Diamond Head, also known as Le'ahi, lies on the southern coastline of O'ahu and is one of Hawai'i's most prominent natural features. From the 15th century through present day, Diamond Head has served as the backdrop for many of Hawai'i's most important social, religious, political, and military events. Establishment of the Diamond Head State Monument in 1962 by Governor William F. Quinn recognized the exceptional natural value of the crater and the need for its preservation. Today, Diamond Head receives approximately 800,000 visitors each year.

In response to concerns regarding the degradation of the crater's natural resources and the need to improve the visitor experience, the 1997 State Legislature funded an update of the previous Diamond Head Master Plan prepared in 1979. The Master Plan (completed by PBR HAWAII and the Department of Land and Natural Resources in July 2003) identifies several elements critical to the preservation of the crater as a natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resource and establishes plans and designs for the incremental development of the Monument, including a visitor/interpretive center.

Diamond Head State Monument is one of Hawai'i's most significant natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources. As one of the State's most popular visitor attractions, the Monument now receives approximately 800,000 per year, compared to just 40,000 in 1980. This significant increase in use has created an urgent need to develop the Monument to accommodate this number of visitors while protecting the site's natural and historic resources.

 


Over the past five years, PBR HAWAII has worked with the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to complete the Diamond Head Master Plan. This work included interviews and public meetings, coordination with the Diamond Head Citizens Advisory Committee, preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (accepted in January 2001), planning and design of the Diamond Head Visitor/Interpretive Center (completed in June 2003), and preparation of the final Master Plan (completed in July 2003).

VIEW MASTER PLAN