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DLNR - Invasive Species List for Hawaiʻi 

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DLNR - Invasive Species List for Hawaiʻi 

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Here you can find the (almost) complete list of invasive species found in Hawaiʻi

DLNR defines invasive species as, "alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health"

Their website has a link for individuals to report on "new pest sightings", as well as the Hawaii Interagency Biosecurity Plan, which states that, "The plan is a strategic systems analysis, rather than an operational plan that analyzes response protocols for individual species. It identifies critical gaps in our biosecurity system and suggests policies, processes, and resources to address those gaps. The plan recommendations cover a number of important topics"

Luckily, as of their most recent January 2025 report, " of the actions identified in the Biosecurity plan; 27% are considered complete and 44% are in some level of progress" This means good news!

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The species below are those for which the HISC has directed funding for prevention, control, and/or research. Though the HISC is still in the process of creating administrative rules to officially designate species as invasive, the species below are well-described by the federal definition of invasive species: alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health (E.O. 13112).

Africanized Honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata)

Albizia (Falcataria moluccana)

Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile)

Australian Tree Fern (Cyathea cooperi)

Barbados Gooseberry (Pereskia aculeata)

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

Big-headed Ant (Pheidole megacephala)

Black Twig Borer (Xylosandrus compactus)

Bocconia (Plume Poppy, Bocconia frutescens)

Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis)

Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii)

Cane Tibouchina (Tibouchina herbaceae)

Cape Ivy (Delaria odorata)

Cattail (Typha latifolia)

Cherokee Rose (Rosa laevigata)

Christmas Berry (Schinus terebinthifolius)

Cissus (Cisses repens)

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros)

Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei)

Cogon Grass (Imperata cylindrica)

Coqui (Eleutherodactylus coqui)

Devil Weed (Chromolaena odorata)

Erythrina Gall Wasp (Quadrastichus erythrinae)

False Kava (Piper auritum)

Feather Top Fountain Grass (Pennisetum villosum)

Feathery Senna (Senna artemisioides)

Feral cats (Felis catus)

Fireweed (Senecio madagasariensis)

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum)

Fruit Flies

Giant Reed (Arundo donax)

Glory Bush (Tibouchina urvilleana)

Gorilla Ogo (Gracilaria salicornia)

Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus discolor)

Himalayan Ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum)

Himalayan Raspberry (Rubus ellipticus)

Hiptage (Hiptage benghalensis)

Hookweed (Hypnea musciformis)

Ivy Gourd (Coccina grandis)

Jackson's Chameleon (Chameleo jacksonii)

Jerusalem thorn (Parkinsonia aculeata)

Kappaphycus Algae (Kappaphycus spp.)

Little Fire Ant (Wasmannia auropunctata)

Long-thorn Kiawe (Prosopis julifloria)

Maile pilau (Paederia foetida)

Mangrove, Red (Rhizophora mangle)

Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima)

Miconia (Miconia calvescens)

Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus)

Mule's Foot Fern (Angiopterus evecta)

Naio Thrips (Klambothrips myopori)

Nettle Caterpillar (Darna pallivitta)

New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax)

Ohia rust (Puccinia psidii)

Pampas Grass (Cortaderia jubata, selloana)

Photinia (Photinia davidiana)

Rapid Ohia Death (Ceratocystis fimbriata)

Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis - parasitic nematode (roundworm parasite))

Red Imported Fire Ant

Red-masked Parakeet (Aratinga erythrogenys )

Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer)

Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)

Rodents

Rubbervine (Cryptostegia spp.)

Ruby grass (Melinis nerviglumis)

Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida)

Smoke Bush (Buddleja madagascariensis)

Snowflake Coral (Carijoa riisei)

Spiked Pepper (Piper aduncum)

Strawberry Guava (Psidium cattleianum)

Tropical Fire Ant (Solenopsis geminata)

Ungulates

Varroa Mite (Varroa destructor)

Veiled Chameleon (Chameleo calyptratus)

West Nile Virus

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The species below are those for which the HISC has directed funding for prevention, control, and/or research. Though the HISC is still in the process of creating administrative rules to officially designate species as invasive, the species below are well-described by the federal definition of invasive species: alien species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or [...]

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Invasive Species are Bad for Hawaiʻi... DUH! No but Really BAD. 

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Invasive Species are Bad for Hawaiʻi... DUH! No but Really BAD. 

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In this article, it goes on to explain how the Tragic Lahaina Fire was (partially) caused by an extensive amount of dry grass, all considered Invasive grasses to Hawaiʻi.

Of course, these grasses did not just appear... "large tracts of land were owned and operated as sugar or pineapple plantations supported by water that was diverted from streams, and grazing lands covered more than 2 million acres across the Hawaiian Islands. By the 1990s most plantations had closed, and the drought-resistant grasses and shrubs quickly filled the fallow fields. As well, pasturage declined due to the shifting economics of cattle grazing, leaving large areas of uneaten invasive and fire-promoting grasses to proliferate."

