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Aloha, We are KUA! Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo (KUA) is a backbone organization that supports grassroots growing through shared responsibilityREAD LATEST NEWS
Lawaiʻa Pono Managing place-based fishing practices in ways that honor the values and traditions of our ancestors...LEARN MORE
Who are the Kuaʻāina? Get the first chapter of Davianna McGregor's moving work "Nā Kuaʻāina." Available for download now.DOWNLOAD
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Latest From Our Blog

Reflecting on the Ko’olau Limu Festival

The 3rd Annual Ko’olau Limu Festival returns to Anahola Beach Park, Kauaʻi, is this Saturday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Hosted by the Hosea Lovell Foundation, this […]

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E Alu Pū

E ALU PŪ is a network linking more than 32 communities from around Hawai`i to increase their effectiveness in managing local biocultural heritage.

The E ALU PŪ Network from Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo on Vimeo.

Hui Mālama Loko I’a

Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa is a growing network of fishpond practitioners and organizations from across Hawaiʻi. The Hui was formed as an opportunity for practitioners to empower each other and leverage their skills, knowledge and resources related to restoration and management of loko iʻa (traditional Hawaiian fishponds).

LIMU HUI

The Limu Hui is a network of elders, educators, and community members from across Hawaiʻi who gather, care for and work to restore native Hawaiian limu (seaweed) around the islands.   In 2014, at the request of elders with traditional limu practitioners, KUA partnered with the ʻEwa Limu Project in an initiative to “gather the gatherers.”

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Yesterday marked a milestone for community-based n
Yesterday marked a milestone for community-based natural resource management in Hawaiʻi. Surrounded by Native Hawaiian mālama ʻāina leaders from across the pae ʻāina—including Hāʻena (Kauaʻi), Kīpahulu (Maui), Miloliʻi and Kaʻūpūlehu (Hawaiʻi Island), Moʻomomi (Molokaʻi), and Pūpūkea-Paumalu (Oʻahu)—along with KUA and many partners (OHA, DLNR, DAR, DOFAW, and others), Governor Josh Green signed House Bill 2218 into law as Act 203 creating a formal pathway for community-based organizations to partner with the state to co-manage and care for public lands mauka to makai. Milestone moments like this can feel rare, but lest we forget the countless small stones we laid in this path. Every time we come together in service of our vision of ʻāina momona, the next steps become a little clearer. Every time we leave the door open for others to join us, our collective voice grows stronger. Every conversation, every meeting, every email adds up. This achievement represents at least a generation of advocacy by our network and so many others, and today we celebrate not only this achievement, but every small win that made it possible. We are deeply privileged to be part of this journey, and this journey is only just beginning.  Our gratitude for everyone involved, including those who set this path for us long ago. Mahalo to Hui Makaʻāinana o Makana, especially Chipper Wichman and Billy Kinney, Speaker Nakamura and their staff, Chief of Staff Nick Courson, Denise Antolini of MPW, Ulu Ching and Puaʻala Pascua of Hawaii Conservation Alliance, The Hanalei Initiative, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, DLNR leadership and staff from DOFAW, State Parks and DAR, and of course all our amazing KUA network members and friends!  In the next two weeks more opportunities to learn about co-management will occur at next week at the Hawai’i Conservation Conference (Sheraton Waikiki Ballroom July 16, 12pm) and the Native Hawaiian Convention (Neil Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, July 22, 1pm). #ainamomona #kuahawaii #kuaainauluauamo


