints it is nice just to be able to 

see the view. I was VERY disappointed at how 

the end of the road was fenced off at the top of 

Crater Hill. 

 Promotion of Refuge and Lighthouse 

 protecting beautiful bird species 

 protection 

 Provides location to care for & learn about 

species 

 Provides undeveloped natural land for wildlife to 

proliferate which enriches living in the area 

 proximity to the exceptional view 

 puts Kilauea on the map so to speak nice to be 

near to this resource 

 saving birds 

 school projects & beauty 

 sea access 

 Securing the point from developers. The wildlife 

needs a home too. 

 Seeing amazing birds flying overhead 

 seeing sea birds in a natural environment 

 seeing the historic landmark 

 Send visitor [sic] there. It preserves important 

habitat & protects our fragile environment. 

 Some place educational to take your children to. 

 Support of the environment & wildlife 

 That at least some small section of Kilauea is 

preserved. 

 That it's right down the street 

 That something--some place this special is so 

accessible & I can share it with children, friends 

& family to easily to [sic] help educate them. 

 the ability to visit easily with friends & family 

 The area is to remain free from development 

 the beauty & wildlife refuge 

 The beauty of the area. 

 The biggest benefit is being able to enjoy a large 

undeveloped area that is devoted to the native 

wildlife of the island. 

 The donation is good. Because it's helps [sic] for 

funds etc. 

 The fact that we have a Lighthouse & National 

Wildlife Refuge within walking distance to 

anyone in Kilauea. 

 The lighthouse, birds & staff 

 the maintenance of our natural environment 

 The natural beauty & preservation 

 The natural beauty & the wildlife 

 the natural environment (wish it was accessible) 

 The natural reserve protects area from 

development. 

 The natural unspoiled beauty 

 The nene that fly by my house almost daily 

 The number of visitors who then can stop & 

spent money in businesses in town. 

 The point & Crater Hill is still like it was when I 

first moved here 20 yrs ago. It is too beautiful to 

see go for 1 persons' personal gain & mansion 

approach to living. 

 The preserve for wildlife 

 The protection of the wildlife. Teaching the 

children about wildlife. 

 The reasonable price, natural maintained habitat 

for birds. 

 The scenic view is awsome [sic]. 

 the shearwaters & booby birds 

 the view, only place left 

 The view. I visit the lookout frequently. 

Watching the birds is absolutely amazing! 

 The visits of the nene & seeing nene & seabirds 

in flight. 

 the wildlife 

 The wildlife populations are enhanced because 

of it. 

 to be able to go there 

 To be living near a beautiful protected 

environment. 

 To encourage more visitors to visit wildlife 

refuge/ligthouse [sic]. 

 To have a beautiful & serene place to share with 

family & friends--safe place for nene 

 to watch the nene fly over 

 tourist [sic]; more revenue 

 tourist attraction 

 Tourists to Kilauea 

 tourists to Kilauea 

 traffic 

 undevelopt [sic] land 

 very beautiful 

 view 

B-49 
 view--improvement on entrance safer  We do not have to drive long distance to enjoy 

 Viewing the sunsets from nearby--the 

peacefulness 

this beautiful & natural place. 

We have something of value to see 

 viewing wildlife  Well known landmark 

 Visitors can enjoy who support our economy  Whale watching access 

 visitors can go there  wildlife 

 Visitors definitely enhance our small town  wildlife preservation & education 







economy. 

visitors to Kilauea businesses 

walking my dogs to the lookout 

Watching the various birds 







wildlife watching 

wonderful educational opportunities 

Wonderful natural resource for wildlife, history, 

natural history & scenic beauty 

 We are able to visit at least once a year & attend  wonderful sightseeing, views 

special events.  Wonderful view, great staff. 

Section 2, Question 2: What is the biggest concern of being a neighbor of the Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse? 

 # of tourists driving through Kilauea 

 (locals) & tourists sometimes disrespectful 

 ?? Increased traffic? 

 1. I noticed ocean debris on my last visit. 

Concern for pollution of water ways & rivers 

going into area. 2. Really disrespectful tourists. 

 A lot of traffic in town 

 access to backside Rock Quarries 

 Access to pohaku pili. 

 All of the features in Section 2 #3. 

 all the traffic & people 

 becoming more than it is 

 Being closed out. Not having access to the beach 

below & to Crater Hill. 

 being kept out of Crater Hill! 

 Being locked out of one of the most senic [sic] 

areas of Kauai 

 being overrun by tourists 

 Being pressured by urban development 

 Biggest concern is conservation. 

 birds 

 Cars going up with speed. Dangerous around the 

curve. 

 Cars speeding along Lighthouse Road. 

 closed access to Crater Hill 

 closing off other land (Crater, Rock Quarries 

etc.) 

 convenience 

 Corner of Kuhio Hwy [arrow facing right] 

Kilauea Rd. 

 Crater Hill access hikes being terminated due to 

Crater Hill Residential Association 

 destruction of beauty & environment 

 development & loss of wildlife habitat 

 development around [2 symbols] birds return 

 Development impact on wildlife 

 Do not exploit the natural beauty! 

 Dogs & cats hurting the nesting birds 

 dogs & cats invading refuge 

 Dogs running into refuge 

 Dogs will eat birds 

 dogs, cats, rats, etc. causing damage 

 don't have nay--hours open re very reasonable 

 easy accses [sic] to bring friends & family to 

know this beautiful place. 

 environmental impact 

 excess speed on Kilauea Lighthouse Road! 

 fast cars, I have kids 

 Fear of feral dogs & cats harming wildlife. 

 Federal penchant to "show-off", add/increase 

visitors, put structures on open space, think 

facilities not experiences. 

 Growing numbers impacting infrastructure 

 Having the USFWS cut off more access 

 Having to pay to go there. 

 help one another 

 Higher entrance fees 

 hurting the natural environment 

 I am concerned about the increase in traffic to 

some extent. 

 I am proud of your compli__ & beautiful place!! 

 I have no concern 

 I have no problem with the tourist traffic to the 

lighthouse because most of them will come 

Kilauea anyway. 

 I think if there was pedestrian & bicycle access 

to the Point & a very nominal fee, like 50 cents 

or $1.00/person you would actually get more $ 

from residents visiting the point. 

B-50
 I use [sic] to go up to the Crater every morning 

now it's fenced. 

 I wish there was a walk-in access because when 

I ride my bike there I can't enter the Refuge. 

