North Shore NewsBy: MPW Staff
Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea (MPW), the community organization that helps to care for, educate about, and protect the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District, received funding from the World Surf League’s inaugural “WSL Pure” grant program last year and worked together on conservation and restoration projects to help protect our fragile coral reefs.
Prior to 2015, the shoreline around the cove area of Kapo‘o (Sharks Cove) was mostly barren dirt and a desert of shallow-rooted invasive weeds and shrubs. Every time it rained, rivers of muddy water washed into the ocean and caused heavy sedimentation on the fragile coral below. Sedimentation blocks the sunlight that corals need to thrive and causes them to beach and eventually die. As more people utilized the area erosion caused by foot- traffic increased and the health of the reef rapidly declined. After much deliberation, creativity, and collaboration with the City & County, Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea started the Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project in the spring of 2015. Since then, with the help of volunteers and support from entities such as WSL Pure, MPW has successfully removed tons of invasive weeds and shrubs and have planted thousands of deep- rooted native Hawaiian coastal plants in their place.
In addition to holding back erosion and increasing coral health, the plants are acting as nets and are catching dozens of pounds of trash that would otherwise end up in the ocean. Some of the native plants that do exceptionally well are naupaka, pōhinahina, ahu’awa, ‘ākulikuli, and ‘ōhai. It’s important to help maintain the health of these plants by not picking or stepping on them. “We’ve seen a definite increase in coral health since starting the planting project which lets us know our efforts are truly making a difference and it keeps us motivated to continue” said Jenny Yagodich, Director of Educational Programs for Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea. “Our next goal is to mediate the muddy, unregulated foot paths in the area and expand the project to the area fronting the tidepools. Eventually we’d love to plant native plants around the entire MLCD”.
Mālama Pūpūkea Waimea is fortunate to have the opportunity to care for this amazing marine ecosystem and to lead the restoration efforts that are taking place. If you’d like to participate, please email mpweducation@ gmail.com or follow @malama_pupukea_waimea on IG for updates on work days and events.