As an organization focused on ocean conservation, we are always looking for the newest and most innovative solutions to solving environmental issues…but what if a traditional approach utilized throughout Hawai’i’s history was able to spark an entire coalition of contemporary conservationists? As the Maunalua Bay region continues to suffer the effects of climate change and urban development along our coasts, we are turning to Native Hawaiian practices for inspiration to address these problems. The Ahupua’a System is a Native Hawaiian science of managing an area’s ecological and socioeconomic resources that recognizes the interconnectivity of different ecosystems from a watershed management perspective. Land divisions were traditionally established using this system so that each community had access to resources from mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean). Driven by these concepts, MM, its partners, and members of the community are working together in restoring the watershed from ridge to reef.
Photo Credit: Cameron Brooks
MM is excited to announce the award of an $8.1M Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to execute “The Ridge to Reef Project”. The Ridge to Reef Project utilizes a holistic approach to restoration and includes major co-benefits to several ecosystems within the three watersheds of Wailupe, Niu, and Kuli’ou’ou. Our overarching goals for the 3-year projects are to:
- In the Mauka (Mountain) Region – Restore and preserve native forest ecosystems, aiding in the reduction of sediment and pollution runoff that ends up in the Bay and decreases water quality.
- In the Kula (Flatland) Region – Redesign stream ecosystems and promote the use of Green Infrastructure to address the flow of sediments and pollutants that discharge into the Bay as stormwater runoff during heavy storm events.
- In the Makai (Ocean) Region – Restore the coral reef ecosystems of Maunalua Bay by outplanting climate change resilient corals that are anticipated to have a greater chance of surviving future environmental conditions.
Photo Credit: Shaun Wolfe
The Ridge to Reef Project is a collaborative effort amongst 8 partner organizations that will execute the following projects:
Native Reforestation and Ungulate Fencing
The Problem: Native forests are severely degraded and remain threatened, leading to increased erosion and sedimentation in freshwater and near-shore marine ecosystems.
Native forests throughout the project site are threatened by non-native ungulates (i.e., large hooved animals such as pigs), invasive plants, and climate change. Invasive species negatively alter forest structures, water capture, and infiltration rates of native forests by reducing canopy complexity and destroying understory plant communities. Ungulates uproot native plants, and their hooves compact the soil, decreasing suitable habitat for native plants. These threats are inevitably leading to increased erosion and sedimentation of both freshwater and near-shore marine environments, and negatively impacting coral reefs.
The Project: Our team improves the health of our watersheds in Maunalua Bay by starting at the source and restoring native forest ecosystems. MM has partnered with the Ko’olau Mountains Watershed Partnership (KMWP), Protect and Preserve Hawai’i (PPH), The Aloha Tree Alliance (ATA), and the State of Hawai’i Division of Forestry and Wildlife to remove invasive species, plant natives, and install ungulate fencing to eradicate pigs in the restoration areas. PPH and ATA have been leading members of the community in native reforestation efforts in the Pia Valley Region and Kuli’ou’ou Hiking Trail, respectively. Under a separate National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Grant, KMWP is leading efforts to design and install ungulate fencing in the Pia Valley area and finalize a design for ungulate fencing at the summit of the watershed, which will be installed under the NOAA Grant.
The Significance: The preservation of native forests is critical to the protection of watersheds on O‘ahu, The multi-layered canopies of native forests help capture moisture from clouds and reduce the force of rainfall on the soil surface, allowing water to gently infiltrate into the soil and ultimately reach underground aquifers instead of running off, flooding neighboring land, and reaching the ocean. By restoring native forests in the mauka region, sedimentation and runoff volume will be greatly reduced in a way that will provide critical habitat for threatened and endangered species.
Stream Restoration
The Problem: Streams in the Maunalua Bay Region are unable to handle increased volumes of rainfall during major storm events, which can export sediments and pollutants into the Bay.
Over the past century, streams and other stormwater infrastructure have been modified to accommodate the heavily urbanized communities in the Maunalua Bay area. Changes to our climate have increased the intensity of rare rainfall events. Our current stormwater infrastructure cannot handle these larger volumes of rain which can ultimately lead to devastating impacts on adjacent communities and ecosystems. If left unaddressed, habitat for native species will continue to decrease and the likelihood of flooding will increase with each major rain event, ultimately facilitating the transport of sediments and pollutants into the Bay and the decrease of coastal water quality over time.
The Project: Our team restores the ecological function, potential for sediment capture, and aquatic habitat availability of multiple stream ecosystems in the Maunalua Bay Region. In collaboration with Inter-Fluve, Inc. and the City and County of Honolulu, our team will lead efforts to optimize best management practices for sediment basins within the area and reconstruct a portion of Wailupe Stream, which was redesigned under a separate NFWF Grant.
The Significance: Restoring stream ecosystems throughout the Maunalua Bay Region will help reduce mass flushing of sediment and pollutants into the bay by promoting natural sediment capture, retention, and transport through stream channels, and will help improve native habitat for critical species.