 IF Refuge outlaws fishing in area--spear fishing, 

pole & net fishing 

 Impact on Kilauea traffic 

 Increased traffic & noise on Kilauea Rd. 

 Increased traffic on Lighthouse Road 

 increased traffic on road 

 increased traffic through middle of town 

 Increased traffic to the Refuge as population 

increases. 

 increased visitors 

 Ingress into certain areas are prohibited 

 insufficient staff for anticipated additions 

 invading animals habitat 

 It's all good! 

 Its desire to becoming more of a tourist trap then 

[sic] Refuge 

 just speeding tourist [sic] to & from there 

 Keep it safe & clean. 

 Keep tax dollars coming in to maintain pristine 

environment 

 keeping it natural 

 Keeping it open. 

 Keeping it special. 

 Kilauea Rd traffic & wear & tear on the road 

 Knowing that it's still open 

 Lack of access to Crater Hill 

 less heavy traffic 

 less public access to area surrounding refuge 

 Like to see it kept in good hands. Take care of 

history landmark. 

 limitations to access views & recreational areas 

 Locals trashing area before gate at bluff lookout 

 Loosing it 

 losing access like the gated thing on Lighthouse 

Rd. 

 losing the wildlife preservation 

 Loss of access to Crater Hill Lookout 

 loss of public access to bluffs 

 make sure it is there 

 many cars driving fast 

 miss the fact we can't go to the top of the Crater 

anymore 

 more cars & buses 

 More traffic & dogs that kill birds (Not ALL 

dogs do.). 

 MUCH traffic 

 My biggest concern is people not caring about 

the Refuge/Lighthouse. 

 My children can't experience what I did or go 

places I did as a child especially Crater Hill. 

 My concern is the speeding of trucks & 

automobiles going to the Lighthouse. 

 New Rd open to public--Old Rock Q Rd? 

Maintance [sic] of Rd, noise, traffic 

 no access at Seacliff (car) 

 No concerns--well maybe the speed of the tourist 

[sic] while driving to the point 

 no major growth 

 No problem being a neighbor of the Kilauea 

Point 

 None now--if the lighthouse/refuge grows, main 

concern would be increased traffic. 

 None, except that it might increase the visiter 

[sic] fee. Also there should be a family rate so it 

doesn't get too pricey for large families. 

 None, I personally do not mind the tourism (as 

long as they respect the environment). 

 Not being able to drive to Crater Hill & walk my 

dog. 

 Not being able to go there whenever 

 not enough access to Crater Hill 

 Open access 

 Other neighbors who let their dogs run loose & 

end up killing refuge wildlife. 

 overdevelopment 

 overrun by tourists 

 Overtaken by rich developers 

 overuse of the area 

 Please-we do not want the lighthouse to become 

another all American amusement park--Please 

keep it simple & natural 

 population growth 

 possiable [sic] closure of public lands 

 preservation of areas from development 

 preservation of the wildlife 

 PRESERVATION of these great wild spaces. 

 preserve the area & maintain 

 preserving the wildlife 

 Pressure from individuals to limit access to 

walks & from gov't funding to keep entrance fee 

low. 

 Protect birds; wish we were more informed. Go 

on KKCR! 

 protection of nesting seabirds, native plants & 

sea life. 

 protection wildlife 

 refuge will sell land to developers 

 Remain as is. 

 Restricted access to coastal resources 

 restricted access to Crater Hill 

 restrictions 

 Same as no. 1. 

 Somehow it's important cause [sic] we have lots 

of visitors & we can take people there 

B-51
 Sometimes too much traffic 

 speeding tourists 

 stray animals 

 That development will adversely affect the site. 

Concerns with the marine life & pollutants, runoff--Fluger-like. 

 that even MORE restrictions will be put in place 

 that everyone has to drive in 

 That halogen gas incandescents [sic] may send 

the solid glass Fresnel lens the way of the 

Vacuum Tub (usurped by "newfangled" 

semiconductor-based transistor components) 

 THAT housing dev. on private land will drive 

birds away. 

 that insensitive locals will trash a good thing in 

the name of amusement 

 that it always remains a haven to wildlife & yet 

still be acessable [sic] if possible. 

 That it could be shut down or made inaccessable 

[sic]. 

 That it is run correctly & not turned into 

Disneyland. 

 That it may be ignored 

 That it may someday become a tourist trap that 

ruins the quality of life for homeowners of 

Kilauea 

 That it might cost more & not enough road signs 

to get there. 

 That it remain open. 

 That it remains natural & protected. 

 That it will be overdeveloped or priced out of 

range of locals. 

 That it will not be preserved in the future. 

 That it will not be preserved-I hope it's always 

there. 

 That more areas will be fenced. The birds don't 

care! 

 That Rock Quarry Beach & Kilauea Stream 

might become part of refuge & closed to access. 

Leave vehicular & boat access as is. 

 That the area around the refuge will get too built 

up; Kilauea Pt NWR is in a position to help us 

prevent this by acquiring adjacent wildlife 

habitat & natural ecological systems. 

 that the birds are not overly disturbed 

 That the birds stay protected. 

 That the facility not be funded adequately like 

our state parks & many national parks 

 That the surrounding area will be taken over by 

over developed money hungry people! 

 That to [sic] many tourists will disrespect it with 

trash, cigaretts [sic], & distrupt [sic] the animals 

& plants. 

 that too many people will spoil it 

 That you are charging entrance fees to 

Hawaiians on land that really isn't yours to begin 

with!! 

 The land being bought & built on. 

 the mon [sic] 

 The newly paved road has resulted in more 

speeding cars, posing a danger to those of us 

who walk to the lookout. 

 The people or organization responsible for this 

place preserve it & its inhabitants in the best way 

that they are allowed. 

 The possible expansion of the Refuge that would 

include the "Rock Quarry" Beach area. I do not 

want the beach access from Wailapo Rd 

restricted! 

 The Refuge is bringing in way to [sic] many 

tourist [sic]. 

 the road into Kilauea is over used 

 The tourist traffic it brings through town. 

 The traffic changing the Refuge so that we can't 

visit spots (I.e., Crater Hill). 

 The traffic going up the road to the lighthouse & 

being able to cross the street to go to the post 

office 

 The traffic problems caused by so many vehicles 

on Kilauea's main street. 

 The traffic sometimes on Lighthouse Rd. 

 The traffic to & from lighthouse. 

 There needs to be more signage at entrance to 

Kilauea & Kilauea Rd. 