Predominantly, grasses like guinea grass and buffelgrass, ornamental species such as the fire-adapted fountain grass all started growing UNREGULATED after planation and pasturage declined in the wake of a steadily booming tourism industry. Not to mention, "estimates suggest that about a quarter of the land area in Hawaiʻi (about a million acres), is now covered in flammable invasive grasses and shrubs... also paralleled a significant increase in the duration and severity of drought in Hawaiʻi."

Now, the situation that transpired the tragedy in Lahaina is often referred to as "a perfect storm", but to those who understand the history of the land there (it being originally wetland ag land) it is unacceptable to state that this occurrence was anything but "an ignored issue, foreseeable, and PREVENTABLE". Of course, that is not to say that the people involved at the scene(aka firefighters & first responders) did not try to manage the awful situation to the very best of their ability, but it is reasonable to state that due to ignorant leading officials, the community outcry after past events (fire event in 2018), who pleaded the county to make the necessary changes to remedy the landscape in Lahaina and surrounding areas were wrongfully swept under the rug.

The creation of a Lahaina Invasive Grasses Corps should be making headway to remedy the situation to the full extent, and hopefully will incorporate replanting of native forests throughout the area.

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wildfire crisis in Hawai’i - tragedy in Lahaina - NAISMA

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The Tragedy in Lahaina: How invasive grasses and shrubs are fueling the wildfire crisis in Hawai’i. This article discusses the…

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1895 Land Act - ʻĀina becoming "private property"

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1895 Land Act - ʻĀina becoming "private property"

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With the 1895 Act, comes many laws, regulations and "legal" shifts within the provisional governmentʻs rise to power over what can now be classified as "privatized land"; a new concept to both Kānaka and non-native locals of the time residing throughout Hawaiʻi.

This act made acquiring, or even keeping land much more complicated, with the purpose of the eventual total control by the provisional government to use, occupy and sell the land as they saw fit.

Following this Act, years of controversy and heartbreak ensued within the Hawaiian Islands by those affected, namely families of whom had previously, under the Great Mahele had rights to their own land, lands meant to be passed down to their kin in perpetuity.

To this day, thousands of Hawaiians have either been priced out of their lands, quiet titled, or otherwise "lost" their land due to unfair and corrupt laws put in place over a century ago. On top of this tragedy, the ʻike kupuna of Hawaiian Culture & Practices has been since gentrified, outlawed, forgotten, swept aside or mercilessly destroyed by lack of proper care or education by those in power today.

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Organic Farming Rooted in Hawaiian Traditions - Lehia Apana @ Polipoli Farms on Maui

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Organic Farming Rooted in Hawaiian Traditions - Lehia Apana @ Polipoli Farms on Maui

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This video is a great example of how traditional hawaiian farming systems are not only naturally organic, they help the community to perpetuate ʻike kupuna while also providing healthy, locally grown and sourced food for our community.

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Organic Farming Rooted in Hawaiian Traditions – CCOF Foundation Future Organic Farmer Lehia Apana

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improving kalo production by ʻike o ka mahina - KALO MOON PROJECT

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improving kalo production by ʻike o ka mahina - KALO MOON PROJECT

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This project follows the awe-inspiring knowledge of traditional farming practices used by native hawaiians - timing each planting/harvest phase with the correlating phase of the moon in order to increase crop yield & resilience.

When incorporating traditional knowledge systems into todays farming practices, the continuity of sustainable resilience by cultural revitalization becomes attainable.

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The above article explores the ongoing struggles over water rights in Hawaiʻi, particularly in East Maui. It addresses the tension between traditional Hawaiian water practices and modern legal systems, emphasizing the importance of finding a balanced approach. Overall, the idea is that this balance should honor cultural values while ensuring fair and equitable water distribution for all.

While progress has been made, issues remain regarding the balance between agricultural needs and environmental restoration. The CWRM continues to review water use permits and in-stream flow standards, aiming to ensure that water distribution aligns with both ecological health and community needs. Kaleo Manuel, an environmental planner who administers and implements the state water code under the direction of the commission, states that, "Compared to a decade or two ago, communities across Hawaiʻi are more aware of their rights to water and are active in promoting their needs. Thus, we now as a state government, are acting to show that water flow from mauka to makai is important, in streams and underground, not just for esthetics but for supporting our protected public trust uses of water.” The situation underscores the importance of integrating traditional knowledge with modern legal frameworks to achieve sustainable and equitable water management.

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I ka wā kahiko (in ancient times), before western contact in Hawaiʻi, there was no such thing as private ownership of the land or water or any other natural resource that gave life to the people. Such procreative forces were gifts from the gods. The aliʻi (chiefs) who were closest to the gods and therefore whose responsibility it was to take care of the people were the trustees, overseeing distribution and proper use of all such resources. Today, with competing demands for water, where is the balance between traditional practices that assure the perpetuation of the resources, and well-being of the people and modern needs? Perhaps even more importantly, who is enforcing fair distribution?

