MĀLAMA AWĀWA O KULANURTURING THE VALLEYS OF KULA
Organizing neighbors and fire-affected landowners in a coordinated watershed-scale wildfire recovery effort in the Kula Fire burn scar.
The Kula Fire Restoration Project: Supporting the long-term recovery and resilience of Kula’s fire-affected watershed.
Nā keiki uneune māmane o Kula.An expression of admiration for the people of Kula, Maui, who accomplish whatever they set out to do.
- ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #2238
A grassroots intiative made of, by, and for Kula’s fire-affected communities.
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In August 2023, approximately 202 acres of the Waiakoa watershed in Upper Kula (including more than 23 homes, dozens of other structures, and a thick forest of invasive Australian Black Wattle trees) burned to the ground. This historic wildfire primarily took place inside a steep valley referred to as Pōhakuokalā in higher elevations, and Pūlehu in lower elevations.
Since late August 2023, the Kula Community Watershed Alliance has consistently convened the fire-affected community of Kula to keep an open dialogue and to learn together the best way to move forward.
As elders have told us, we see that the way forward is often found in the wisdom of the past. According to historical record, this landscape (most recently dominated by invasive wattle trees) was once one of the most biodiverse native habitats on the slopes of pre-contact Haleakalā.
A critical source of fresh groundwater and food for endangered native species, this mesic forest once hosted a convergence of both windward and leeward species – as well as its own unique species – and is in need of our support now more than ever.
The people living in this watershed have seen the health of the land decline over decades, and in the aftermath of the wildfire, are eager to restore vitality to the place they call home.
This region is equally important for our neighbors down stream: the waters that flow through our gulches feed Keālia Pond and the South Maui wetlands –home to endangered species and critical ecological processes that support the near-shore ocean environment.
Waiakoa watershed has been destabilized and is now at risk in the aftermath of the wildfire. After the fire, neighbors immediately joined together to commit to the recovery and long-term stewardship of this special place.
The Kula Community Watershed Alliance was founded by those stewards with a shared vision to “Mālama Awāwa O Kula” – nurture the valleys and gulches of Kula, and in so doing, nurture the well-being of our communities, too.
Together, the Kula Community Watershed Alliance strives to stabilize, protect, restore, and maintain the burned areas and beyond.
We believe watershed health is community health.
Learn more about the Kula Fire Restoration Project, which is guided by a group of subject matter experts, below. You can also explore our commitment to and work to reduce invasive species (fire fuels) here.
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The first step in post-wildfire restoration, especially in areas with high soil burn severity like Kula, is to establish a stable foundation for recovery. While plants are essential for stabilizing the land, the fire’s intensity and pre-fire soil dehydration have left the landscape with sterile, powdery soil lacking structure or organic matter.
To address this, we have applied a mulch treatment made from invasive woody material collected nearby, and have stabilized 8 acres of priority so far. This mulch acts as a protective layer, stabilizing the soil, slowing water runoff on slopes, filtering rainwater, and preparing the soil for planting.
Future critical erosion control work in the burned areas is being supported by the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection Program, ensuring a safe and effective start to the restoration process.
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Restoring this fire-affected area comes with significant challenges, particularly invasive species and Axis Deer. Long before the fires, deforestation and fire-prone invasive plants had already disrupted these lands. Axis Deer, known for devastating watersheds across Maui County, add further pressure.
To address this, we are committed to building a resilient landscape through “Assisted Natural Regeneration.” This involves reducing fire fuels, controlling invasive species, and keeping Axis Deer out of the restoration site using methods like systematic weed control and strategic fencing. Together, these efforts will ensure a stronger, healthier Kula.
KCWA is able to offer protection from Axis Deer for all 71 fire-affected landowners in Kula, thanks to funding from the Maui Strong of the Hawai’i Community Foundation, from a US Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration grant, and Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 319 funds through State of Hawai’i Department of Health Surface Water Protection Branch.
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Guided by ecological and cultural advisors, we will restore a healthy watershed by planting site-appropriate native species. These include groundcovers, shrubs, and canopy trees to reestablish the area’s natural structure and biodiversity.
This part of Kula, known as Pōhakuokalā (and Pūlehu below), once supported a rich montane mesic forest. We aim to honor its ecological identity by sourcing seeds and saplings from local habitats and preserves. Partner organizations are already helping grow these plants for the restoration effort.
Funding for the restoration effort is provided by a number of partners, including the Maui Strong of the Hawai’i Community Foundation, from a US Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration grant, and Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 319 funds through State of Hawai’i Department of Health Surface Water Protection Branch.
Addition planting support is being provided by Kula School, Kamehameha Schools Maui, Hawai’i Agricultural Research Center, Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, and Haleakalā Biochar.
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Stewardship is a marathon, not a sprint. We are committed to assisting participating landowners with tools and funds for long-term maintenance of restoration areas, and this will include careful monitoring, weeding, fence repair, and plant care.
Community work days to maintain our watershed (in the safest areas of the restoration zone) will be a big part of our maintenance plan.
Sign up for our mailing list to be informed of upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Latest Updates from the Alliance
What is a Watershed?
The Wonders of Watersheds
Discover the magic of watersheds (groupings of ahupua'a), where raindrops journey through hills and valleys to reach a common destination.
Rainfall & Runoff
Raindrops paint the landscape, trickling down hills to form tributaries that tell the story of our land.
Tributaries & Convergence
Join the dance of tributaries as they converge, shaping a powerful flow that defines the essence of our watershed.
Percolation to Groundwater
Some raindrops choose a hidden journey, percolating into the earth to join an aquifer, a life source beneath the surface.
Watershed Divide
Witness the watershed divide, where the land makes a choice, guiding rainwater in different directions. Water that moves along the surface of the watershed makes it into the ocean, eventually.
Protecting Our Watershed.
Like the raindrops, every action we take ripples through the land. By making good choices, we can safeguard precious fresh water and native habitats, nearshore ocean environments and reefs, and recreational spaces—for generations.
Watershed health is community health.
Explore all the ways to join us and get involved.
Join the Alliance.
Are you a concerned resident living in the fire affected areas of Kula? A potential partner that can bring resources to our effort? Join the Kula Community Watershed Alliance and connect with like-minded neighbors who are dedicated to restoring the lands they call home.
Make a Gift
Post-fire recovery, soil stabilization, and land restoration of this magnitude is a long-term stewardship process that requires hard work, specialized equipment, expertise, and resources to properly execute. Please give what you can to help us make our neighborhood fire-safe, recover the land, and support its vitality.
Watch the Watershed.
Have you noticed anything new in your watershed? Submit your observations to our crowdsourced citizen science project to get to know our watershed better.
Volunteer.
Sign up to join the Alliance’s volunteer corps, and you’ll automatically be notifed about all of our volunteer opportunities in the field and in the Community Restoration Nursery!