 They'll try to shut down access to the beach sites 

like they did on the overlook from Seacliffs 

[sic]. 

 to [sic] many turest [sic] coming in to Kilauea 

 to [sic] much traffic 

 To keep our wildlife refuge safe & clean 

enviroment [sic] 

 To keep the birds protected 

 To many restricted areas 

 to not overwhelm the site with people impact 

 Tom, the previous mgr. of refuge, once proposed 

a trail/road to top of Crater Hill. Not good--

Senator Inouye in dedication speech said, "this 

place should remain wild." So it should be. 

 Too crowded. 

 Too expensive 

 Too many people! 

 too many tourists that would interrupt w/the 

wildlife 

 too many visitors 

 too much sea access...more people like me 

 too much traffic 

 too much traffic 

 Too much traffic & limited access to crater. 

B-52 
 Too much traffic! 

 Too much traffic! 

 Tourist impact on wildlife & breeding habits for 

the Nene, Boobie [sic], & Albatross to flourish 

& live in their natural habitat. 

 Tourist traffic (auto/etc.) 

 Tourists driving WAY too fast through Kilauea, 

lots of traffic going to refuge. 

 Tourists frequently lose their way & drive down 

Keneke Street by mistake, & then try to turn 

around in our driveway. You need better 

signage. Perhaps another directional sign near 

Kong Lung/Keneke Street area. 

 Traffic 

 Traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 traffic 

 Traffic & motorist [sic] using it as a race track. 

 Traffic & speeding are major concerns. 

 traffic congestion 

 traffic congestion at Menehune & along 

Lighthouse Road 

 traffic down Kilauea Road 

 traffic during summer months 

 traffic flies by Kauai Christian Academy 

 traffic flow 

 Traffic from highway esp. congestion by Shell 

station & Kilauea Lighthouse Rd. 

 traffic from tourists 

 traffic if efforts to increase visitors 

 traffic impact, buses 

 Traffic on Kilauea Rd--especially at the entrance 

to town. 

 Traffic on Kolo Road 

 traffic on Lighthouse Rd 

 traffic on Lighthouse Road 

 traffic speed 

 Traffic speed (we bike & jog a lot). Usually the 

visitors aren't speeding on that road...its [sic] the 

locals. 

 traffic through Kilauea 

 Traffic through Kilauea town on a residential st. 

 traffic through town & children 

 Traffic trespass, noise from tourists, dangerous 

driveways, illegal parking on Coonoy Rafa [sic]. 

 Traffic, but it's not such a problem presently 

where I live on Kauapu Rd. 

 traffic, influx of tourists, etc. 

 traffic, probably 

 traffic--during the events held there 

 Traffic--the entry to Kilauea is already a 

bottleneck. The neighborhood board needs to 

stop stalling Kilauea development. 

 Traffic--the shuttles from the Rock Buildings is 

the best. 

 trafic [sic] along the road to the refuge 

 Trying to keep dogs & cats away from the nests 

of birds & not letting development take over. 

 Unable to go fishing but it could be of benefit 

being area can't be over fished. 

 urban encroachment 

 visitor traffic 

 We're too far outside of town for bother from 

traffic, etc. 

 What! You folks already blocked of [sic] Crater 

Hill. Go ahead & close the whole thing, see if I 

care. 

 Will limit our access to other areas such as the 

NW end of Rock Quarry beach. 

 With to [sic] much traffic the birds may go 

somewhere else 

 would restrict surfing at Rock Quarry's [sic] 

B-53 
Appendix C 

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Survey 

C-1 
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge & Lighthouse 

 Visitor Survey 
SECTION 1 

Please tell us about your trip to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse.

1. How many times have you visited Kauai and the Refuge in the past five years?

Counting this visit, I have visited Kauai______time(s) and the Refuge ______time(s).

2. Which best describes the way in which you arrived on Kauai? Please Check Only One

 Cruise Ship  Private Plane  Private Boat

 Air Charter 

(as part of tour group)

 Boat Charter 

(as part of tour group)

 Commercial Plane 

(as an independent traveler)

3. Which of the following best summarizes the type of trip you are taking? Please Check Only One

 Vacation with Kauai as the sole destination  An outing from another Hawaiian island

 Primarily business travel  Part of a larger travel plan to visit U.S. or other countries

4. What modes of travel did you use during your visit to Kauai? Please Check All that Apply

 Bicycle  Boat  Helicopter  Private Vehicle

 Public transit  Rental Vehicle  Taxi  Tour van/bus

 Walking Other_________________________________________________

5. During your time on Kauai, how did you spend your time? Please Check All that Apply

 Hiking  Kayaking  Surfing  Shopping

 Snorkeling  Golfing  Bicycling  Fishing

 Photography  Wildlife/Plant Viewing  General Sightseeing  Tennis

 Beach activities (sunbathing, swimming, etc.) Touring Kauai in a 

tour van or tour boat

 Learning about Kauai’s culture/history

 Other (please specify)________________________________________________________________

6. How much time did you spend on Kauai on your most recent trip?

_____# of hours OR ____# of nights AND ______# of days

6 a. How much of this time was spent at the Refuge?

_____# of minutes OR _____# of hours

7. On the night before you visited the Refuge, where did you stay overnight? Please Check Only One

 Hanalei  Kapaa  Lihue  Poipu

 Princeville  Waimea  On a cruise ship  On an airplane

 On another Hawaiian 

island

 On the U.S. mainland  Other (please specify)______________________

______________________________________
8. The main visitor attractions of Kauai are shown on the map above. 

Please number the attractions in the order that you visited them on the day you visited the Refuge.

For example, if the first place you visited was Spouting Horn, you would write a #1 on the blank line that is 

next to the words “Spouting Horn” on the map. If you find that a major attraction you visited that day is not 

listed, write it in on the map and indicate the order that you visited it in relation to the other attractions.

9. Which of the above visitor attractions was your favorite? Please Write Below

 ________________________________________________________

10. What was your main mode of transportation to these visitor attractions? Please Check Only One

 Bicycle  Boat  Helicopter  Private Vehicle

 Public Transit  Rental Vehicle  Taxi  Tour Van/Bus

 Walking

11. If public transportation were available to these visitor attractions and the Refuge, would you use it? 

 Yes  NoIf No, Please Check the Reason Below:

 Too much time  Unreliable  Too expensive

 I prefer a guided tour  I prefer personal transporation  Does not fit my schedule

 Other________________________________________________________________

12. For your most recent visit to the Refuge was it: Please Check One

 The primary purpose of your visit to Kauai? 

 One of many equally important reasons or destinations for your visit to Kauai? 

