Revegetating and Reforesting Lahaina and Kula
“Restore the natural environment; reforest mauka, restore moku‘ula and others, plant trees in all residential and commercial areas, encourage small agriculture, catch & store rainfall, manage streams so they feed the aquifer. ‘Aina and kai are our baseline infrastructure. Preserve and protect.”
Community Quote from Long-Term Planning Recovery Survey
Project Description and Purpose
This project will revegetate Lahaina with native plants, canoe plants and culturally appropriate plants to restore the burned landscape, increase resilience, beautify the town, increase storm water infiltration and groundwater recharge, and provide food and material sources for the community. It will educate the community about native plants and resilient landscaping. Reforesting Lahaina (beyond the town) and Kula with native plants will restore the native landscape, reduce invasive plant fuel loads, increase fire and hazard resilience, increase groundwater recharge, and provide food and material sources for the community. This project includes key efforts such as:
- Create a Maui Native Nursery Network of existing nurseries around the island to establish partnerships and increase operations to provide plants to Lahaina, Kula, Pūlehu, and Olinda
- Establish new nurseries in Lahaina moku to grow plants to revegetate the town
- Establish biosecurity protocols and quarantine areas in new nurseries
- Establish and expand composting facilities in Lahaina for waste diversion and generation of mulch for revegetation, soil restoration, and erosion control
- Reforest the middle watershed area surrounding Lahaina town to turn the unproductive invasive grasslands into thriving forested and agriculture areas; Reforest the DLNR lands in upper mauka Lahaina
- Implement other reforestation projects led by organizations across Lahaina, Kula, Olinda, and Pūlehu.
Interdependencies, Roadblocks and Next Steps
A major challenge is creating partnerships between private landowners, government agencies and community groups. Litigation against the landowners around Lahaina also pose barriers to working together and taking action to restore the landscape. Funding for revegetation and reforestation projects and long-term maintenance of lands are also challenges. The County currently does not have policies to require the management of fallow lands.
Project Details
Cost Estimate
$TBD
Potential Funding Sources
- Tree and Soil Research Fund Grant Program
- Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program
- Landscape Scale Restoration
- County, State and Federal Partners
- Hawai‘i Community Foundation
Existing Funding Sources
Project Lead
County Department of Agriculture
State Department of Land and Natural Resources
Project Partners
U.S. Department of Agriculture
State Department of Agriculture
Kula Community Watershed Alliance
Lahainaluna High School
Kamehameha Schools Ku’ia Agricultural Educational Center
Living Pono Project (Pu’u Kukui Watershed)
Kaiāulu Initiative
Various Maui Nurseries
State Department of Health, Surface Water Protection Branch