The Office of Hawaiian Affairs recently won a $2.24 million grant from the United States Department of Defense Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Challenge in partnership with Army Garrison-Hawaii, according to a statement from OHA representatives.
As part of the project, the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawa will continue efforts to replant a native hardwood forest and contribute to watershed management on OHA’s Wahiawa lands, which include 511 acres surrounding the Kukaniloko birth stones, where royal children were born in ancient Hawaii.
“The funding will advance the work outlined in our community-led conceptual master plan for our Wahiawa lands,” said Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey, board chair of OHA. “Our partnerships with respected subject matter and cultural experts with ties to these lands are vital to carrying out the responsible stewardship of our lands.”
The five-year grant pursued by OHA staff represents the office's first multi-million award dedicated to land management, according to representatives of OHA. The initial $2.24 million will fund equipment and materials, site preparation and resources for community partners.
As part of the project, the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center and Forest Solutions Inc. will plant koa, iliahi and ohia. The University of Hawaii at Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Relations will also partner with the educational nonprofit Aina Kaiaulu to scale up soil remediation, ecosystem services and food production demonstration plots.
“The REPI project presents significant benefits for Wahiawa lands by fostering collaborative conservation efforts, enhancing resilience to climate change, and providing resources for sustainable land use practices, ultimately contributing to the overall wellbeing and ecological health of the community,” said Kahealani Acosta, co-founder of Aina Kaiaulu. “We are here to support our Wahiawa community through this project and hope to share and preserve the innate knowledge embedded at this sacred site.”
UH's department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management will also partner with the UH Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation to establish a native seed orchard of 10 to 15 native trees, shrubs and ground cover species to address the shortage of native seeds that can help to mitigate wildfires, according to representatives of OHA.
The REPI Challenge is a competition that funds conservation partners near military installations and supports innovation, conservation and climate resilience actions. For more information, go here.