 Just an incidental or spur of the moment stop on a trip taken for other purposes or to other destinations?

13. Including yourself, what was the number of people in your group that traveled on your most recent trip to the 

Refuge? ______# of people in your group

13 a. If you were part of a group, which of the following best describes that group? Please Check One

 Family  Friends  Friends and Family

 Commercial Tour Group  Organized Club or Group  School Group

 Other_____________________________________________________________________
SECTION 2

Please tell us about your trip expenditures.

1. If you made local purchases as part of your visit to the Refuge, were these purchases primarily made in: 

 Kilauea  Kapa’a  Hanalei  Princeville

 Lihue  Poipu  Koloa

2. Please indicate the amount you and members of your group with whom you shared expenses (e.g., other family 

members, traveling companions) spent on your most recent visit to Kauai. Please Enter the Amount for each Category

Category Amount Spent on Kauai

Rental car/motorcycle/scooter $___________________

Gasoline $___________________

Hotels/motels $___________________

Food/drink: restaurants $___________________

Food/drink: groceries $___________________

Refuge bookstore $___________________

Refuge entrance fee $___________________

Supplies/souvenirs/other retail $___________________

Guided day tour of Kauai $___________________

Boat or helicopter tours $___________________

Equipment rental $___________________

Golf or tennis fees $___________________

Massage/yoga/spa $___________________

Excursion fee $___________________

3. Including yourself, how many people in your group shared these expenses on this most recent trip?

_________# of persons in your group sharing these expenses

4. As you know, some of the costs of travel such as gasoline often change. If the total cost of this most recent trip 

to Kauai had been $ higher, would you have made this trip? Please Check One  Yes  No 

5. In the Refuge, along the walkway toward the lighthouse, there is a fee box where visitors can pay the $3 Refuge 

entrance fee. Did you pay the fee on your most recent visit to the Refuge?

 Yes

 NoIf No, Please Check the Reason:

 Too expensive  Not aware of fee  Thought the fee was voluntary

 Did not want to pay  Used my pass (Golden Eagle, 

Golden Age, Federal Duck Stamp)

 Did not have correct change or 

did not want to over-pay

 Other_____________________________________________________________________

6. The current Refuge entrance fee is $3 per person. If the Refuge fee were to increase to $ would you have 

still made this most recent visit to the Refuge? 

 Yes  No
SECTION 3

Please tell us about your experience at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse.

1. How did you learn about Kilauea Point Lighthouse/National Wildlife Refuge? Please Check all that Apply

 Friends  Family  Highway Signs

 Business Associate  Local Resident of Kauai  Magazine

 Travel Agent  Visitor Brochure  Radio

 Hotel Staff or Concierge  Travel Guidebook  Television

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Website  In-flight or On-ship Information  Refuge Staff

 Recreational/Environmental Group  Local Tourist Activity Desk/Information Center

 Other___________________________________________________________________

2. Was your main mode of transport to other visitor attractions the same transport that you used to visit the refuge? 

  Yes  No

 If No, indicate below the type of transport you used to visit the Refuge. Please Check One

 Bicycle  Tour Van/Bus  Taxi  Private Vehicle

 Public Transit  Rental Vehicle  Walking  Other___________

3. We would like to understand how important the following activities were in your decision to visit the Refuge. 

 For each activity, please circle the number that best represents that activity’s importance in your decision to visit the Refuge.

Activity Importance for your Experience at the Refuge

Not 

Important

Somewhat 

Important

 

Important

Very 

Important

No 

Opinion

1. Viewing native seabirds (i.e., Albatross, Tropicbirds..) 1 2 3 4 

2. Viewing whales and/or dolphins 1 2 3 4 

3. Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 1 2 3 4 

4.Viewing scenic overlooks of the coastline 1 2 3 4 

5. Learning about the Refuge from staff/volunteers 1 2 3 4 

6. Experiencing a serene environment 1 2 3 4 

7. Purchasing books about the natural history of the area 1 2 3 4 

8. Purchasing mementos at the gift shop 1 2 3 4 

9. Being in natural, undeveloped lands 1 2 3 4 

10. Taking self-guided walks with interpreted signs 1 2 3 4 

11. Participating in environmental education programs 1 2 3 4 

12. Photographing wildlife 1 2 3 4 

13. Other activities—Please list____________________

____________________________________________ 1 2 3 4 

4. Which of the activities listed above was the most important reason for your most recent visit to the Refuge?

Please write the number of the activity in the blank below

Most Important Activity_____________________________________
5. This question has two parts. First, rate how important the item is to satisfaction during your last visit to the 

Refuge. Then, rate how satisfied you are with the way the Refuge is managing each item.

Please complete both sections (Importance and Satisfaction) for each item

Importance to your experience at the Refuge Satisfaction with Conditions Not Important Somewhat Important Important Very Important Does not Apply Poor Adequate Average Good Outstanding Does not Apply

Adequate number of parking spaces 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Lighthouse well-preserved and maintained 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Wildlife viewing opportunities 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Condition of the natural environment 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Appealing gift shop or bookstore items 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Natural history information about the site 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Reasonable entrance frees 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Refuge grounds well-maintained 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Access for people with physical disabilities or 

walking difficulties 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Information provided on birdwatching, whale 

watching, and/or wildlife photography 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Educational kiosks or signs about the Refuge 

and its wildlife 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Other activities—Please list_______________

____________________________________ 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

6. What would enhance your experience at the Refuge?

7. What experiences have you had at the Refuge that would bring you back?
8. Please indicate how you feel the features listed below should be managed to maximize your experience at the 

Refuge. Please Check One Answer for Each Feature

Features Preferred Management Action

Naturalness  restore more natural conditions  leave as is  allow more landscape alterations

Facilities  remove some facilities  leave as is  develop additional facilities

Visitor numbers  restrict visitation to the Refuge  leave as is  encourage more visitation

Information signs  limit the number of signs  leave as is  provide more signs

Services  provide less visitor info & staff  leave as is  provide more visitor info & staff 

