These projects described below include some of the past and planned projects in South Kohala and regionally in West Hawai'i that are related to the work of the SKCP. Feel free to reach out to learn more about projects by contacting coastal.partnership@gmail.com.
Download the South Kohala Coastal Partnership brochure.
Download the South Kohala Coastal Partnership brochure.
West Hawai'i Coral Restoration
Coral restoration pilot projects are being planned in Ka‘upulehu and Kealakekua. These projects aim to improve coral cover, reef habitat, and reef resilience, and inform future coral reef restoration and management efforts in West Hawai‘i. Projects at both sites will only use corals from within the same embayment they were collected, and only corals that are already broken and not likely to survive without intervention. Corals will either be directly stabilized to the substrate or fragmented to increase potential growth rates before outplanting, and ongoing monitoring will track the relative success of different restoration techniques on corals in West Hawai‘i.
Coral nursery platforms and temperature monitoring buoys will be installed in the water on sand patches nearby restoration sites to support restoration efforts.
The coral nursery platforms will provide recovery and grow-out space for juvenile and adult corals from Ka‘upulehu and Kealakekua Bay pre- and post-outplanting for restoration projects. They will also provide a structure from which to monitor things like salinity, light, pH, depth, etc.
Temperature monitoring buoys will provide real-time temperature data available to scientists, stakeholders, and the public through an online user interface. This will allow practitioners to monitor and respond to thermal events as needed. Temperature data will also be used to engage community members and youth in understanding coral resilience and climate change.
Following federal requirements, NOAA is engaged in a consultation with the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) to determine whether historic property will be affected due to project activities. As part of this consultation, the public is welcome to submit questions, concerns, or comments about the project as it relates to historic and cultural sites and artifacts in the project area. To comment, please email julia.rose@tnc.org by June 29, 2023.
Coral restoration pilot projects are being planned in Ka‘upulehu and Kealakekua. These projects aim to improve coral cover, reef habitat, and reef resilience, and inform future coral reef restoration and management efforts in West Hawai‘i. Projects at both sites will only use corals from within the same embayment they were collected, and only corals that are already broken and not likely to survive without intervention. Corals will either be directly stabilized to the substrate or fragmented to increase potential growth rates before outplanting, and ongoing monitoring will track the relative success of different restoration techniques on corals in West Hawai‘i.
Coral nursery platforms and temperature monitoring buoys will be installed in the water on sand patches nearby restoration sites to support restoration efforts.
The coral nursery platforms will provide recovery and grow-out space for juvenile and adult corals from Ka‘upulehu and Kealakekua Bay pre- and post-outplanting for restoration projects. They will also provide a structure from which to monitor things like salinity, light, pH, depth, etc.
Temperature monitoring buoys will provide real-time temperature data available to scientists, stakeholders, and the public through an online user interface. This will allow practitioners to monitor and respond to thermal events as needed. Temperature data will also be used to engage community members and youth in understanding coral resilience and climate change.
Following federal requirements, NOAA is engaged in a consultation with the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) to determine whether historic property will be affected due to project activities. As part of this consultation, the public is welcome to submit questions, concerns, or comments about the project as it relates to historic and cultural sites and artifacts in the project area. To comment, please email julia.rose@tnc.org by June 29, 2023.
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Community and Coral Restoration Project
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is providing funding to the Community and Coral Restoration project, located in the Pelekane Bay Watershed on Hawaii Island. The project would be conducted by The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii and The Queen Emma Land Company. The goals of the project are to reduce nearshore pollution and improve fisheries and coral reefs by reducing erosion and sediment runoff. The project team would remove non-native plants, plant native plants, and build a fence to exclude feral ungulates (e.g. goats and cattle). These restoration activities will take place on approximately five acres of land and the fence would be 5,288 feet long (Figure 1). Restoration techniques will include planting, hydromulching, seed scattering, coconut coir fiber cloth/wattles and vetiver swale planting. The fence posts will go down no greater than two feet and will be installed by hand and hand drills may be used in rocky areas. Following federal requirements, NOAA is engaged in a consultation with the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) to determine whether historic property will be affected due to project activities. As part of this consultation, the public is welcome to submit questions, concerns, or comments about the project as it relates to historic and cultural sites and artifacts in the project area. 
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Figure 1. The proposed project location in the Pelekane Watershed.
South Kohala Naturalists Jimmy and Chris are hiking the shoreline and Ala Kahakai working as Kilo Kapakai by observing the shoreline, sharing information with the public, and collecting information about coastal activities, endangered species, and compliance with natural resource regulations to inform management in South Kohala, including remote coastal stretches where existing interpretation and information opportunities are a challenge. Read about one of their interesting shoreline observations at Pelekane Bay here The South Kohala Coastal Partnership is working with organizations, agencies and schools to install, monitor, and maintain best management practices (BMPs) that include rain gardens, stream riparian corridor stabilization, erosion control, and native plant restoration at five sites in the Waikoloa tributary of the Wai‘ula‘ula Stream. These BMP strategies stem from objectives of the Wai‘ula‘ula Watershed Management Plan and the need to implement actions within the watershed that help improve ecosystem health and water quality. These native plant restoration and Wai 2 Kai volunteer activities were designed to not only restore and improve water quality but to encourage long lasting stewardship and understanding of the importance of healthy watersheds.
For more information go to: www.Wai2Kai.com and like their Facebook page University of Hawaii Sea Grant and collaborators
recently developed the Coastal Water Monitoring Tool Kit (C-Water Kit) project. This project will provide
coastal communities in and around
the South Kohala region with the appropriate tools
and training they need to measure and monitor water quality parameters and to understand the impacts that water quality can have on coastal and marine ecosystems.