Prior to the arrival of Westerners, each land district, or ahupuaʻa, which ran from the mountain to the sea, sustained life through the ecological interdependence of mauka and makai lands. Streams flowing from the mountains to the sea provided a variety of oʻopu (fish), ʻopae (shrimp), and wī (mollusks) that sustained the people as well as assured rich fishing waters where the fresh water entered the ocean. Water was channeled into ʻauwai, hand-built irrigation ditches, to the agricultural fields below to grow kalo (taro) and other food staples and materials that sustained the community. The konohiki, or resource manager of the ahupuaʻa, assured fair distribution of the water. There were many rules for how water was apportioned; for example, a single ʻauwai could not take more than half of the flow of a stream. The needs of downstream users had to be respected always, and they could dismantle a dam if an upstream user was taking too much. As long as the kalo growers helped with the construction and maintenance of the ʻauwai and kept their fields productive, they were entitled to a proportionate share of the water to use.

Foreign ships started arriving in Hawaiʻi soon after Captain Cook landed in 1778 and charted Hawaiʻi on the world map. For the foreigners who came and stayed, the aliʻi often offered them land in exchange for their services. Realizing the commercial potential of their land, they started to pressure the king to allow private land ownership so they could pursue economic enterprises, their interest being primarily in growing sugarcane for export. Water, however, was a different matter. Despite what was happening with the ownership of the land, Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli), issued a law in 1839, "Respecting Water for Irrigation," to halt the diversion of water by those who were already taking more than their fair share. The law directed that water would be equally distributed, assuring it would be kept available for the common good. Even after Kamehameha III enacted the Mahele, which paved the way for the sale and private ownership of land, the Kuleana Act of 1850 guaranteed that kuleana, or tenant landowners, would always have access to water to be able to continue farming their lands.

This edict was ignored as the tremendous economic success of sugarcane during the second half of the nineteenth century increased the plantations' need for more water, which was critical to their success. Under pressure from these landowners, the Hawaiian government authorized the use of government waters for their lands. Concurrently, western technology was making advances in engineering that improved the capacity and distance water could be transported from its source by tunnels, ditches, and flumes, resulting in the irrigation of lands that had previously been arid. In 1878, Alexander and Baldwin (A&B), who purchased the Central Maui lands to build one of the first modern diversion ditches, was able to divert about 80 million gallons of water a day from East Maui streams to Central Maui plantations. In recent times, the number of gallons A&B was diverting was closer to 132 million gallons per day. Over time, this reduced kalo production from several hundred acres to 20 acres in Central Maui.

Mahealani Wendt has been involved in restoring water to East Maui kalo farmers starting from the time she was the executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation (NHLC) until today, now as the wife of an East Maui kalo farmer.

"Permission was given during Kingdom times to divert the waters, but there was also a caveat that you would never take so much that you would cause injury to the people who depended on it," Wendt explains. "Over time I guess those promises were forgotten and diversion systems were made more and more efficient until every drop was taken."

For over one hundred years, plantation owners held a monopoly on water throughout the islands, with various challenges to water rights being decided in the courts. It wasn't until 1973, well after Hawaiʻi became the 50th U.S. state, that a case before the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court re-opened the larger question of water management in Hawaiʻi. McBryde Sugar Co. v Robinson dealt with one sugar grower filing a suit against another upstream grower in the same ahupuaʻa, each claiming that they owned the water.

Referring back to the historical treatment of water rights when Hawaiʻi was still a kingdom, the court, led by Chief Justice William Richardson, determined that all waters flowing in natural water courses belong to the sovereign, now the state of Hawaiʻi, in trusteeship for the people. Thus, there is no right of private ownership of water. Although the decision was challenged as revolutionary and unconstitutional and has still not been completely resolved, the public trust was upheld.

Notwithstanding appeals to the McBryde decision, the Hawaiʻi State Constitutional Convention of 1978 amended the Hawaiʻi State Constitution to provide for the creation of a state water management agency that would establish criteria for water use priorities. Before such an agency could be created, several issues had to be overcome, including county opposition to statewide control over water allocation and agreement on which state agency would oversee such a commission. Nine years later, in 1987, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature passed a State Water Code, which, among other provisions, created a six-member Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) under the State of Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources to administer the code. Kaleo Manuel, an environmental planner who was sworn in as deputy director of CWRM in February, 2019, administers and implements the state water code under the direction of the commission.

"The CWRM is responsible for all the public trust uses of water in streams, for stream health and biology and biota, including Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices," Manuel explains. "Balance and equity is often what is in contention. The old systems of water management still linger until today, (so) how do we shift into a new paradigm, one that takes into consideration climate change, balancing public trust uses, and making sure there's mauka to makai flow? Those are things that come up in every decision before the commission."

Harry Mitchell and Joyce Kainoa came to see Wendt at NHLC in the early 1990s asking for help when the Waiokamilo River, which provided water to their kalo patches and others in the community in Wailua, dried up as a result of an A&B decision to completely divert the river. "My advice to them was, if you're going to take on this corporation, you need to organize yourselves so you can sustain a long fight because that's what you're going to have on your hands," Wendt recalls.

