Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership KMWP

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Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership KMWP Working together to protect and sustain the forests, waters and people of the Koʻolau Mountains.

Working together to protect and sustain the forests, waters and people of the Koʻolau Mountains

Along Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail, we have been rebuilding a native forest for about 4 years now. When we started in 2022, t...
09/27/2026

Along Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail, we have been rebuilding a native forest for about 4 years now. When we started in 2022, there were a few old growth Koa holding on, but they were getting close to the end of their lifespans and there were no new generation of koa growing because these old giants were surrounded by a sea of Strawberry Guava.

Those invasive trees are a major issue in the forests because they crowd out native plants, kill ground cover, and even have compounds in their leaves that prevent seeds from sprouting and growing. We knew we had an important job to do if we wanted that forest to have a future, the strawberry guava had to go.

Now, we are in our 4th year of rebuilding the forest. We have cleared big plots of invasive trees and started to make huge strides in reclaiming the land. The koa seeds are sprouting ang growing. We have watched tiny sprouts turn into young trees that are around 10 feet tall.

If you want to see what happens when we take on the challenge of restoring our native forests we're hosting a Mālama Nā Ko'olau Service-learning volunteer day on Saturday October 10th at the Wiliwilinui Trailside Forest Restoration Site. We will be continuing our work to transform this space into a vibrant, thriving native forest and we welcome you to join in and be part of the story of this magnificent site.

The event runs from 9am-12pm with an optional interpretive hike from 12:30pm-2:00pm to see more of the native plants found along this trail. We have plenty of incredible plants and you might even catch a glimpse of the curious little 'elepaio that live in the area.

We accept volunteers of all ages and skill levels, but you will need to RSVP and fill out the paperwork to become a registered KMWP Volunteer if you'd like to join in on the fun.

RSVPs are due Tuesday, September 29th, be
sure to complete your signups right away so you don't
miss out!

You can find more information and register for your
spot through this link:
https://tockify.com/kmwpvolunteerevents/detail/61/1791658800000



For this Field Team Friday, we have the privilege of introducing the newest members of our KMWP field team, Ryan Luce an...
09/26/2026

For this Field Team Friday, we have the privilege of introducing the newest members of our KMWP field team, Ryan Luce and Tierney Hennegan.

These two have shown a clear passion and drive to take an active role in caring for the Ko'olau Mountains. We are so happy to welcome them to KMWP as Watershed Protection Assistants and have them trek through the forests with our crew to help remove invasive species and protect our precious watershed forests.

Our field crew takes their work to the very top of the Ko'olau Mountains to care for the Native Forests that are so essential to recharging our aquifers and protecting our land by reducing the risks of floods, fires, and erosion. Having two new team members will be a big boost for the crew and that is definitely worth celebrating!

Looking for a great way to spend your weekend? Then come and join us on Saturday September 19th for our Mālama Nā Ko'ola...
09/11/2026

Looking for a great way to spend your weekend? Then come and join us on Saturday September 19th for our Mālama Nā Ko'olau volunteer day the very special native dryland forest restoration site in Moanalua called Ala Mahamoe.

You can learn how to build strong native forests to help the land hold onto water and reduce the risks of fires and floods for our communities. We will even offer an ethnobotany tour of the site to learn all about the interesting plants growing there and how the Hawaiians used them as important resources for food, medicine, tools, shelter, and much more.

Because of delays caused by the storm, you will have until Friday, September 11th at 3pm to complete your RSVPs and volunteer registration forms. Make sure you get everything done on time and turned in, or you will not be able to join us for this adventure.

All ages and ability levels are welcome, but you need to RSVP and become a registered KMWP Volunteer to join in on the fun.

There are two sessions, a morning and an afternoon one. Volunteers may sign up for whichever one fits their schedule or for a full-day experience, do both:
Session 1: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Session 2: 12:30pm - 3:30pm
Full Day: 9:00am - 3:30pm, with a 45 minute break at noon for lunch

For more information about this event, as well as instructions for how to sign up, you can visit our Events Calendar: https://tockify.com/kmwpvolunteerevents/detail/62/1789844400000
or email us: [email protected]

Take a look at all of these Naupaka!Naupaka is a uniquely beautiful plant with flowers that look like they were divided ...
09/11/2026

Take a look at all of these Naupaka!

Naupaka is a uniquely beautiful plant with flowers that look like they were divided in half. Most people that have spent any time near the beach in Hawaii have probably seen a naupaka plant that looks like the one in the first couple of pictures on this post, but did you know there are also mountain Naupaka. You can see them in our later pictures. These plants that are growing in the mountain and near the sea were the inspiration for a Hawaiian legend of two lovers tragically separated for all time.

There are multiple versions of the tale, but what they all have in common is that they start with two lovers who are not meant to be together and they are forced to separate. One person flees to the mountain and the other to the sea and they become the half-flowered plants that begin growing there. The sad part of the story is that after they became the flowers, the two lovers could never be brought together again because you could not carry the flowers from the mountains to the sea or vice versa before they wilted. They will always be longing for their other half.