Over 100 kiaʻi loko from across Hawaiʻi boarded pl
Over 100 kiaʻi loko from across Hawaiʻi boarded planes and boat to convene in Manaʻe, Molokaʻi in April. Storms from last month’s Kona Lows hit this area hard, but the hosts of this year’s annual gathering of Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa welcomed us with open arms and plenty energy to match. Hosted by the charismatic aloha ʻāina duo, Hanohano and Maile Naehu, there was never a dull moment or shortage of words to direct our attention, fire us up, and keep us moving together. “You guys is action heroes… when I look at you, I see hope. When we build wall, everybody going try make um solid, maiau, and pono as possible, and if it come out a little crooked, little abstract, it’s ok. My hope is high, my expectation is low. Everyday is a good day.” – Hanohano In just a few days we covered an ahupuaʻa mauka to makai, stream to shoreline: rebuilding the kuapā at ʻŌhalahala, hiking up mauka, weeding and mulching native plantings in Puhiʻula, tending the punawai and mala at Keawanui, and making time for deep conversations reminding us that we are demonstrating something that is of significance to our community and advocacy.  Despite the long days, Hanohano’s words, “high hopes, low expectations” was in a way calling us all out, to flip the agenda, to push through sweat and fatigue, and build more than we expected we could. So that’s what we did. We can only hope that we helped to move the needle a little closer toward our vision of ʻāina momona.  Leaving the gatherings is always bittersweet. We head home tired, a little sore and ragged around the edges, but full from the ʻono. In our work, this is what resilience looks like sometimes…a little crooked, a little abstract, but it’s ok because it’s solid where it matters the most; and everyday is a good day. Deep mahalo to everyone who made it happen & to your communities and ʻohana who made it possible for you to join us. Weʻll be carrying this one for a long time. @hui_o_kuapa @panioloprince @queen_maile @ainamomona @kahonuamomona_molokai #kuaainauluauamo #kuahawaii #huimalamalokoia #hmli2026 Photos: Scottie Kanda @gingerdidthis @kaleinani21


HB2218 PASSED 🙌🏽 Mahalo nui loa to everyone who sh
HB2218 PASSED 🙌🏽 Mahalo nui loa to everyone who showed up and submitted testimony in support of HB2218. Your voices lifted up the power of community-driven stewardship and our hope for a more collaborative space to manage our precious resources. This morning the bill passed its first hearing and we are awaiting its next hearing with FIN! There are still two other Senate Bills (SB2979 and SB2685) seeking the same authorization for community co-management agreements that need to be scheduled soon. So keep your testimonies ready and stay tuned for more updates. A few key takeaways from our partners during their in-person testimony: This bill came out of an incredible six-month collaborative process with our network communities, partners, and legislative leadership across the paeʻāina who believe that a more collaborative process is the way forward. Also, HB2218 isn’t just about one place, it’s about creating a way for this kind of community-based care to be replicated across Hawaiʻi both mauka & makai, and to elevate all of the other powerhouse hui and organizations doing similar work. Mahalo Uncle Chipper Wichman and Billy Kinney from @huimakaainanaomakana for these reminders. Also a big mahalo to the some of the working group behind these bills from @huimakaainanaomakana @malama_pupukea_waimea @hawaiiconservation Ahupuaʻa Accelerator Initiative @hawaiidlnr & House Speaker Nadine Nakamura’s office. Mahalo to the Committee on Water & Land! And for anyone who is just hearing about this or wants more information, please email at info@kuahawaii.org - mahalo! #kuaainauluauamo #kuahawaii #ainamomona


HB 2218 Community Co-management Agreements • This
HB 2218 Community Co-management Agreements • This is a special Action Alert kāhea regarding (HB) 2218 submitted by the House Speaker Nadine Nakamura that has been scheduled a hearing on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 9am. Testimonies are therefore due 24 hrs prior (Monday, 2/9, by 9am!). There are two other similar bills that have yet to be granted a hearing: SB 2685 (companion to HB2218) and SB 2979.  A number of you are already familiar with this effort from discussions at the E Alu Pū gathering at Kahaluʻu, Kona last October 2025, and the online presentations/discussion we held later that month and recently in early January this year.  This measure would authorize the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to enter into “community co-management agreements” with qualified Hawaiʻi-based nonprofit groups both mauka (inland) and makai (seaward). This could possibly apply if you are doing mālama ʻāina in forestry and shoreline contexts but possibly also traditional agriculture and wahi pana (cultural and historic sites).  Please check out the Linktree in our Bio with links to our webpage, sign up for action alerts, bill updates, and sample testimony to get you started! #kuaainauluauamo


An abundance of aloha for Aunty Vivian "Vani" Puan
An abundance of aloha for Aunty Vivian "Vani" Puanani Ainoa who has left this physical world. We wish strength to her blessed family in these times. We will recall her joyful irreplaceable spirit, laughter and voice heard at many gatherings and events in her work with Ka Honua Momona and the Limu Hui. Aunty, your shared passion and love for limu 'ele'ele will continue among your family, friends, peers and fans. A memorial for Aunty Vani will appropriately held on Valentine's Day February 14th beginning at 9:30 at Molokai Catholic Church.


