Partners

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to protect the plants, animals, and natural communities that best represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Founded in 1951, the Conservancy has programs in all 50 states, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America, Canada, and the Asia/Pacific region. In Hawaii, the Conservancy has established a statewide system of 11 preserves totaling 30,000 acres, and has helped protect another 275,000 acres through cooperative projects with federal, state, county, and private partners. The Nature Conservancy of Hawai’i is a founding member in watershed partnerships in East Maui, West Maui, East Molokaʻi, and Lanaʻi. They are an associate member of the Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership on Oʻahu and they are also assisting other partnerships on the Big Island and Kauaʻi. Visit: https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/hawaii/

East Maui Irrigation

East Maui Irrigation Co. Ltd., one of the oldest subsidiaries of Alexander and Baldwin, Inc. and has land holdings in the heart of East Maui Watershed. Like all the partners, EMI is concerned about protection of the rainforest. Surface water collected by EMI from both company-owned and public lands in the East Maui watershed land is delivered to the County of Maui’s water treatment plant and used by an estimated 36,000 Upcountry residents, businesses, farms and ranches served by the Department of Water Supply. Users include the Kula Ag Park. Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S) also relies on non-treated surface water collected and transported to Central Maui to cultivate its 35,000 acres of sugar cane. The EMI ditch system was constructed between 1876 and 1923; while it has not been expanded since, EMI’s 17 employees maintain this private system which includes ditches, tunnels, pipes and flumes built at different elevations along the slopes of Haleakalā, moving the water a total of 74 miles by gravity only. EMI also maintains seven reservoirs.

Haleakalā National Park

Haleakalā National Park is a vital part of America’s national system of parks, monuments, battlefields, recreation areas, and other natural and cultural resources. Established by act of the United States Congress in 1916, Haleakalā National Park is 30,183 acres in size, preserving Haleakalā volcano and native Hawaiian ecosystems in perpetuity. Over 1.7 million persons visit the park each year to experience, enjoy and understand its natural and cultural resources. The park extends from sea level to 10,000 feet elevation, preserving outstanding the volcanic landscape of the upper slopes of Haleakalā, the fragile ecosystems of Kipahulu Valley, the scenic Pools of ʻOheʻo along the coast and many rare and endangered species. Within the park are preserved 24,719 acres of wilderness under the Wilderness Act of 1964. In 1980 United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization designated Haleakalā National Park as an International Biosphere Reserve. Over thirty species of plants, birds and insects are threatened or endangered and come under the protection of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Haleakalā, or “House of the Sun”, was in ancient times, Aheleakala (travel to the place where the sun rises), the most sacred and spiritual site on Maui. Visit: https://www.nps.gov/hale/index.htm

Haleakala Ranch Company

The Haleakalā Ranch Company has been in the cattle ranching business since 1888. The company manages 32,000 acres of forest and pasture land, but the company deals with more than just cattle. The company also promotes eco-adventures, preserving the environment, and technological advancement on Maui. The Haleakalā Ranch Company became a member of the Partnership to support the goals of watershed protection. In 1983, Haleakalā Ranch Company conveyed management rights to a piece of land they had owned since 1888. The Waikamoi Preserve was created through a permanent conservation easement with The Nature Conservancy. This watershed is an easily accessible place to experience the wonders of Maui’s native flora and fauna. TNC on Maui offers regular hikes through the Waikamoi Preserve. The Ranch is also a member of the Leeward Haleakalā Watershed Restoration Partnership (LHWRP). Other environmental support includes working with US Fish and Wildlife, Natural Resources Conservation Service, HI Department of Health/EPA, Haleakalā National Park, and the Hawaiʻi Association of Watershed Partnerships on various habitat protection and watershed quality projects. Visit: https://haleakalaranch.com/

County of Maui

The County of Maui consists of the islands of Maui, Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, Kakoʻolawe, and Molokini.  The County of Maui supplies governmental services to the approx. 165,000 residents of Maui. By supporting the efforts of the Partnership, the County of Maui is helping to ensure a healthy supply of fresh water for Maui. Visit: https://www.mauicounty.gov/

State of Hawaiʻi – Department of Land and Natural Resources

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the largest land owner in the East Maui Watershed, is dedicated to preserving our resources to promote a better Hawaiʻi. In their words, “we are all poʻe mālama ʻāina, people who care for the land and sea. You can help the Department of Land and Natural Resources by sharing your ideas for how we can balance protection and use of our natural and cultural resources in a better, sustainable way.” DLNR provides significant funds for environmental protection projects. Visit: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/

Kīpahulu ʻOhana

The Kīpahulu ʻOhana, formed in 1995, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating residents and visitors of the “ways of old” through cultural demonstrations and hands-on activities. The ʻOhana “living ahupuaʻa” works in partnership with its neighbor, the National Park Service in Kīpahulu, to restore the ancient taro loʻi that once flourished there. The ‘Ohana promotes traditional Hawaiian culture and develops culturally sensitive economic opportunities for the area. To accomplish all this, they have scheduled workdays involving the Hana-Kīpahulu community in the loʻi. Groups of senior citizens, schoolchildren, troubled youth and court-ordered, community-service workers come from all over Maui and beyond to learn and participate. Visit: https://kipahulu.org/

Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit

Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit, or PCSU as it is usually known, has a thirty-four year history of working to protect cultural and natural biodiversity in the Pacific while encourage a sustainable economy. PCSU  was originally founded to support research in the U.S. National Parks.  In the early 1970’s when the Service realized the need for more science to manage the parks they went looking for university partners, the University of Hawaiʻi was one of the first partners selected. The unit has now expanded its efforts to work cooperatively with private, state, and federal land organizations.  The unit has a wide range of projects and often work as a middleman, allowing agencies to pool and coordinate their efforts so they can attack problems across the landscape at an appropriate scale. Visit: https://pcsuhawaii.org/

Natural Resources Conservation Service

The United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service(NRCS), Pacific Islands Area’s mission is “Helping People Help the Land.” NRCS provides voluntary technical assistance and works closely with Soil and Water Conservation Districts, federal, state, county agencies, private landowners and lessees to conserve, sustain and improve natural resources on private and non-federal lands.
Achieving NRCS Conservation Standards:

• NRCS establishes and maintains technical standards for implementing conservation systems dealing with erosion control, animal waste management, irrigation water management, wetlands and wildlife habitat conservation, restoration flood control and streambank stabilization.
• Watershed approach, provide technical assistance to encourage and enable locally-led, watershed conservation.

Offers Farm Bill Programs financial incentives to farmers and ranchers which help conserve natural resources on privately owned farmland. Visit: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/pacific-islands-area

Nā Koa Manu Conservation

Nā Koa Manu Conservation, Inc. (NKMC) is a non-profit organization in Maui County, incorporated 22nd of May 2015. The purpose of NKMC is exclusively for charitable and educational purposes that include the following services:

• Protect and recover native Hawaiian bird populations by supporting conservation research and management activities of like-minded organizations, institutions, agencies and the public.
• Implement on-the-ground conservation management strategies for the protection and recovery of native Hawaiian birds.
• Support on-going and/or initiate forest and watershed restoration efforts in Hawaii for the benefit of native Hawaiian birds’ habitats.
• Design and implement public education strategies to gain support for the recovery of native Hawaiian birds and the conservation of native Hawaiian flora and fauna locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Connect our global community to the plight of endangered species in Hawaiʻi in order to increase education and support for all of the above actions.

Visit: https://www.nkmconservation.org/

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Their mission is to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. They are a bureau within the Department of the Interior. Visit: http://www.fws.gov/pacific