Access to 

Lighthouse

 provide limited access to the inside of the Lighthouse leave as is  provide more access to the 

inside of the Lighthouse

Environmental 

education activities

 reduce the number educational 

programs and activities

 leave as is  increase the number of educational programs and activities

Visitor impacts on 

wildlife

 decrease efforts to restrict visitor 

behavior that is harmful to wildlife

 leave as is  increase efforts to restrict visitor 

behavior that is harmful to wildlife

9. On the day that you visited the Refuge, how much did the number of visitors contribute to the following?

Not at All Somewhat

A Fair 

Amount A Lot

Does Not 

Apply

Noise levels 1 2 3 4 DA

Litter 1 2 3 4 DA

Difficulty parking 1 2 3 4 DA

Visitor conflicts due to crowding 1 2 3 4 DA

Difficulty viewing wildlife up 

close

 1 2 3 4 DA

Changes in wildlife behavior 1 2 3 4 DA

Staff/volunteers availability 1 2 3 4 DA

10. How crowded were different areas on your visit to the Refuge?

Not at all 

Crowded

Somewhat 

Crowded

 

Crowded

Very 

Crowded

Does Not 

Apply

In the Refuge bookstore/giftshop 1 2 3 4 DA

At the overlook above the Refuge entrance 1 2 3 4 DA

At the Refuge’s onsite parking lot 1 2 3 4 DA

On the Refuge grounds (walkways, Lighthouse area)

 1 2 3 4 DA

On the road from the highway to the Refuge 

entrance

 1 2 3 4 DA

11. Overall, how crowded did you feel at the Refuge? Please Check One

 Not crowded  Somewhat crowded  Crowded  Very crowded
SECTION 4

Please tell us about your future preferences for transportation and access to the Refuge.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Federal Highway Administration are exploring methods for improving visitor access and transportation needs at the Refuge because of traffic congestion and parking 

problems caused by too many vehicles during peak visitation periods. This next series of questions asks 

your opinion about possible options.

1. How likely would you visit the Refuge if the following options were implemented?

Refuge Transportation and Access Options

UnlikelySomewhat LikelyLikelyVery Likely

Reservations by phone or email are required to visit the Refuge. 1 2 3 4

In addition to the entrance fee, visitors pay a fee to park in the Refuge. 1 2 3 4

The Refuge is only accessible by public transportation. 1 2 3 4

The Refuge is only accessible by a shuttle that has a public transit link to other 

visitor attractions on Kauai.

1 2 3 4

The Refuge is only accessible by shuttle. Visitors use off-site parking and take a 

shuttle into the Refuge.

1 2 3 4

Visitation is limited to a certain number of people every hour, allowing more 

visitors to enter as other visitors leave.

1 2 3 4

Educational programs and guided tours are offered at off-peak visitation times 

to encourage people to visit when the Refuge is less crowded.

1 2 3 4

Both on-site and off-site Refuge parking is available. Refuge visitors pay more to 

park in the Refuge; the off-site parking and shuttle to the Refuge would cost less.

1 2 3 4

2. What is the maximum amount of time you would be willing to wait to enter the Refuge by shuttle?

_________# minutes for a shuttle OR ______# hours 

3. What is the maximum amount of time you would be willing to wait to enter the Refuge if visitation is restricted to 

a certain number of people/hour? 

_________# minutes OR ______# hours 

4. To improve visitor access and transportation, a shuttle could be provided from an off-site parking area to the 

Refuge. RANK in order of importance, the FIVE main factors that would affect your decision to visit the Refuge 

if it were only accessible by shuttle. For example, you would write a #1 in the blank next to the factor that would 

most likely affect your decision to visit the Refuge by shuttle.

___Off-site parking area is near the highway ___Onboard shuttle storage for strollers, bikes, etc.

___Off-site parking area is near the Refuge ___Reliable and on-time service

___Cost of shuttle fare ___Link to other public transportation

___Off-site parking is easy to find ___Opportunity to bike/walk into the Refuge

___Quality of tour-guide comments on-board 

the shuttle

___Off-site parking is close to visitor services such 

as shopping, restaurants, and restrooms

___Other_____________________________________________________________________
5. If the Refuge were to charge a fee of $ per person that included parking at an off-site area, a shuttle to 

the Refuge with on-board tour-guide commentary, and the Refuge entrance fee, would you have made the trip to the 

Refuge? 

 Yes  No 

6. Would you spend more time at the Refuge and the surrounding area if the following were available?

Options Yes No

A guided history tour of nearby Kilauea, a former plantation town for a fee of $ 1 2

An introduction to the Refuge by a Refuge staff person or volunteer (free) 1 2

A guided, 10-minute, easy-moderate hike from the overlook for an up-close view of a 

nesting seabird colony (of Red-footed booby birds) for a fee of $ 1 2

A self-guided, 30-minute, moderate-difficult hike through restored native forest for a 

scenic view of the lighthouse, Kilauea town, ocean, and surrounding mountains (free) 1 2

A guided, 2-hour hike to the summit of an extinct volcanic crater to view native seabirds, marine wildlife, plants, historic WWII bunkers, and north-shore ocean and 

mountain scenery for a fee of $ 

 1 2

SECTION 5

Please tell us about yourself.

1. We would like to understand more about how Refuge visitors use public transit in their everyday life. 

Please indicate how often you use public transit. Please Check Only One

 Almost every day  At least once per week

 At least once per month  A few times per year

 NeverIf Never or only a few times per year, Please Check the Reason:

 Too expensive  Takes too much time  Doesn’t go where I need to go

 Not easy to get to  Service not available  Can’t take bikes or large packages

 Inconvenient  Other_________________________________________________

2. Have you ever used a transit shuttle or bus at a national park, national forest, or at another public facility such as a 

zoo or fairgrounds?  Yes  No 

3. We would like to understand how Refuge visitors participate in local or regional decisionmaking on natural 

resource and/or environmental issues. Please indicate which of the activities you have participated in within the 

last 5 years. Please Check All that Apply

 Attending a public hearing or meeting

 Contacting or writing a state/federal agency

 Contacting or writing a U.S. Senator or state legislator

 Writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper

 Signing a petition

 Joining a special interest group (such as an environmental, sportsman’s, animal rights, agriculture, 

 or resource use organization)
These last few questions will help us in evaluating how well our sample represents visitors to the Refuge. 

Your answers will be kept strictly confidential and will not be passed on to anyone. You will not be identified 

in any way.

