A free public screening of the new documentary, “Māʻalaea’s Taste for Regeneration,” will take place Thursday,August 13, 2026, at the Maui Ocean Centerʻs Sphere Theater.

Produced by the Maui Ocean Center in partnership with the Māʻalaea Village Association, “Māʻalaea’s Taste for Regeneration” tells the inspiring story of a growing community movement to restore Māʻalaea Bay from mauka to makai (the uplands to the ocean). 

“While the film focuses on Māʻalaea, its message extends across Hawaiʻi. The challenges facing the bay mirror those found throughout the Islands,” said Maui Ocean Center’s general manager Tapani Vuori.  “The film encourages viewers to learn about their own watershed, share its message with their ʻohana and kaiaulu, and become involved in protecting Hawaiʻiʻs precious land and ocean resources.”

Through the voices of local organizations, scientists, and community leaders, the film explores how collaborative restoration efforts are helping revive one of Maui’s most historically and ecologically significant coastal regions.

Once a thriving Hawaiian fishing village, Māʻalaea is home to Hawaiʻi’s renowned surf break, Freight Trains, hawksbill sea turtles, numerous native Hawaiian bird species, and the expansive Keālia wetlands. Each year, humpback whales return to the bay, which was once celebrated for its vibrant coral reefs. Today, however, less than five percent of Māʻalaea Bay’s coral remains — a decline largely attributed to land-based stressors, including sediment runoff caused by erosion and pollution from wastewater.

“Māʻalaea’s Taste for Regeneration” examines several of the initiatives working to reverse that trend, including:

• The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s Pohakea Forest Restoration Project
• The Māʻalaea Village Association’s efforts to eliminate wastewater pollution through the development of a regional wastewater reclamation system.
• The impacts of the historic diversion of Kanaio Stream, which has contributed significant sediment to Māʻalaea Bay, and ongoing plans by the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program and the County of Maui to restore the stream’s natural flow into the Keālia wetlands.
• Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute’s coral restoration efforts in coral out planting, reef stewardship and science and community engagement.
• Mālama Kamāʻalaea efforts focusing on cultural and wetland stewardship education, removing invasive species and replanting native vegetation. 

Following the screening, attendees are invited to participate in a community discussion and question-and-answer session featuring representatives from the Mālama Ka Mā’alaea, Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute, Ecosolutions, Māʻalaea Village Association, Maui Ocean Center, and the film’s director. The discussion will focus on coral and upland restoration efforts and the proposed Māʻalaea Regional Wastewater Reclamation System, a transformative project that would replace the existing injection wells serving Māʻalaea with a modern wastewater treatment and reclamation facility.

The project represents a cornerstone of long-term restoration efforts for the community and the nearshore marine environment by reducing pollution, improving water quality, and supporting the regeneration of Māʻalaea Bay. 

Community members interested in learning more about watershed restoration, supporting local conservation efforts, or becoming involved in the regeneration of Māʻalaea are encouraged to attend. 

Screening Details

• What: “Ma’alaea’s Taste for Regeneration” – Community Film Screening and Discussion
• When: Thursday, Aug 13th 6:00PM (Doors Open at 5:30PM)
• Where: Maui Ocean Center Sphere Theater, 192 Maalaea Rd, Wailuku, HI 96793
• Discussion: Panel discussion Q&A immediately following the screening regarding the Māʻalaea Regional Wastewater Reclamation System and ongoing restoration initiatives.

Reservations are required; seating is first-come, first-served; follow “Special Event” signage. To reserve visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1994629073252

For more information about watershed restoration efforts, ways to get involved, or opportunities to support these initiatives, visit https://maalaeavillageassociation.org/regeneration/