Mitchell and Kainoa went back to their community and started organizing the residents. They formed a non-profit organization and were finally ready to move forward in 2001, at which time they filed 27 petitions to CWRM for the water of every one of the rivers to be returned to East Maui. "By this time, all the people had more awareness, and as stewards of their moku, felt obligated to do what they could," says Wendt.

The last of the long-term leases that A&B held for the water rights on the streams they were diverting to their lands had ended in 1986. The community challenged their request for new long-term leases, also citing the need for environmental impact studies (EISs). As a result of the challenges to the new long-term lease applications, the Board of Land and Natural Resources deferred them and instead issued month-to-month revocable permits that required no scrutiny or EIS's, despite a court ruling in 2003 requiring an environmental assessment be performed before any water use leases are issued. In the meantime, sugar production had all but ended, yet the leases continued to be extended.

After setting Interim Instream Flow Standards (IIFS) that limited diversions, CWRM issued a decision in June of 2018 that A&B's subsidiary, the East Maui Irrigation Company, would have to end the diversions of water from the East Maui watershed. Seventeen years after the first East Maui petitions were filed, 10 streams that previously flowed into East Maui and traditionally supported kalo cultivation were fully restored, and seven streams would have no or limited diversions to restore habitats.

CWRM is continuing to review the modification of other streams. "There are a number of other jurisdictions that are involved, for example the State Department of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Army Corps of Engineers," says Manuel. "While needing to assure protection of mauka to makai flow, we want to make sure farmers have the water they need for kalo farming, (and) there also has to be an opportunity for agriculture in the future."

As of early 2019, no long-term water lease has been issued, and all current leases, known as holdovers, are renewed annually. Legislation is moving through the Hawaiʻi State Legislature that would authorize holdover leases annually for up to ten years until the pending application for the disposition of water rights is finally resolved. The community is divided on the issue. Maui County and corporate water holders support the bill and the importance of assuring that agricultural interests, both current and future, will have access to water. Mahi Pono LLC, for example, which recently acquired approximately 41,000 acres of A&B's former sugar plantation lands, is in the process of developing a plan for diversified agriculture on its Central Maui lands. Diversified agriculture needs less than half the water of sugarcane. Those opposed to the bill say that it is a violation of the public trust to continue to enable the lease holders who have not yet done an environmental assessment.

"I honor the community in its frustration for the time it's taken for action to happen. I honor both sides of this. It's been a long time since streams have been diverted, but we are in a transition, and it takes time," says Manuel. He also notes that now that the interim in-stream flow was determined by the commission's decision on East Maui rivers last year, corporations that have diverted water from those streams have progressed with their environmental assessments.

There are other permitting and water distribution battles on Maui and throughout the state that have not yet been resolved. D. Kapua'ala Sproat, University of Hawaiʻi associate professor and director of the Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law at the William S. Richardson School of Law, has been involved with water rights in West Maui for years. Nā Wai ʻEhā, the four rivers in West Maui that include the Waiheʻe, Waiehu, Wailuku (ʻĪao), and Waikapū, were once legendary for their abundant water that supported the largest contiguous area of wetland kalo cultivation of all the islands, allowing the community to thrive. Like many other streams on the island, these streams became little more than a trickle after sugar plantation owners diverted them. Yet, with the closing of the plantations, the water has not been restored.

The Wailuku Sugar Company became the Wailuku Water Company in 2004 after sugarcane was no longer grown on its lands, and started selling its water diversions to the community rather than returning it to the streams. "The community actually actively petitioned the Commission (CWRM) because they wanted the water permitted," says Sproat, who was involved with helping the community with their petition when she was working previously at Earthjustice. The prices that Wailuku Water Company were charging the residents were inordinately high. The petition was successful, and as a result, a permitting process was devised. The diverted waters of Nā Wai ʻEhā are the only surface water management area in all of Hawaiʻi, and this marks the first time ever that water use permits are being issued in general, including for traditional and customary Native Hawaiian rights.

"This means that all allocation of water use permits has to come through CWRM," says Manuel. "The CWRM is still in the process of coming up with an initial ʻfinding of fact' draft, which is before the commission for review now. No decision has been made yet."

As the community awaits CWRM's decision, Sproat states that "the permitting procedures in Nā Wai ʻEhā going on now will be determined by CJ [Chief Justice] Richardson's vision of water in the public trust, and how it's going to be accounted for or not. How the laws have been defined by our indigenous traditions is one thing; how that comes to life on the ground and in the community is totally another, and the decision-makers will have to have the will and guts to do what it requires."

Manuel is optimistic, based on the progress seen since CWRM was established to implement the state water code. "From a planning perspective, the overall framework in which we manage water had to be created, taking into account new trends, new case law, new scientific models, and changes in the environment," he says. CWRM is collecting data through a monitoring program, improving relations and communication with partners, and exploring instream flow standards: how much water needs to remain in the streams before diversions are allowed.

Manuel notes, "We're in a transition as an island, as the state of Hawaiʻi, and on a global level as we work through these issues, and with climate change. We need to make balanced decisions about water resources. Compared to a decade or two ago, communities across Hawaiʻi are more aware of their rights to water and are active in promoting their needs. Thus, we now as a state government, are acting to show that water flow from mauka to makai is important, in streams and underground, not just for esthetics but for supporting our protected public trust uses of water."

