Kahu ʻĀina Hawaiʻi
Stewardship program designed to hire dedicated family and community members along the Puna coastline. Stewards will collect fees, human and environmental use data, educate, ensure safety, and disseminate information.
Kahu ʻĀina Hawaiʻi will create a self-sustaining program to protect, preserve and enhance the natural, cultural and recreational resources along the coast of Puna in partnership with the Hawai'i County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Program Highlights
Planning for future needs
Puna has been experiencing an overwhelming amount of visitors and new residents with a lack of education, protocols and without boundaries. The Puna community is still in recovery from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption and basic infrastructures are still needed. Roads and water restoration is critical for ʻohana to access their homes and resources. Once basic infrastructures are restored, many places along will have open unrestricted access. We will experience more visitors which may have negative impacts on the quality of life for residents and resources unless appropriate education and protocols are set up. So we are vigilantly preparing and working towards solutions.
Hawaiian-Based Education
Hawaiian culture-based education focuses on our kanaka maoli worldview, traditions, language, and practices. It is integrated into daily life, curriculum and teaching methodologies, which emphasizing the importance of cultural identity, history, and values. This educational model acknowledges that Native Hawaiian culture is living and evolving, and that we need to embody it everyday.
Community Based Stewardship
Community-based stewardship is a collaborative approach to managing and caring for natural and cultural resources at a specific place. It involves dedicated residents, organizations, and stakeholders of all ages working together, taking responsibility and making action happen towards a better tomorrow today.
Focus Areas
Employment & Education
Full and partial time employment for ʻohana and community members doing environmental and cultural stewardship. Stewards are key educators on site. They are to teach best practices, promote community wellbeing, and be the protectors of wahi pana.
Collaboration
We collaborate with many partners: County and State of Hawaiʻi, other community organizations, Niu Now, PIPES, universities, schools, and private businesses to collectively support and execute programs that help us accomplish our mission and vision.
Data and Research
Indigenous and western research, data collection, and interpretation helps us with management and stewardship decisions.