Transitioning Waipāʻs mauka watershed from degraded grasslands to mixed native forest 

Waipāʻs mauka lands consist of about 1,400 acres of rolling hills between stream tributaries and steep cliff faces.  Much of the accessible area faced deforestation threats beginning with the sandalwood trade in the 1790ʻs, to cattle ranching starting in the 1940ʻs, a forest fire in the 1960ʻs and then Hurricanes Iwa and Iniki.  By the 1990ʻs these areas were eroded grasslands and riparian areas dominated by recently introduced invasive species and small pockets of remaining native plant communities.  Beginning in the early 2000ʻs, Waipā Foundationʻs team launched successive reforestation initiatives engaging community volunteers and program participants to plant Koai`a and other natives.  

Despite many challenges and losses to disease and invasive species, Waipāʻs native forests continue to grow and expand.  Our current initiative, Kaulukoa, seeks to continue the restoration of Waipāʻs watershed and strengthen the resilience of both `āina and kānaka by expanding tree canopy and workforce skills and capacity through community forestry.  

This project is supported through a partnership with KUPU Hawai`iʻs MALU Initiative and the U.S Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Transforming lands in Waipā’s kula region currently dominated by invasive species, into healthy and productive food systems.

Our agroforestry initiatives aim to transition invasive species dominated lands in Waipā’s kula region into productive food systems. Through emulating the functions of forest structures and integrating cultural knowledge and practices, we work to improve soil health, strengthen ecological resilience, and increase community food production. 

Using regenerative practices, intercropping, and site-adapted plant selection, Waipāʻs agroforestry sites are designed to better respond to environmental challenges, like flooding and erosion, while improving the productivity of submarginal agricultural lands. In addition to food production, these sites also serve as living learning spaces, supporting hands-on education for staff, youth, and community members while fostering long-term environmental and cultural abundance and knowledge of place. 

Waipāʻs two current agroforestry sites were initiated through a partnership with and funding from Kamehameha Schools. Waipā Foundation is a founding member of MĀLA Ōiwi, a network of 14 ʻŌiwi-led organizations of agroforestry practitioners across Hawaii, and a participant in the State DLNR’s Hawaiʻi Carbon Smart Management Assistance Pilot Program. MĀLA Ōiwi partners seek to face Hawaiiʻs food challenges “by integrating native species, food, and other culturally important plants, strengthening kindship with ʻāina, and honoring ʻŌiwi knowledge.” To learn more visit https://www.malaoiwi.org/

Assessing Nature-Based Solutions to Enhance Resiliency along the Waipā Coastline

This project will address ongoing coastal erosion and degradation of aquatic habitats of the Waipā coastline and reef system through nature-based solutions. We envision a project that assesses current and ongoing shoreline erosion at the project site, and after consultations with coastal process experts, a plan will be developed to transition the coastal strand on the project property from a plant community dominated by invasive vegetation to a native and cultural plant regime that allows for sand dune restoration to naturally occur. Our team is particularly interested in assessing how ongoing watershed management practices impact the nearshore coral reef habitats and health of Hanalei Bay.

This project is made possible through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from the Waipā Foundation. Thank you also to our funding partner NOAA for making this project possible.