#watershed

Axis deer continue to negatively impact Maui Nui forested watersheds, agricultural land and population centers. To combat these problems, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife is inviting eligible private landowners and lessees to apply to the Landowner Incentive Program to achieve appropriate, sustainable population levels.

A bipartisan appropriations deal passed by the US Senate on Thursday includes millions of dollars in federal funding designated for the acquisition of East Maui rainforest lands, maintenance for Kahului Harbor and an assessment of Maui watersheds.

In 2024, US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) helped secure more than $6 billion in federal funding for Hawai‘i as he led efforts to deliver resources to support Maui’s recovery from last year’s fires and advance a range of other priorities for the state.

Prolific herds of hungry Axis deer continue to wreak havoc in Maui County, damaging farm crops, overgrazing livestock pasture lands, threatening fragile watersheds and even encroaching in heavily urbanized areas like Kahului Airport’s runways and baggage claim areas. Without natural predators in the islands, the deer have flourished unchecked. Now, in part due to an initiative funded by Maui County, some deer are falling prey to hungry humans.

A collaborative project to protect against erosion, reduce flood risk, mitigate axis deer damage, and improve water quality is being implemented in an 11-acre area mauka of Kīhei. 

While flames are no longer visible at the site of the Mililani Mauka fire on Oʻahu, the 1,600-acre burn area left behind is a reminder of the delicate landscape and its connection to the precious watershed below.

Featuring lessons from local farmers, ranchers, and agriculture educators, the Agriculture in the Classroom program is all about sharing knowledge of local agriculture with second-graders.

More than 20 tons of sediment has been captured in the mountains above Lahaina in West Maui as a result of a collaborative restoration project led by the Coral Reef Alliance.

Forests on the southern slopes of Moloka‘i are about to receive additional protection from threats like wildfires, erosion and flooding thanks to a new award from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The foundation has awarded over $1.8 million to the DLNR to address threats using proven tools such as fencing and removing hooved animals, as well as creating firebreaks.

The Coral Reef Alliance hosts a volunteer Native Planting Day in West Maui on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Experts will share information on work being done to restore natural filtration within Maui’s watersheds to prevent land-based water pollution from flowing into the sea and degrading coral reefs.  Progress of efforts made in the Wahikuli watershed in West Maui will also be discussed.

Restoration Manager for the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission Restoration Program, Paul Higashino, will lead a discussion about watershed restoration…

The Hawaiʻi Watershed Initiative supports projects that move forward the state’s goal of protecting 30% of Hawaiʻi’s highest priority watershed forests by 2030.

This fun family-friendly event is free and open to the public, with a focus on watershed-scale conservation themes and information on what Maui residents can do to help coral reefs and fisheries.

By Wendy Osher The state will consider the expenditure of more than $1 million in federal funds for six landowner incentive program projects across Hawaii.  Nearly half of the funding would go to Tri-Isle Resource Conservation & Development Inc. for watershed forest protection at Kahikinui, Maui.  The allocation would be used to protect an estimated […]

The State Commission on Water Resource Management (Commission) is preparing to address the instream flow standards for 16 surface water hydrologic units in east Maui.  This comes one year after the Commission’s decision to establish measurable instream flow standards for five priority hydrologic units in the same region.  Surface water hydrologic units are comparable to […]