4. What is the zip code of your permanent residence?___________________

5. If you don’t live in the United States, what country are you from?_______________

6. Are you?  Male  Female

7. In what year were you born?__________(yyyy)

8. Are you employed? 

 Yes If yes, Please Check One  Full-time  Part-time 

 No If no, are you retired? Please Check One  Yes  No

9. What ethnicity do you consider yourself? Please Check One  Hispanic or Latino  Not Hispanic or Latino

10. What racial origin do you consider yourself? Please Select All that Apply

 American Indian or 

Alaska Native

 Asian (please specify below)

  Asian Indian

  Japanese

  Korean

  Vietnamese

  Chinese

  Filipino

  Other Asian__________________

 Native Hawaiian or 

other Pacific Islander 

(please specify below)

  Guamanian or Chamorro

  Samoan

  Other Pacific Islander____ 

__________________________

 White

 Black or African American

11. What is your highest year of formal schooling? Please Circle Only One

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 +20

(elementary) (junior high or 

middle school)

(high school) (college or technical 

school)

(graduate or professional 

school)

12. How many members are in your household? ______person(s)

13. Including these people, what was your approximate household income from all sources (before taxes) last year?

Please Check Only One

 less than $10,000  $25,000-$34,999  $75,000-$99,000

 $10,000-$14,999  $35,000-$49,999  $100,000-$149,999 

 $15,000-$24,000  $50,000-$74,999  over $150,000
 

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Public burden for 

the collection of this information is estimated to average 12 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions 

and completing the form. Comments regarding this collection of information should be directed to the Desk Officer for the 

Interior Department, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 

20503 OMB No. 1040-0001. Expiration Date: 1/31/05

 Thank you for completing the survey. 

 The space below is provided for any additional comments you may have.
Appendix D 

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge 

Community Survey 

D-1 
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge 

and Lighthouse Community Survey
SECTION 1 

Please tell us about your experience as a visitor to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge 

and Lighthouse.

1. How many times have you visited Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse in the past five years? 

I have visited the Refuge ______ time(s) in the past five years.

2. If you haven’t visited the Refuge in the past five years, what would encourage you to visit the Refuge? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

If you haven’t visited the Refuge in the past five years, please GO to SECTION 2

3. Did you attend any of the following special events at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse? 

Please check all that apply for the past year.

 Ocean Fair (March)  Lighthouse Day (May) 

 National Wildlife Refuge Week Activities (October)  Holiday Craft Fair (November) 

4. Please tell us how important the following activities are in terms of your decision to visit Kilauea Point National 

Wildlife Refuge and Lighthouse. For each activity, please circle the number that best represents that activity’s importance in 

your decision to visit the Refuge. 

Activity Importance for your Experience 

at Kilauea Point NWR

Not 

Important

Somewhat 

Important

 

Important

Very 

Important

No 

Opinion

1. Viewing native seabirds (i.e., Albatross, Tropicbirds...) 1 2 3 4 

2. Viewing whales and dolphins 1 2 3 4 

3. Visiting a historic landmark/lighthouse 1 2 3 4 

4. Learning about the site from a staff person 1 2 3 4 

5. Viewing scenic overlooks of coastline 1 2 3 4 

6. Experiencing a serene environment 1 2 3 4 

7. Purchasing books about the natural history of the area 1 2 3 4 

8. Purchasing mementos at the gift shop 1 2 3 4 

9. Being in natural, undeveloped lands 1 2 3 4 

10. Taking self-guided walks with interpreted signs 1 2 3 4 

11. Participating in environmental education programs 1 2 3 4 

12. Photographing wildlife on the Refuge 1 2 3 4 

13. Other activities—Please list_____________________ 

 __________________________________________ 1 2 3 4 

5. Which of the activities listed above was the most important reason for your most recent visit to the Refuge?

Please write the number of the activity in the blank below.

Most Important Activity ________________________________
6. This question has two parts. First, rate how important the item is to satisfaction during your last visit to the 

Refuge. Then, rate how satisfied you are with the way the Refuge is managing for each item. Please complete both 

sections (Importance and Satisfaction) for each item.

Importance Satisfaction with 

Conditions

Not 

Important

Somewhat 

ImportantImportant

Very 

Important

Does Not 

Apply 

Poor

Adequate

Average

Good

Outstanding

Does Not 

Apply

Adequate number of parking spaces 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Lighthouse well-preserved and maintained 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Refuge grounds maintained (such as litter pick-up) 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Wildlife viewing opportunities 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Condition of the natural environment 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Helpfulness of Refuge staff 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Appealing giftshop or bookstore items 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Information provided on birdwatching, whale 

watching and/or wildlife photography 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Refuge special events 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Educational kiosks or signs about the Refuge and 

its wildlife 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Reasonable entrance fees 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Access for people with physical disabilities or 

difficulties walking 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Lighthouse and Refuge easy to find 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Natural history information about the site 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

7. Please indicate how you feel the features listed below should be managed to maximize your experience at Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse. Please check one answer for each feature.

Naturalness ___ restore more natural conditions ___ leave as is ___ allow more landscape alterations

Facilities ___ remove some facilities ___ leave as is ___ develop additional facilities

Services ___ provide less visitor info & staff ___ leave as is ___ provide more visitor info & staff

Information signs ___ limit the number of signs ___ leave as is ___ provide more signs

Access to lighthouse ___ limit access to the inside of 

 the lighthouse ___ leave as is ___ provide more access to the inside of 

 the lighthouse

Environmental education opportunities___ reduce education programs & 

 activities ___ leave as is ___ increase education programs & 

 activities

Visitor numbers ___ restrict visitation to the refuge ___ leave as is ___ encourage more visitation

Visitor impacts

___ decrease efforts to restrict 

 visitor behavior that is 

 harmful to wildlife

___ leave as is ___ increase efforts to restrict visitor 

 behavior that is harmful to wildlife
8. What would enhance your experience at the Refuge?

9. What experiences have you had at the Refuge that will bring you back?

10. In the Refuge, along the walkway toward the lighthouse, there is a fee box where visitors can pay the $3 Refuge 

entrance fee. Did you pay the fee on your most recent visit to the Refuge? 

 Yes 

 No  If No, Please Check the Reason: 

  Not aware of fee  Thought it was voluntary  Did not want to pay

  Too expensive  Did not have correct change/did not want to over-pay 

 Used my pass (Golden Eagle, Golden Age, Federal Duck Stamp, Kamaina Pass, etc.)

 Other _________________________

11. The current Refuge entrance fee is $3. If the Refuge fee were to increase to $ would you still visit the 

Refuge?  Yes  No 

SECTION 2 

Please tell us about Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge in terms of its meaning 

to you and to your community. 

1. What is the biggest benefit to being a neighbor of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse?

2. What is the biggest concern of being a neighbor of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse?

3. Based on your experience as a Kilauea town resident, how much of a problem are the community features list- 

 ed below due to visitors to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse? Please circle the number that best 

 represents your opinion.