It is a tale of love that spans from the mountains to the ocean and on the surface it seems to simply be an interesting explanation for those odd looking half-flowers, but there are deeper messages that we can learn from this tale. The legend reminds of us a enduring connection of love that goes from the mountains to the sea. Even though these are separate realms in the physical world they are still tied together by strong bonds that span across the landscape.

The mountain and ocean naupaka were recognized as two fully separate beings each with their own name. The coastal one is Naupaka Kahakai and the Mountain Naupaka is Naupaka Kuahiwi. One interesting thing is that there are multiple separate species of Naupaka Kuahiwi (you can see a few in our pictures), and lots of varieties of Naupaka Kahakai , but they all got the general name for where they are growing. In a way you could see this as a recognition of the fact that these two realms are separate and what fits or works in one, does not work equally well in another. For example: bathing in the waters near the coast was perfectly acceptable as you were expected to keep yourself clean, but bathing in and dirtying the water in the upper forests near the headwaters was not ok and could be harshly punished.

This ties in to the Ahupua'a, a Hawaiian resource management system that created divisions of land that typically run from the mountains to the ocean. The Hawaiians recognized that the two spaces were connected and that to survive, they needed to be aware of how deeply tied the actions in one and the impacts on the other were. If you do the right thing and show aloha 'āina (love for the land) in the right space, your land thrives, but ignore the rules and you could devastate your precious resources and threaten the lives of everyone in your district. Because of this, the mountain and ocean naupaka flowers are often used together as a symbol of collaborative stewardship that spans across the landscape.

Are you looking for a fun opportunity to get outside and learn about our native forests. Come and join KMWP for one of o...
09/03/2026

Are you looking for a fun opportunity to get outside and learn about our native forests. Come and join KMWP for one of our September Mālama Nā Koʻolau Days. Our first Service-Learning event this month will be at the Mānoa Cliff Restoration Site.

This special site is the result of an over 20 year long effort to sustain and protect a pocket of native forest along the Mānoa Cliff Trail. It is surrounded on all sides by a sea of invasive plants, so stepping inside the fence is like being transported into another realm. The native plants and animals are thriving and it is full of life and abundance.

Come join us for a day in the forest and help to be part of the story of the Manoa Cliff Restoration Site. All it takes to sustain places like this is dedicated people putting in their time and remaining consistent to their cause, this is your chance to help and be part of that effort.

The event is on Saturday, September 12th. Get your RSVPs and waivers turned in no later than the 3rd so you don't miss out.

Expect a day of mālama ʻāina and a chance to learn about the ongoing work the Manoa Cliff Restoration Project hui and the many other organizations put in to conserve this special place! As an extra treat for all of you lifelong learners, when the work is done, we’ll offer a short hiking tour through the site to explore the many unique trailside gems.

Where: Mānoa Cliff Restoration Site - access through Puʻu ʻŌhiʻa Trail
When: September 12th
Check in at 8:30am at the Puʻu ʻŌhiʻa Trail parking lot.
Event will run from 9am - 12pm at the site
(optional interpretive hike and additional volunteer activities to follow, with estimated end time ~1:30/2:30pm)
What: Our focus will be removing invasive species so that the native plants and animals can thrive.
Who: All-ages are welcome to join, but you need to be a registered volunteer to participate.
All volunteers must complete our 2026 Volunteer Registration forms to RSVP & attend this event. The deadline to submit these forms is Thursday September 3rd.
For more details or to RSVP, email [email protected] or visit our Events Calendar linked here: https://www.koolauwatershed.org/get-involved/events-calendar

Shout out to all of the fantastic people who have been coming out for our Mālama Nā Ko'olau events over the past few mon...
09/02/2026

Shout out to all of the fantastic people who have been coming out for our Mālama Nā Ko'olau events over the past few months. Please enjoy these pictures of our fabulous volunteers in action. Through rain, sun, wind, and humidity, they gave it their all to help us care for our Native forest restoration sites like Ala Mahamoe, Waihe'e and Mānoa Cliff Restoration Site. We are always amazed by how much we can accomplish with the help of our dedicated volunteers. Piles of invasive weeds are removed, native plants are freed from the invasive species that threaten them, and native plants are put into the ground to grow in their new homes.

When you see these volunteers in action they truly exemplify the 'Ōlelo No'eau,
"‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia." -- "No task is too big when done together by all." (Pukui, -142)

All of this hard work helps us build up and strengthen our 'āina and protects our precious watershed resources. We are very happy to offer these service-learning opportunities because caring for the land has huge impacts well beyond any single space that we work. Healthy native forests slow water and hold it in place reducing the risks of floods, fire, and erosion and increasing recharge in our aquifers. Growing, enhancing, protecting, and caring for these spaces, reduces the pressure from invasive species in those regions and increases the amount of lands that have thriving native species on them.