On the Hawai'i Green Fee in 2026: "As far as the
On the Hawai'i Green Fee in 2026: "As far as the rhetoric of “whether the green fee will actually support real community efforts” goes, look under the hood. Yes, Hawaii passed a groundbreaking law. But as currently structured, the law maintains unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to ensuring real community support and participation. Community organizations are not procurement professionals, so it is imperative for the Legislature to authorize grant-making programs. Government programs are essential, but they are only effective when they work alongside communities that already have the trust of their neighbors and the knowledge of their places. The green fee can help support that alignment. It can provide stability to the backbone of community stewardship, so that those on the ground can focus on what they do best: caring for the ‘aina and kai that feed us all. As we begin to shape how the green fee will be implemented, I hope that policymakers will remember that ‘aina stewardship is not a service to be contracted, but a relationship to be nurtured. The green fee gives us a chance to strengthen the human connections that make aloha ‘aina possible. If we use this opportunity to lift up communities, honor their knowledge, and invest in their capacity to lead, we will not just fund conservation. We will strengthen and grow the very backbone that keeps Hawaii standing tall." For the full Op-ed go to: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/12/17/editorial/island-voices/column-green-fee-must-be-conservation-catalyst/


The Kaʻūpūlehu “Try Wait” 10-year rest period, pro
The Kaʻūpūlehu “Try Wait” 10-year rest period, proposed by the Kaʻūpūlehu Marine Life Advisory Committee is coming to an end in 2026. A number of E Alu Pū members came to the public hearing to support and or learn from the KMLAC community leader efforts back in 2016. Since the rest areas establishment, TNC conducted a 6 year study which showed key fish population increase and diversity within the area.  The hope is to open up and to begin managing the fishery from a state of abundance. As promised back when the rest period began community efforts are starting discussions on the development of a fishery management plan and rules for the area as it opens up. These efforts are now being led by Hui Kahuwai a new non-profit established by long time Native Hawaiian community leaders of the KMLAC including our own Hannah Springer and Kaikea Nakachi. Hereʻs some information on the upcoming scoping sessions for the Kaʻūpūlehu Fishery Management Plan including zoom options. Use our Linktree for Registration and Zoom links. This is just the first step in an effort that will continue through this year and the next!  #huikahuwai #Kaʻūpūlehu #trywait #kaupulehuworththewait #kuahawaii #lawaiapono #ainamomona


KUA bids farewell to Kinohi Fukumitsu, wrapping he
KUA bids farewell to Kinohi Fukumitsu, wrapping her with hugs, lei and messages of aloha. As she steps away from her role as Lohe Pono, we mahalo her for the deep listening, connection-making, and ground-truthing she brought to our work. Though her kuleana within KUA shifts, she remains part of the network and committed to the vision we carry forward together. The net she helped weave still holds us close ❤️ A message from Kinohi ✨ I am so thankful for the relationships built, the wonderful experiences, and everything that we have accomplished over the past 4 years. Thank you for teaching my children, and thank you to all of the mentors who have dedicated their time to me. This was not an easy decision for me to make. As this current kulana ends for me at KUA, my kuleana as a mother, a kilo, a fishpond spawn, an iwa uhau humu pōhaku, a blogist, a value-add, a creative, a deep-belly laugher, a deep-belly feeler, a biological indicator, a limu eater, a leader, a learner in our KUAVERSE will continue. I will always be a Poʻo of Pahonu Loko, so I will still be in the hui. I love you legends, meʻe, mentors, loea, lifters, aloha ʻāina! Hoʻomau. ʻIʻini. Hōʻā. ʻIlau. ✨