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Ola I Ka Wai Water is Life - Hawaii Sea Grant

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I ka wā kahiko (in ancient times), before western contact in Hawaiʻi, there was no such thing as private ownership of the land or water or any other natural resource that gave life to the people. Such procreative forces were gifts from the gods.

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"The state has fundamental trust duties to protect water in Hawaiʻi. Article XI, § 1 of Hawai‘i’s Constitution provides that “all public natural resources are held in trust by the State for the benefit of the people.” Article XI, § 7 mandates that “[t]he State has an obligation to protect, control and regulate the use of Hawaiʻi’s water resources for the benefit of its people.”"

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Water is a resource held in trust for the people of Hawaiʻi. The public trust doctrine prioritizes Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices and the health of free-flowing streams and coastal life over private commercial uses. Despite this and other constitutional protections, water has historically been mismanaged and private profits prioritized over sustainable management

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PBS News - Questions on Mauiʻs Water rights post-Lahaina fire...

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PBS News - Questions on Mauiʻs Water rights post-Lahaina fire...

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This video clip really incorporates how many of the issues covered throughout this presentation are intricately interconnected, stemming to and from one another like an all encompassing web...

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Maui faces water rights questions as island continues wildfire recovery

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"In 1893, armed U.S. naval forces helped American sugar plantation owners illegally overthrow Hawaii’s constitutional monarchy. One hundred years later, the U.S. apologized and admitted in a resolution that Native Hawaiians had never relinquished their claims to sovereignty."

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Meet the native Hawaiians fighting U.S. occupation | AJ+

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Rare & Common Native Plants; Canoe Plants

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Rare & Common Native Plants; Canoe Plants

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Here is a list of all Native & Canoe plants of Hawaiʻi

"Today it is estimated that there are approximately 1,400 vascular plant taxa (including species, subspecies, and varieties) native to the State of Hawai‘i, and nearly 90 percent of these are found nowhere else in the world."

Native plants arrived by the three Ms: moana (ocean/tides), makani(winds), and manu(birds).

Restoring native species in Hawaiʻi is vital to protect its unique biodiversity, support healthy ecosystems, preserve Hawaiian cultural traditions, and ensure clean water and climate resilience. Native plants and animals play key roles in maintaining watershed health, preventing erosion, and supporting local economies. Without restoration, Hawaiʻi risks losing species found nowhere else in the world.

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Division of Forestry and Wildlife: Forestry Program

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The Hawaiian Islands are home to an amazing array of unique plants. Today it is estimated that there are approximately 1,400 vascular plant taxa (including species, subspecies, and varieties) native to the State of Hawai'i, and nearly 90 percent of these are found nowhere else in the world. While the following plants are more common than others, the arrival of humans still brought new threats including the clearing of land for agriculture, the introduction of non-native plants and animals, wildfire, insect damage, plant diseases, and climate change.

The goals of conservation actions are to not only protect current populations, but to also establish further populations to reduce the risk of extinction. In addition to common statewide and island conservation actions, specific actions include surveying historic ranges for surviving populations, augmenting wild population and establishing new populations in safe harbors, monitoring for insect damage and plant diseases, developing research, and more to better manage and restore plant populations.

For more information:
Rare Plant Program Hawai'i State Big Tree Program

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The Hawaiian Islands are home to an amazing array of unique plants. Today it is estimated that there are approximately 1,400 vascular plant taxa (including species, subspecies, and varieties) native to the State of Hawai'i,... Read More "

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"SWAP comprehensively outlines a statewide strategy for conserving native wildlife species, encompassing species found from the mountains to the seas, and from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the Main Hawaiian Islands...

Although progress is being made, the stark reality is that these species and their habitats, many of which are found nowhere else on earth, face tremendous challenges because of habitat loss, the introduction of non-native invasive species, and the adverse effects of a changing climate. More than half of native habitats have been lost, and the introduction of non-native plants, animals, and diseases, like miconia, coqui frog, and West Nile virus, constitutes an ongoing threat to native animals and the very existence of entire species."

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Hawaii’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)

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The 2015 edition of Hawai‘i’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) details the strategy and plans of the Department of Land and Natural Resources and its partners to address the conservation needs of over 10,000 species… Read More »

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A comprehensive list of all native birds (Seabirds, Forest birds, Waterbirds, Migratory Birds)

"Hawaii also has the unfortunate distinction as one of the epicenters of the extinction of its species.  Since human colonization, 71 birds have been confirmed lost, 48 prior to the arrival of Europeans, and 23 since Captain Cook first arrived in 1778.  Of the 42 extant endemic taxa, 31 are federally listed (29 species and 2 subspecies), but 10 of these have not been observed in as many as 40 years and are of unknown status."

Key threats to the remaining species include: habitat destruction and degradation by humans and introduced ungulates, non-native diseases and predators (feral cats, barn owls, rats, and mongoose, mosquitos), and habitat-altering invasive plants.

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Division of Forestry and Wildlife: Wildlife Program

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Many of our native birds are found nowhere else

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Kaʻehu - Native Hawaiian Owned Restoration Nonprofit

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Kaʻehu - Native Hawaiian Owned Restoration Nonprofit

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A nonprofit organization with the goal of restoring the land and perpetuating traditional Hawaiian culture using a community-based, inclusive, family-oriented approach to environmental stewardship and sustainable agriculture.

They have many different routes of action, from ʻĀina based Huakaʻi experiences, Mālama land stewardship & beach clean up activities, and even a Disaster Relief Program.

There mission is to promote the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of the land area and natural resources at Ka`ehu Bay & utilize the land and natural resources, in conjunction with other agencies and cultural organizations to promote, preserve, and perpetuate traditional Hawaiian cultural activities.

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Hui Kū Maoli Ola - Restoring Native Habitats

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Hui Kū Maoli Ola - Restoring Native Habitats

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"We decided to incorporate Restoration Services as a new line of business to further support native Hawaiian plants and their rapidly diminishing natural habitats."

https://hawaiiannativeplants.com/habitat-restorations/

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The World's Largest Native Hawaiian Plant Nursery | PBS HAWAIʻI

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"Our objective is to develop sustainable agroforestry systems using native plants. The community of plants chosen are based on their historic co-occurrence in a specific life zone and their economic and cultural importance to Hawaii...

The NREM facilities host a variety of projects from several departments at UH-Manoa that support the tripartite mission of the college in education, research, and extension. Current and past examples include the evaluation of native plants for green roof plantings, testing of aquaponics systems, use of native plants and coconut coir logs to control sediment and nutrient pollution in streams, phytoremediation of contaminated soils, optimizing nursery management of native tree seedlings, propagation of native plants for riparian buffers, competition experiments between native and invasive species, development of novel propagation methods for seedless tree varieties, and evaluation of a solar coffee dryer. You are welcome to tour the facilities to determine if they are appropriate for your project. "

I visited Magoon to help plant tiny ʻŌhia Lehua seedlings, and it is a great facility for anybody to volunteer at in order to get your foot in the door (on campus) to start working on native species restoration.

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Location: 2717 Woodlawn Dr., Honolulu, HI ( Google map)
Hours of Operation: 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Mon-Fri
Contact Person: Travis Idol

Summary

The mauka campus side of the CTAHR Magoon Research and Instruction Station is jointly controlled by the NREM and TPSS departments. The NREM department controls the headhouse, Greenhouse #9, outdoor shade structures, a weather station, and field plot areas away from the immediate streamside of the facility. See the aerial image for details. Greenhouse #9 contains 3 bays, each with 10 benches approx. 4 x 10-ft in size and water lines on either side to support customized irrigation. The field area is segregated into irregular-shaped plots that can be used for a variety of experimental or educational purposes. There are also several shade structures for growing plants in a more open environment. Water lines available for outside irrigation. We also maintain a permanent weather station with data going back to 2007. Details and links to the weather data are here. The headhouse contains several large drying ovens and separate dry labs for processing of plant and soil samples. There is limited storage space for equipment and supplies associated with approved projects.

The NREM facilities host a variety of projects from several departments at UH-Manoa that support the tripartite mission of the college in education, research, and extension. Current and past examples include the evaluation of native plants for green roof plantings, testing of aquaponics systems, use of native plants and coconut coir logs to control sediment and nutrient pollution in streams, phytoremediation of contaminated soils, optimizing nursery management of native tree seedlings, propagation of native plants for riparian buffers, competition experiments between native and invasive species, development of novel propagation methods for seedless tree varieties, and evaluation of a solar coffee dryer. You are welcome to tour the facilities to determine if they are appropriate for your project.

Request for Space

If you are interested in locating your project at the mauka campus facility, first contact Dr. Travis Idol to see if there is space available. There are request forms for field plots and greenhouse benches that need to be filled out and approved. We also suggest you review the standard operating procedures to familiarize yourself with the operations of the facility.

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Location: 2717 Woodlawn Dr., Honolulu, HI ( Google map) Hours of Operation: 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Mon-FriContact Person: Travis Idol The mauka campus side of the CTAHR Magoon Research and Instruction Station is jointly controlled by the NREM and TPSS departments.

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I paʻa ke kino o ke keiki i ka lāʻau - That the body of the child be solidly built by the medicines

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I paʻa ke kino o ke keiki i ka lāʻau - That the body of the child be solidly built by the medicines

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This semester I took a class, Laʻau Lapaʻau, with Kumu Keoki. Throughout the semester we learned valuable skills in order to combat different sicknesses, diseases and ailments.

I include this section because this traditional healing practice is at the heart of broader conversations about sustainability, land use, cultural revitalization, and ecological balance in Hawaiʻi.

Many of the plants used in laʻau lapaʻau are native or endemic species, but modern development, invasive species, and agricultural expansion have led to the destruction of native forests and ecosystems threatening access to key medicinal plants. Protecting native habitats isn't just ecological... it's cultural and medical preservation. Not to mention, Healers often need access to public or conservation land to gather plants, but conflicts arise between conservation laws and traditional gathering rights.