One of the biggest and most important impacts is on the people themselves because, the more people equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to take action as stewards of the land, the stronger and more resilient our lands become. They can carry what they learn all across our island and beyond.

KMWP is hosting a Native Plant Appreciation Day at our Baseyard Shadehouse on Saturday August 22nd. Join in for this fun...
08/12/2026

KMWP is hosting a Native Plant Appreciation Day at our Baseyard Shadehouse on Saturday August 22nd. Join in for this fun opportunity to dig in and learn more about the native plants of the Ko'olau Mountain range and how you can grow them in your own backyard.

Participants will spend their day getting hands-on skill training and presentations about our native plants. Topics will include: pest control, weeding, how to care for and grow the native plants, selecting the right plant for your area, propagation, and the value of increasing native plant coverage in our watersheds from mauka to makai.

Space is limited so get your signups in today. Priority will be given to active Mālama nā Ko'olau volunteers and educators, but all are welcome regardless of age or ability.

Waivers and participation agreements will be signed on the day of the event, but reservations must be made and confirmed at least 12 hours before the event occurs.

You can RSVP and find more information about the event at this link: https://tockify.com/kmwpvolunteerevents/detail/73/1787425200000

PS: We have a challenge for all of you out there who know their native plants. In the event flyer, we have included images that represent 9 of the native plants found in the Ko'olau range. Can you find them all and ID them? Leave your answers in the comments section.

If you need a hint, you can scroll to the last image in this post to see the location of all 9 of the plants on the flyer. You can use Hawaiian or Scientific names for the plants, but extra points if you know both. We will let you know if you got the ID correct. Even more bonus points if you ID some of the other plants shown in our photos. Have fun!

08/09/2026

Happy Hawaiian Honeycreeper Day!!!

These unique and beautiful birds are such an important part of our native forests, so we want to celebrate them. When the Hawaiian honeycreepers are abundant, the forests thrive because as they flit from tree to tree drinking nectar, they carry the pollen to each new flower they visit. This helps our native trees like the 'Ōhi'a lehua to get their flowers pollinated so they can grow the seeds needed to ensure that the next generation of our forest trees are able to grow.

Sadly, many of them are rare, threatened, endangered or extinct because they have lost much of their forest home to destructive invasive species and because diseases like avian malaria that are spread by mosquitos have devastated their populations. There was a time when you could walk through forests full of their beautiful calls, now it is a rare treat to even hear one, let alone catch a glimpse of them. See if you can spot them in our video and listen for their lovely calls.

The work we do to care for native forests and remove invasive species helps to rebuild and rejuvenate their home, but there is still a lot of important work to do in order to protect these precious creatures. We are especially worried as the effects of increasing global temperatures moves the mosquito line further and further towards the last sanctuary forests where these birds survive.

You can learn more about the Honeycreepers and other native forest birds, and find some fun activities for keiki here: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/manu/

08/06/2026

***update: signups extended to today!!!, don't miss your chance to join in for this service learning adventure!***

***update: signups extended to today!!!, don't miss your chance to join in for this service learning adventure!***We hav...
08/04/2026

***update: signups extended to today!!!, don't miss your chance to join in for this service learning adventure!***

We have had an abundance of late season rain in the Ko'olau throughout July. This is a great boon for our native species as we prepare for the hotter and drier months that are coming, but invasive species like Guinea grass (aka. California grass) are taking advantage of the water to grow into big piles of fire fuel just before the hottest months of the year.

This is an important time to manage invasive species in our forested areas so that the native species we are protecting and the land we are restoring can make the most of the extra water while it is available. Working to clear invasive species helps our land thrive by ensuring that more of our precious soil and water are held in place instead of washing out to the ocean and causing flood and reef damage. This work also helps to reduce the risks of fires that can devastate our forests and communities.

We offer our monthly service-learning volunteer opportunities to help everyone build the skills and knowledge to be effective stewards of our island home. They are your chance to connect to all of the various areas of the Ko'olau mountains and prepare to take an active role in caring for the 'āina.

Would you like to learn more about our amazing dryland forests and how they protect us from fires? Then join the Mālama Nā Ko‘olau Double Day at Ala Mahamoe on Saturday, August 15th.

All ages and ability levels are welcome, but you need to RSVP and become a registered KMWP Volunteer to join in on the fun. Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity, be sure to sign up right away, RSVPs are due TOMORROW, August 4th!

There are two sessions, a morning and an afternoon one. Volunteers may sign up for whichever one fits their schedule or for a full-day experience, do both:
Session 1: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Session 2: 12:30pm - 3:30pm
Full Day: 9:00am - 3:30pm, with a 45 minute break at noon for lunch

For more information about this event, as well as instructions for how to sign up, you can visit our Events Calendar: https://tockify.com/kmwpvolunteerevents/detail/58/1786820400000

or email us: [email protected]

Address

2674 Waimano Home Road
Pearl City, HI
96782

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 7am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 7am - 5:30pm
Thursday 7am - 5:30pm
Friday 7am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+18084568456

Website

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