HANNAH SPRINGER for CWRM LOEA • We are sure that m
HANNAH SPRINGER for CWRM LOEA • We are sure that many of you have already heard the good news after a long political battle, that finally a qualified candidate, Aunty Hannah Kihalani Springer, was nominated by Governor Green for the Loea seat on the state’s Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM). The CWRM Loea expert seat is reserved for a member with substantial ‘ike in traditional Native Hawaiian water resource management techniques and riparian usage. Although Aunty Hannah has been appointed by the governor, her nomination through GM770 still needs to be confirmed by the State Senate, which holds its Public Hearing on Friday, April 11, from 1:00-2:30pm. However written testimony is due Thursday 4/10 by 1pm! At the time of the hearing, KUA will be holding our annual Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa gathering, but we are planning to reserve some time for those that want to testify via Zoom. So if anyone coming to our gathering wants to testify live, we will have a hotspot so you can connect wifi to your device. #ainamomona #kuahawaii


HUI LOKO • This hui of Hawaii Island loko iʻa mark
HUI LOKO • This hui of Hawaii Island loko iʻa marked their 10 year anniversary with a beautiful workday hosted by Hui Aloha Kīholo & The Nature Conservancy. The hana set before the group was to clear piles of green waste; then pull and sort pōhaku in preparation for a future work project for Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa. Big mahalo to Hui Loko’s #1 @barbaral_seidel and all the kiaʻi loko who show up in aloha 📷 @gingerdidthis #kuaainauluauamo #kuahawaii #huiloko #huimalamalokoia


HB86 Makai Watch Coordinator • Secure state fundin
HB86 Makai Watch Coordinator • Secure state funding for the full-time permanent Makai Watch Coordinator position For over twenty years now, the Makai Watch Program has served to better enable DOCARE, DAR, and DOBOR to more effectively manage the state’s nearshore fisheries, which has proven to be far too great a task for one state agency alone to effectively manage without strong community support and partnerships. KUA was surprised to learn that funding for the state’s Makai Watch Program, including the main Coordinator position and two new island-based positions, has to-date received no dedicated state funding, supported only by various grants and federal funding. Individual community groups need to apply for their own grant funding to participate in this program – a big barrier to effectively gaining more community support and stability to continue participation. It’s a wonder that this program has continued to grow considering this lack of funding. Many of the communities in our KUA networks are part of the Makai Watch Program, which serves as a great example of successful community partnerships with the state, building trust and relationships, while also better enabling awareness of and compliance with established state rules. Many others we talked to were unaware that the state provided no dedicated funding for this program, especially given its widespread recognition, support, and community participation. With the current political climate of federal funding in a constant flux, it is evermore important to ensure our state is caring for its own regardless. Hearing scheduled for Monday 2/24 at 2pm . If you have questions or need help with registering online, email olan@kuahawaii.org - Mahalo 📸 Kirk Deitschman and Chanel Browne #kuaainauluauamo #kuahawaii #ainamomona #makaiwatch


HB HB309 HD1 Fishpond Inventory • Establishes a Wo
HB HB309 HD1 Fishpond Inventory • Establishes a Working Group within the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program to create an inventory and map of all fishponds on state land and conduct a literature review. After the successful passage of Act 124, HB2626 HD1 SD2 last year to ensure that any state-owned fishpond lease management plan utilizes time-tested practices through native Hawaiian scientific knowledge best-adapted to Hawaiʻi’s environment, KUA found from both internal and public discussions that no current or active inventory of state-owned fishponds exists or is maintained by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). Indeed, as shown from the increase in permitted projects and recent lease finalization for state owned Kalauhaʻihaʻi Pond on Oʻahu, the momentum is growing for interest by communities to restore and steward their fishponds once again. Community-based fishpond restoration and stewardship serves as a resounding example of the endless benefits to be realized through collective sharing of responsibilities to care for our island home and resources. Hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 2pm. If you have questions or need help with registering online, email olan@kuahawaii.org - Mahalo 📸 @kimmymoa & Olan #kuaainauluauamo #kuahawaii #ainamomona



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Visit us on facebook Visit us on twitter Visit us on rss KUA • 47-200 Waihe'e Road, c/o Key Project • Kane'ohe, HI 96744 • Telephone: 808-672-2545 • KUA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization