#Russell Sparks
Community-led coral restoration effort launches in South Maui
A new Community-Based Coral Restoration Area, established in South Maui, is offering damaged corals a chance to recover.
Sophisticated instruments gathering long term ocean water data near Lahaina fire
To measure the longterm affects of the Lahaina fire on nearby ocean waters, scientists are using three sophisticated sampling instruments that are on loan from the US Geological Survey.
Study suggests Molokini is being “overused”
Overall, the team’s findings suggest that “Molokini is being overused, and that management is needed to improve not only ecosystem health but the visitor experience,” said Russell Sparks, DLNR Aquatic Biologist.
Study to be highlighted in webinar: Molokini thrives during the COVID-19 pandemic
With no boats around at one of the most popular snorkeling sites in Hawaiʻi, Molokini thrived during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s what a small team of researchers discovered during a year-long study that started in April of 2020. Their findings will be presented during a free webinar set for 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 28.
‘First-of-Its-Kind’ Coral Reef Atlas Published for West Maui
The Nature Conservancy released the “Atlas of the Reefs of West Maui,” a comprehensive report compiling 20 years of data detailing changes in the abundance and diversity of marine life in West Maui. The ‘first-of-its-kind’ atlas includes data collected by public and private organizations at 2,600 sites stretching from the Pali Tunnel on Honoapiʻilani Highway to Līpoa Point north of Honolua Bay.
