Core Programs

Ocean Program Updates

Sustainability

Because reserve waters are protected by law, the region acts as a fish sanctuary that helps replenish fish stocks throughout the islands, particularly around Maui and Lānaʻi. To better understand fish population dynamics, the Ocean team monitors fish habitat, growth rates, and travel with the help of community volunteers and the permitted trolling program.

Management

As a reserve, Kahoʻolawe supports abundant marine life including manō (sharks), naiʻa (dolphins), hāhālua (manta rays), and koholā (humpback whales). ʻIlioholoikauaua (monk seals), honu (turtles), and manu kai (seabirds) also use the reserve’s coastal habitats. Counts by land, sea, and air help establish a baseline for distribution and abundance so KIRC can measure whether protection leads to population gains.

Restoration

More than 40 tons of marine debris have been removed from Kahoʻolawe over the past three years, especially from Kanapou, Puhianenue, and ʻOawawahie—three bays known for debris accumulation. Some of this debris is repurposed on Maui for recycled arts and educational programs. Grant-funded aerial surveys help monitor rates of marine debris reintroduction and identify priority areas for future removal.

Monitoring

Coastal hikes and underwater surveys collect both quantitative and qualitative information used to track seasonal trends and environmental abnormalities. Partners including The Nature Conservancy, NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, and the University of Hawaiʻi have helped inventory nearshore fish populations, coral abundance, and related indicators to support long-term monitoring.

Restoration Program Updates

• Status Update Download February 2026 Restoration Status Update (PDF)

Plantings

Kahoʻolawe is being replanted with native trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and herbs. As of 2026, more than 450,000 native plants have been reintroduced. Only about 820 acres of the 12,800 most severely eroded acres can currently be replanted; the remaining land is barren hardpan, compacted so severely by erosion that it cannot readily absorb water.

Biosecurity

Preventing invasive alien species and eradicating target species are key to the restoration of Kahoʻolawe. KIRC’s comprehensive biosecurity plan focuses on prevention, detection, quarantine, eradication, and education. Activities include biological inventories on the island and at ports of departure, development of best management practices for the Maui nursery, and control projects for rodents and khaki weed.

Faunal Restoration

As a federally protected reserve, Kahoʻolawe is a sanctuary for rare wildlife species in Hawaiʻi where human disturbance, development, and light pollution are minimal. Recognized as a highly suitable site for the reintroduction and establishment of rare birds, the island offers important opportunities for both wildlife recovery and the continuation of traditional Native Hawaiian cultural practices.

Cultural Resources Program Updates

Integrating Culture and Restoration

Cultural integration is emphasized in all facets of Kahoʻolawe’s restoration. Traditionally, the island was considered a sacred place associated with Kanaloa, the Hawaiian deity of the ocean. Today it remains a sacred and spiritual place as well as a cultural treasure containing numerous heiau, koʻa, and ahu. The entire island is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its archaeological, cultural, and historic significance.

Kahoʻolawe Archaeological Importance

Kahoʻolawe is the only major island in the Pacific that has been archaeologically surveyed from coast to coast. The inventory now includes nearly 3,000 historic sites and features.

The island preserves a unique and intact record of all phases of the Hawaiian past, from the adze maker’s workshop at Puʻumoiwi to the fisherman’s camp at Kealaikahiki, from the heiau at Hakioawa to the paniolo bunkhouse at Kuheia. These and other resources provide enduring opportunities for education and inspiration.

Adherence to Cultural Protocols

KIRC staff maintains the cultural essence of Kahoʻolawe by following the ʻAha Pawalu, a protocol book written by the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation specifically for KIRC. It details sixteen chants and nine protocols that guide proper cultural behavior. A second book, Kalai Maoli Ola, may also be used in the future for area-specific protocols.

Traditional Cultural Practices

Various ceremonies and rites are regularly performed on Kahoʻolawe using traditional cultural practices. The annual planting ceremony takes place each October at the beginning of the wet season, bringing together KIRC and Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana to offer hoʻokupu and open the planting season. Cultural practitioners also perform seasonal ceremonies for Kāne and Kanaloa during the solstices, and proper burial ceremonies are conducted whenever iwi kūpuna are encountered.

Administration Updates

Living Library

In 2014, KIRC received a two-year federal grant through the Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to develop a virtual museum pilot project. Designed in collaboration with cultural and library science consultants, the online database called the Kahoʻolawe Living Library presents a community-curated collection of archived photos for educational use. By creating access to these resources, KIRC advances its mission of providing access to Kahoʻolawe. View the Living Library webpage (external link).

Outreach

Public information, communications, and one-on-one engagement are essential to informing the community and decision-makers about the work being done to benefit the people of Hawaiʻi. Through the Ko Hema Lamalama newsletter, e-news bulletins, press releases, fact-checking for media outlets, written testimony, conventions, events, speaking engagements, classroom visits, social media, and more, KIRC works to build and sustain relationships with the community. Interested in learning more? Contact KIRC.outreach@hawaii.gov.