MAKENA, Maui — The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced yesterday it had cleared out items belonging to a woman who was living for several months in a lava tube in the 'Ahihi-Kina'u Natural Area Reserve.

Karen M. Rodrigues, 51, had been given a notice of violation for littering, advising her to remove her belongings by Oct. 28. When that did not occur, a dozen DLNR workers went to the cave Tuesday. DLNR Chairman Peter Young said it took 8 1/2 hours for them to remove carpeting, bedding, mattresses, food, decorations and clothing. Six sling loads of belongings were taken by helicopter to a flat-bed truck, which took the items to a storage facility in Kahului.

"The lava tube was apparently being used as a residence, which is a violation of state law and incompatible with the protection and preservation of this unique and fragile geologic and cultural feature within the reserve," Young said.

Rodrigues could not be contacted yesterday to comment. She was first cited for illegal camping and littering in December 2004, but those charges were dropped in September. Since then, Rodrigues has been living sporadically at the site.