Green Infrastructure
The Problem: Urbanization has led to increases in stormwater runoff that ultimately ends up in the Bay and decreases water quality. Over 90% of the shoreline in the Maunalua Bay region is developed with impervious surfaces that prevent rainwater from infiltrating the ground as it does in natural ecosystems. As a result of the rise in urbanization of the area, the volume of stormwater entering Maunalua Bay has increased. As stormwater flows from the mountain to the ocean, it collects trash, debris, sediments, and other pollutants that lead to habitat degradation and poor water quality.
The Project: In collaboration with Roth Ecological Design International, Inc., Green Infrastructure projects are being identified and designed to capture rainwater, ultimately reducing runoff throughout the region by. Our team is also working to promote the use of Green Infrastructure practices and hosts workshops to connect contractors with property owners to help facilitate the implementation of Green Infrastructure projects throughout the region. Examples of Green Infrastructure include rain gardens, rain barrels, and permeable pavement.
The Significance: The goal of implementing green infrastructure projects in the region is to capture and manage stormwater runoff. In doing so, increased volumes of rainwater are able to infiltrate the ground, ultimately recharging our aquifers, decreasing the likelihood of flooding, and decreasing the volume of stormwater entering Maunalua Bay.
Restore With Resilience
The Problem: Coral reef health is declining as corals remain threatened by rising ocean temperatures and poor water quality. Most corals exist as a symbiotic relationship between coral animals known as polyps and single-celled photosynthetic organisms called zooxanthellae. When corals are subjected to stressful environmental conditions, they sometimes expel their zooxanthellae – a phenomenon known as coral bleaching that can result in the death of the coral colony if conditions do not improve. Hawai’i’s coral reefs have been on the decline as several coral bleaching events have been observed over the past decade. These bleaching events are a direct result of rising ocean temperatures due to climate change and other anthropogenic stressors that impact water quality. In particular, Maunalua Bay’s reefs have become significantly degraded and face the risk of permanent mortality.
The Project: MM is restoring coral reefs in Maunalua Bay alongside the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology’s Coral Resilience Lab, Kuleana Coral Restoration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the State of Hawai’i Division of Aquatic Resources, and community members. This project will expand the Restore With Resilience initiative – a collaborative effort to identify, grow, and outplant Corals of Opportunity (COO) that are tolerant of projected climate conditions. Our team will be hosting Hana Pūkoʻa (loosely translated to “Working Together for Corals”) Events that will provide the public with an opportunity to participate in our restoration work. The project also aims to provide education and outreach to neighboring communities that wish to implement similar programs in their communities. Visit our Reef page to learn more about this project and follow our social media accounts to stay up to date on our event calendar!
The Significance: Coral reefs are an important source of ecosystem services. They provide habitat for diverse communities of marine organisms, including fish and other organisms that humans use for food and native species with cultural significance. Coral reef ecosystems also provide a space for recreation and protect our coastlines from storm events and erosion. Losing our coral reefs means losing these benefits and resources. The goal of our work is to restore these habitats in a way that prepares these organisms for future environmental conditions so that they remain for future generations.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Updates for the project will be posted on this website and our social media pages. Be sure to follow us to learn more about upcoming opportunities. You can also reach out to the Ridge to Reef Project Manager, Daniel Arencibia, at darencibia@malamamaunalua.org to propose ideas, get involved, and learn more about the project.
The Ridge to Reef Project funds the four projects described on this page. The following partners will receive funding to implement our proposed solutions:
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- Kuleana Coral Restoration
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology’s Coral Resilience Lab
- Ko’olau Mountains Watershed Partnership
- Protect and Preserve Hawai’i
- Inter-fluve, Inc.
- Roth Ecological Design International LLC
- The Aloha Tree Alliance
Our partners were selected based on their expertise and/or specialty in the various environmental disciplines required to implement the proposed projects. Many of our partners have a relationship with the Maunalua Bay Region and have already been implementing similar projects in adjacent areas and beyond.
The Ridge to Reef Project was proposed with a holistic framework in mind, recognizing the interconnectedness of the land and sea in a way that brings the entire community together to address environmental issues that have major impacts across the board. This management approach provides numerous habitat restoration benefits, with the ultimate outcome being the restoration of coral reefs and the species dependent on them. By restoring native forests in the mauka region, we greatly reduce sedimentation and runoff volume in a way that will provide critical habitat for threatened and endangered species. Restoring our streams and implementing green infrastructure will further reduce pollution and flood volume, improving nearshore habitat and protecting the community from flooding. By planting climate resilient corals, the project will restore the reefs in a manner that ensures climate resiliency, sustains coastal protection, and restores culturally and recreationally important species for future generations. On top of it all is the extensive outreach and education that will be undertaken to inform other communities how to undertake similar work in their regions, thus expanding the project’s impact significantly.