"Lā‘au lapa‘au is medicine made from plants. It is used to treat people who are sick or injured. Lā‘au lapa‘au is for healing the mind, body, and spirit. People gather lā‘au from the ‘āina (land) or kai (ocean) to make their medicine."

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Lāʻau Lapaʻau | Explore Lessons | Kumukahi

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Lāʻau Lapaʻau, Nā Kānaka focuses on people and their work and interactions. In the KAIAULU section, we learn about the different classes of traditional Hawaiian society and how these are still, in many ways, relevant to us today. KA‘A‘IKE will teach us about traditional methods of communication. ’OIHANA explores some of the different jobs and areas of specialty that are needed for a thriving Hawaiian society. And MAULI OLA focuses on lifestyles and practices that we can use to make us healthy and content.

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This episode presents a brief sample of the philosophies and plants used by one Hawaiian health care practitioner, Levon Ohai, Kumu Keokiʻs Kumu o Laʻau Lapaʻau

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La`au Lapa`au: Traditional Hawaiian Herbal Healthcare

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I had the opportunity to work at Kakoʻo ʻŌiwi as a volunteer, getting hands on experience (begginers level) into what it means to be a Kalo Farmer.

It was SO fun.

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We offer community Workdays which are free for the public to attend. These are great opportunities to learn more about the environment. There are three opportunities to get involved with outdoor experiences surrounded by the beauty of nature.

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Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi | Oʻahu based 501(c)(3) nonprofit

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We offer community Workdays which are free for the public to attend. These are great opportunities to learn more about the environment. There are three opportunities to get involved with outdoor experiences surrounded by the beauty of nature.

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Here is a video project I created of my time working at Kakoʻo ʻOiwi and Magoon :)

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Traditional Hawaiian Fishpond on the North Shore of Oʻahu

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Traditional Hawaiian Fishpond on the North Shore of Oʻahu

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Loko Iʻa support locally controlled, sustainable food systems rooted in Indigenous knowledge. They allow communities to cultivate fish and other marine life in a way that’s environmentally responsible and resilient. Loko iʻa reduce dependence on imported food, which is crucial in a state that imports over 80% of its food. Reviving these systems strengthens community self-reliance, cultural practices, and environmental stewardship, all key elements of true food sovereignty in Hawaiʻi.

"Loko ea fishpond is a sacred space. A sacred space for the community of pae ʻāina o Hawaiʻi. A space for practicing our culture and gathering together. A space to learn, to think, to celebrate, to plan, to eat, to replenish ourselves. A place to protect. But mostly Loko ea is place to aloha kekahi i kekahi."

"JOIN US FOR COMMUNITY WORK DAY! ​Every third Saturday of the month, everyone is welcome at our Lā Hana!"

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A Fundraising Initiative Moving Loko Iʻa Forward Together

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Food sovereignty is critical for Hawaiʻi, where dependence on imported food makes the islands vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, rising costs, and climate change.

Incorporating traditional agricultural systems like loko iʻa and loʻi kalo, along with cultivating other native and naturalized crops, should be a top priority for Hawaiʻi’s government.

These systems are time-tested, sustainable, and deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture and ecological knowledge. Investing in local food production not only strengthens community resilience and food security, but also creates meaningful jobs, supports local economies, and diversifies Hawaiʻi’s economy away from over-reliance on tourism.

Prioritizing food sovereignty honors cultural traditions while building a healthier, more self-sufficient future for the islands.

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by Paulina Jany | Copy Editor
Graphics by Stacy Watkins | Graphic Designer

Before the introduction of Westerner's to the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiʻi was totally dependent on itself to produce a food resource to feed thousands of people. Hawaiians created agriculture systems that were both efficient and sustainable, from taro patches that utilized the natural flow of water from mauka (upland) to makai (oceanside), to fishponds that accounted for the natural life cycles of fish and preserved their populations. Using these methods, Hawaiians were able to farm for food in a way that ensured enough for themselves and generations to come.

During that time, Hawaiʻi's methods of food production perpetuated the idea of food sovereignty, which is defined as the "right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations." This definition is found in the Declaration of Nyéléni, the first global forum on food sovereignty, in Mali, 2007.

Food sovereignty doesn't only deal with the agricultural aspect of food production, but also its cultural and sociological implications. In Hawaiʻi, the land and its natural resources were revered as elders, beings that had to be respected and taken care of. One ʻōlelo noeaʻu (Hawaiian proverb) that perpetuates this idea is "He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka". This literally translates to "The land is chief, man is a servant." Since the land provided shelter, food, and means for survival, it was respected and people were sure to cultivate and use it in a manner that was both respectful and sustainable.

Hawaiʻiʻs current food situation drastically differs from this idea of food sovereignty. Hawaiʻi is located about 2,506 miles from the continental United States, and about 85-90% of Hawaiʻi's food is imported. Corn, a crop foreign to Hawaiʻi, has become the stateʻs largest cash crop. This puts Hawaiʻi in a vulnerable position, as natural disasters and global events can and often do disrupt shipping and the food supply.