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For more information please visit the C-Water kit website or download the project summary.
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The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) recently launched a statewide initiative that promotes sustainable tourism and environmental reef stewardship within Hawaii’s accomodations sector.
This guide highlights Reef stewardship activities that reduce land - based pollution such as Low Impact Design (LID) and development, Watershed stewardship activities, and Sustainable Seafood and more! The first workshop on Hawaii Island was held November 12, 2014 in collaboration with CORAL, the South Kohala Coastal Partnership and The Nature Conservancy. |
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Coral Settlement and Environmental Conditions
This coral settlement study conducted by scientists Yuko Stender, Paul Jokiel, and Ku'ulei Rodgers from the University of Hawaii, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology will evaluate the effectiveness of terrestrial watershed remediation effort in relationship to reef recovery. "We have now compiled extensive data on the biology of Pelekane Bay and South Kohala including growth of corals, rates of coral mortality, distribution of corals and fishes throughout the region in relation to sedimentation, and impact of sediment on fish recruitment." Link to Powerpoint presentation (pdf version) "Impacts of sedimentation on coral settlement Pelekane Bay, Hawaii" by Yuko Stender, Paul Jokiel and Ku'ulei Rodgers for the South Kohala Coastal Partnership Project Updates Meeting May 19, 2014 |
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Funded by the NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program under awards #NA11NOS4820006 and #NA13NOS4820014 to the Division of Aquatic Resources.
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Integrating Local Ecological Knowledge with Novel Scientific Tools to Refine Traditional Community Based Fishing Moon Calendar
Through collaborations between local communities, scientists and management agencies, this project is working to create moon calendars with communities around the state to share local spawning seasons and pono (sustainable) harvest practices. The project goals are to raise awareness of traditional pono fishing practices to improve the health of fish stocks, identify spawning times for fishery resource species, focusing on Kala, Kole, Manini, Akule and others, and to develop fishing moon calendars. NEW INFORMATION: The Kiholo and West Maui: Integrated Local Ecological Knowledge with Novel Scientific Tool to refine Traditional Community Based Fishing Moon Calendars Year 1 report is available. To volunteer contact: Eva Schemmel Fisheries Ecology Research Lab UH Manoa spawningseasons@gmail.com or follow the project on facebook: www.facebook.com/spawning.seasons or http://spawningseasons.org/fish-spawning-guides/ |
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Project funding is from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program under awards #NA11NOS4820006 and #NA13NOS4820014 to the Division of Aquatic Resources.
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Stream Corridor Assessment
The Stream Corridor Assessment project began in October 2013 with the Sustainable Resources Group Intn'l Inc. conducting an inventory of the Wai'ula'ula Watershed to identify erosion hotspots and develop an erosion monitoring program. "Identifying management actions to reduce erosion will allow implementation or projects aimed at reducing sediment delivery to reefs." NEW INFORMATION: fact sheet and South Kohala Stream Corridor Assessment Erosion Monitoring, and Recommendations final report Appendix A Project Photos and Appendix B Hotspot Photos. Funded by the NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program under awards #NA11NOS4820006 and #NA13NOS4820014 to the Division of Aquatic Resources.
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Ungulate Exclusion and Sediment Reduction
The Ungulate Exclusion and Sediment Reduction project led by the Kailapa Community Association in Kawaihae has fenced off approximately 13 acres of land in the Kailapa homestead to exclude feral goats and to conduct watershed restoration activities that will help reduce sediment being carried into the reef. The community hosted work days that provided volunteer opportunities and participation in native plant propagation and outplanting of over 1,200 plants as well as installation of sediment check dam. NEW INFORMATION: fact sheet and final report Funded by the NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program under awards #NA11NOS4820006 and #NA13NOS4820014 to the Division of Aquatic Resources.
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Understanding the consequences of land-based pollutants on coral health in South Kohala
This study led by post doc Dr. Courtney Couch and partners from the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and The Nature Conservancy investigated the effects of nutrient inputs to coral health around the Puako and Mauna Lani area of South Kohala. Starting in November 2013, staff from The Nature Conservancy and volunteers collected and monitored water quality parameters at 12 sites, and also conducted coral health surveys. "This project will help assess the link between coral health (disease and other biological interactions such as algal overgrowth) and terrestrial input via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD)." NEW INFORMATION: fact sheet and final report
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Funded by the NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program under awards #NA11NOS4820006 and #NA13NOS4820014 to the Division of Aquatic Resources.
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Implementation of the South Kohala Conservation Action Plan
Through a partnership established between the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program (UH Sea Grant), and extension agent position was established to serve as the project coordinator. Ms. Sierra Tobiason was hired July, 2013 and is responsible for coordinating activities associated with the implementation of the South Kohala Conservation Action Plan (SKCAP). Through this project the agent/coordinator successfully brought together representatives from county, state and federal agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations to engage in the South Kohala Coastal Partnership. To initiate the implementation of the first phase of the SKCAP the agent/coordinator provided technical assistance to stakeholders and monitored the projects (listed above) in the South Kohala priority area. The agent also secured grant funding for two additional projects "Coastal water monitoring tool kit (C-water kit)" and "Implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce nonpoint pollution and storm water runoff in the Wai'ula'ula watershed". During this project over 3,392 residents and visitors were engaged and informed about SKCAP projects as well as coastal and marine management efforts through the agent's participation in meetings and outreach events. View Powerpoint presentation (PDF version) by Sierra Tobiason for the South Kohala Coastal partnership: Hawaii Coral Reef Working Group meeting July 2014 |
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