Feature

No 

problem

Small 

problem

Moderate 

Problem

Big 

Problem

Does Not 

Apply

Traffic noise 1 2 3 4 DA

Personal privacy 1 2 3 4 DA

Traffic safety 1 2 3 4 DA

Traffic congestion in town 1 2 3 4 DA

Disruption of daily activities 1 2 3 4 DA

Other (Please specify) 1 2 3 4 DA
4. Please indicate the extent to which each statement below describes your general feelings about Kilauea Point 

National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse. Please circle the number that best describes how you feel about each statement.

Statements

StronglyDisagreeDisagreeNeutralAgreeStronglyAgree

It is important to me that my children and my children’s children will be able to 

visit the Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5

I am very attached to the Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5

Coming to places like this Refuge is an important part of my family tradition. 1 2 3 4 5

This area is the best place for what I like to do. 1 2 3 4 5

Because of my experiences at this Refuge I will definitely come back. 1 2 3 4 5

I feel this Refuge is a part of me. 1 2 3 4 5

This place is special because it is where my family and I spend time. 1 2 3 4 5

Everything considered, I trust the Refuge staff will do what is right for the Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5

I get more satisfaction out of visiting this place than visiting any other. 1 2 3 4 5

This Refuge means a lot to me. 1 2 3 4 5

Doing what I do at this Refuge is more important to me than doing it in any 

other place. 1 2 3 4 5

I have confidence in decisions made by the local staff at the Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5

The Refuge provides me a sense of connection to past and future generations. 1 2 3 4 5

No other place can compare to this area. 1 2 3 4 5

I identify strongly with the Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5

Coming to places like this Refuge was an important part of my childhood. 1 2 3 4 5

I wouldn’t substitute any other place for doing what I do here. 1 2 3 4 5

This place is special because it is where my friends and I spend time. 1 2 3 4 5

In general, I have confidence in the decisions that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service makes about managing this Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5

I should not have to pay a fee to visit this or any National Wildlife Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5
SECTION 3

Please tell us about your future preferences for management of the Refuge, including 

transportation and access.

The Refuge is exploring methods for improving visitor access and transportation needs because 

of traffic congestion and parking problems caused by too many vehicles during peak visitation 

periods. There are many options for doing this and some may affect you and your community more than others. This next set of questions asks about impacts to you as a resident of 

Kilauea and neighbor of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse. 

1. As a resident of Kilauea town, how desirable are the following hypothetical options related to visitation to the 

Refuge? Please circle the number that best represents your opinion. 

Options

Not 

Desirable

Somewhat 

Desirable

Generally 

Desirable

Very 

Desirable

No Opinion

A guided tour of Kilauea town, focusing on the historical buildings 

and accounts of Kilauea as a former plantation town. 1 2 3 4 5

Guided hikes by Refuge staff to Crater Hill overlooks and sea bird 

colonies. 1 2 3 4 5

Self-guided hikes from the end of Lighthouse Road for a scenic view 

of the lighthouse, Kilauea town, ocean, and surrounding mountains. 1 2 3 4 5

Guided hikes by Refuge staff to the summit of Crater Hill to view 

native seabirds, marine wildlife, plants, historic WWII bunkers, and 

north-shore ocean and mountain scenery.

1 2 3 4 5

Enhanced parking facilities at overlook/Refuge entrance to include 

such features as viewing areas and designated parking. 1 2 3 4 5

Environmental programs for school and community groups at an 

education shelter located on Crater Hill. 1 2 3 4 5

A north-shore shuttle system that has stops at Kilauea town and the 

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge/Lighthouse and other Kauai 

towns and visitor attractions.

1 2 3 4 5

Pedestrian/bike access to the Refuge. 1 2 3 4 5

Completion of the Lighthouse Road walking path to the Refuge 

entrance gate. 1 2 3 4 5

Fishing opportunities where compatible with the protection of 

wildlife and wildlife habitat. 1 2 3 4 5
2. How likely would you to be to support the following options with the following tradeoffs? Please circle the number 

that best represents your opinion. 

Options

Not LikelySomewhat LikelyLikelyVery LikelyNo Opinion

A shuttle to the Refuge that left from a parking lot in town if it meant more 

business for local shops and stores, less traffic congestion on the road to the Refuge, 

but larger numbers of visitors and visitor vehicles in town.

1 2 3 4 5

A guided, walking tour of Kilauea for shuttle visitors if it meant less privacy for 

homeowners along the walking tour route but more business for local shops and 

stores.

1 2 3 4 5

An environmental education center on the top of Crater Hill if it meant less privacy 

for adjacent homeowners but more environmental education opportunities for the 

local youth and Kilauea residents.

1 2 3 4 5

3. To improve visitor access and transportation, a shuttle could be provided from an off-site parking area to the 

Refuge. RANK in order of importance, the FIVE main factors that would encourage you to support plans 

for a shuttle system. For example, you would write #1 in the blank next to the factor that would most encourage you to 

support such a plan.

___ Shuttle system is self-supported through fees

___ Shuttle system benefits local economy

___ Off-site parking for shuttle is near the highway

___ Off-site parking for shuttle is near the Refuge

___ Homeowner privacy is preserved

___ Traffic congestion on Lighthouse Road is reduced

___ Shuttle system is linked to other public transportation

___ Other (Please specify) ______________________

4. If the Refuge were to charge one fee of $ per person that included parking at an off-site area, a shuttle to 

the Refuge with on-board tour-guide commentary, and the Refuge entrance fee, would you visit the Refuge? 

  Yes  No

SECTION 4 

Please tell us about living in your community. 

1. Overall, how satisfied are you with living in Kilauea town? Please circle only one.

Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Neutral Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied No opinion

2. How would you say things are going for you in the town of Kilauea? Please circle only one.

Very good Somewhat good Neutral Somewhat bad Very bad No opinion
3. This question has two parts. First rate how important each item is when you select a town to live in. Then rate 

how satisfied you are with these items in Kilauea. Please complete both sections (Importance and Satisfaction) for each item.

Importance Satisfaction with 

Conditions

Not 

Important

Somewhat 

ImportantImportant

Very 

Important

Does Not 

Apply 

Poor

Adequate

Average

Good

Outstanding

Does Not 

Apply

Safety, low crime-rate 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Quality of schools 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Parks and open space 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Length of commute 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Number of stores and shops 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Opportunities for well-paying jobs 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Affordable housing 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Public transit that is reliable and convenient 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Walkways / bike paths 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Absence of air/noise/light pollution 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Historic character 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Scenic beauty 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

Low-risk of natural catastrophes 

(i.e., hurricanes) 1 2 3 4 DA 1 2 3 4 5 DA

4. Which of the following do you think most negatively affects your quality of life in Kilauea? Please check only one.

 Growth and development

 Current economic conditions

 Lack of public funds

 Poor local land use planning

 Conflict between community groups 

 Other (Please specify) _____________________________________

5. Which of the following transportation projects do you think should have top priority for public funding? Please 

check only one.