Additionally, studies have shown that Hawaiʻi can become self-sustaining with proper land management and usage. According to Brittany Lyte, an author at Civil Beat, only 6% of Hawaiʻiʻs land could have produced more than a million metric tons of food, enough to Hawaiʻiʻs population of 1.2 million pre 1777. This same amount of food could feed 86% of the islands' current population of 1.43 million. The state's current agricultural lands take up three times as much land, and produce 151,700 metric tons of food through conventional farming methods (2021.) These findings suggest that traditional farming practices could be implemented into Hawaiʻi's current agricultural practices in order to provide food security and promote environmental sustainability. Creating an agricultural system that supports food production in Hawaiʻi would also have a large economic impact. "Adaptability is a hallmark of traditional Hawaiian agriculture," says Noa Lincoln, an assistant professor of tropical plant and soil sciences at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. The Office of Planning, Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism partnered with the State of Hawaiʻi's Department of Agriculture to create and implement a food security and food self-sufficiency strategy. Its goal is to increase the amount of locally grown food Hawaiʻi residents consume, and is self described as being a first step to restoring food sovereignty here in Hawaiʻi. "The economic impact of food import replacement is significant. Replacing just 10% of the food we currently import would amount to approximately $313 million. Assuming a 30% farm share, $94 million would be realized at the farm-gate which would generate an economy-wide impact of an additional $188 million in sales, $47 million in earnings, $6 million in state tax revenues, and more than 2,300 jobs" (Office of Planning & Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism & Department of Agriculture, 2012).

There are numerous resources on learning more about food sovereignty here in Hawaiʻi. The state's increased food security and food self-sufficiency strategy is linked below, and is the source of most of the information used in this article.

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by Paulina Jany | Copy Editor Graphics by Stacy Watkins | Graphic Designer Before the introduction of Westerner's to the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiʻi was totally dependent on itself to produce a food resource to feed thousands of people.

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“1895 Land Act OCR.pdf.” n.d. https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://assets.sutori.com/user-uploads/file/bf9f083a-cdc1-4b89-9d3e-8bc38d86f105/1895+Land+Act+OCR.pdf

AJ+. 2017. “Meet the Native Hawaiians Fighting U.S. Occupation | AJ+.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBokfBwYJo0

“Ola I Ka Wai Water Is Life.” n.d. https://seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/ola-i-ka-wai-water-is-life/

Admin. 2025. “Ola I Ka Wai: Hawaiʻi Water Law.” Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, April 22, 2025. https://nativehawaiianlegalcorp.org/ola-i-ka-wai-hawaii-water-law/#:~:text=Article%20XI%2C%20%C2%A7%201%20of,the%20benefit%20of%20its%20people.%E2%80%9D

PBS NewsHour. 2023. “Maui Faces Water Rights Questions as Island Continues Wildfire Recovery.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFSW3CAXbpg

“Examples of Invasive Species in Hawaii.” n.d. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/info/species/

Naisma. 2024. “The Tragedy in Lahaina: How Invasive Grasses and Shrubs Are Fueling the Wildfire Crisis in Hawai’I.” NAISMA. March 1, 2024. https://naisma.org/2023/10/10/the-tragedy-in-lahaina-how-invasive-grasses-and-shrubs-are-fueling-the-wildfire-crisis-in-hawai%CA%BBi/#:~:text=Invasive%20grasses%20exacerbate%20wildfires%20because,dry%20quickly%20and%20burn%20easily

“Plants in Hawaiʻi.” n.d. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/plants/

“Hawaii’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP).” n.d. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/hswap/

“Native Birds of Hawaiʻi.” n.d. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/birds/

“HOME | Ka`Ehu.” n.d. Ka`Ehu. https://www.kaehu.org/#:~:text=KA%60EHU%20is%20a%20nonprofit,environmental%20stewardship%20and%20sustainable%20agriculture

PBS Hawaiʻi. 2022. “The World’s Largest Native Hawaiian Plant Nursery | PBS HAWAIʻI.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuf2Z2LgaTE

“Magaoon-Mauka Campus Facility.” n.d. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/idolt/mauka.html

“Lāʻau Lapaʻau | Explore Lessons | Kumukahi.” n.d. https://kumukahi.org/units/na-kanaka/mauli-ola/laau-lapaau

73rdStProductions. 2012. “La`Au Lapa`Au: Traditional Hawaiian Herbal Healthcare.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTLCHAVdM_Q

molokaimatt. 2024. “Kalo Moon Project.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W_AC_wpwZE

“Home - Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi.” 2025. Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi. May 5, 2025. https://kakoooiwi.org/

“Malama Loko Ea Foundation.” n.d. Malama Loko Ea Foundation. https://www.lokoea.org/

CCOF. 2021. “Organic Farming Rooted in Hawaiian Traditions – CCOF Foundation Future Organic Farmer Lehia Apana.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKetrIBysqs

“Food Sovereignty in Hawaiʻi.” n.d. https://hilo.hawaii.edu/news/kekalahea/spring-2023/april/food-sovereignty-in-hawaii