 Highways

 Public transit systems

 Local streets and roads

 Walkways and bicycle paths
6. What do you think is most needed when addressing such issues as traffic, development, air pollution, and open 

space? Please check only one.

 Slowing down growth and development  A change in economic conditions

 More coordination between local community groups  More public funds

 Improving local land use planning  Other (Please specify) __________________

 __________________________________ 

7. Do you recall seeing, reading, or hearing about any recent controversies or conflicts over local land use or development issues in your city or community? 

 Yes  No

8. Where do you get most of your news and information about land use and development issues? Please check 

all that apply.

 Radio  Television  Newspaper

 Friends  Family  Work colleagues

 Neighbors  Local town officials  Neighborhood Association 

 Community groups  Recreational/environmental group  Local newsletter 

 Local business people  Business group or organization  Internet/websites/email

 Other (please specify)_____________________________

 

SECTION 5 

Please tell us something about yourself. 

1. Have you ever used public transit shuttles or buses in a National Wildlife Refuge, National Park, or National 

 Forest?

  Yes  No

2. How do you usually commute to work? Please check only one.

 Drive alone  Walking or bicycle

 Carpool  Other (please specify) _____________________ 

 Public bus or transit 

3. Overall, how satisfied are you with your commute to work? Please circle one.

Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Neutral Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied No opinion

4. We would like to understand how community members participate in local or regional natural resource or 

environmental issues. Please indicate which of the activities you have participated in within the last 5 years. 

Please check all that apply. 

 Attending a public hearing or meeting

 Contacting or writing a state/federal agency

 Contacting or writing a U.S. Senator, member of Congress, or State Legislator 

 Writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper 

 Signing a petition

 Joining a special interest group (such as an environmental, sportsman’s, animal rights, agriculture, or 

 resource use organization)
These last few questions will help us in evaluating how well our sample represents members 

of your community. Your answers will be kept strictly confidential and will not be passed onto 

anyone. You will not be identified in any way. 

5. How long have you lived on the island of Kauai? __________ # years _________ # generations 

 on Kauai

6. How long have you lived in Kilauea? _______ years

7. Are you a :  Year-round resident  Part-time resident

7a. If you are a part-time resident, what time of the year do you live in Kilauea? 

  Spring  Summer  Fall  Winter

8. What is the zip code of your permanent residence? _____________________

9. Are you?  Male  Female

10. In what year were you born? ________ (yyyy)

11. Are you employed? 

 Yes If yes, Please check one.  Full-time  Part-time 

 No If no, are you retired? Please check one.  Yes  No

12. What ethnicity do you consider yourself? Please select only one.  Hispanic or Latino

  Not Hispanic or Latino

13. What racial origin do you consider yourself? Please select all that apply.

 American Indian or 

 Alaska Native

 Asian (please specify below)

  Asian Indian

  Japanese

  Korean

  Vietnamese

  Chinese

  Filipino

  Other Asian__________________

 Native Hawaiian or 

 Other Pacific Islander 

 (please specify below)

  Guamanian or Chamorro

  Samoan

  Other Pacific Islander____ 

 _______________________ 

 White

 Black or African American

14. What is your highest year of formal schooling? Please circle only one.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 +20

(elementary) (junior high or 

middle school)

(high school) (college or technical 

school)

(graduate or professional school)

15. How many members are in your household? _____ person(s)

16. Including these people, what was your approximate household income from all sources (before taxes) last year? 

 less than $10,000  $25,000-$34,999  $75,000-$99,999 

 $10,000-$14,999  $35,000-$49,999  $100,000-$149,999

 $15,000-$24,999  $50,000-$74,999  over $150,000 
 Thank you for completing the survey. 

 The space below is provided for any additional comments you may have.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT: A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Public burden for the collection of this information is estimated to average 12 minutes per response. Comments 

regarding this collection of information should be directed to: Desk Officer for the Interior Department, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 

Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. OMB Control Number: 1040-0001, expires 


Appendix E 

Contingent Valuation 

Bid Response Distributions 

E-1 
Table 1. Kauai visit contingent valuation bid response distribution for winter and summer 

Refuge visitors. 

Kilauea Point NWR winter visitors Kilauea Point NWR summer visitors 

Bid amount ($) Percent yes (%) Bid amount ($) Percent yes (%) 

10 100 10 100

20 98 20 100

30 97 30 100

50 98 50 100

70 93 70 94

90 94 90 98

125 90 125 94

175 95 175 95

250 77 250 85

350 91 350 93

450 67 450 81

 

Table 2. Refuge entrance fee contingent valuation bid response distribution for winter and 

summer Refuge visitors and community members. 

Kilauea Point NWR winter 

visitors

Kilauea Point NWR 

summer visitors 

Kilauea community 

members 

Bid amount

($) 

Percent yes 

(%) 

Bid amount

($) 

Percent yes 

(%) 

Bid amount

($) 

Percent yes 

(%) 

5 85 5 86 5 71 

7 61 7 80 7 36 

9 39 9 67 9 30 

12 29 12 39 12 9 

15 28 15 30 15 11 

20 14 20 27 20 0 

25 11 25 14 25 9 

35 8 35 10 35 7 

50 5 50 5 50 13 

70 7 70 7 70 5 

90 5 90 8 90 7 

E-2 
Table 3. Fee for shuttle, guide and Refuge entrance contingent valuation bid response 

distribution for winter and summer Refuge visitors and community members. 

Kilauea Point NWR winter 

visitors

Kilauea Point NWR summer 

visitors

Kilauea community members 

Bid amount

($) 

Percent yes 

(%) 

Bid amount

($) 

Percent yes 

(%) 

Bid amount

($) 

Percent yes 

(%) 

5 88 5 93 5 54 

7 80 7 76 7 39 

9 67 9 50 9 29 

12 39 12 53 12 10 

15 30 15 32 15 7 

20 27 20 29 20 10 

25 12 25 4 25 6 

35 10 35 6 35 0 

50 5 50 7 50 13 

70 7 70 2 70 4 

90 6 90 0 90 3 

E-3