The Nature Conservancy and the Ka‘upulehu Marine Life Advisory Committee on Oct. 30 launched Kanu Ko‘a (planting corals), the first community-led coral reef restoration project on Hawaii Island.
Kanu Ko‘a is a project that integrates Hawaiian culture, local community and the science of coral restoration to accelerate coral reef growth and recovery. The ceremony was rooted in Hawaiian cultural practice and protocol, emphasizing ‘ohana and relationships with ko‘a (corals).
“In Kumulipo, our creation chant, ko‘a is the first life that came from the dark, from po. Everything else was born after that, and we are all related,” Ku‘ulei Keakealani, a KMLAC member, said in a press release. “Whether we know it or not, we are dependent on ko‘a. Like trees, ko‘a provides literally the breath of life. This project is a model of our interdependency with ko‘a: I ola ‘oe, i ola makou nei — when you live, we live. It is a manifestation of our kuleana, of our reciprocal relationship with that which gives us life.”
At the event, project partners planted ko‘a in Kahuwai Bay in West Hawaii, within the ahupua‘a of Ka‘upulehu. TNC divers and Native Hawaiian lineal descendants of Ka‘upulehu collected pieces of ko‘a within the bay that had broken off during recent high swells and would have otherwise died.
Ko‘a pieces were brought to shore on a double-hulled canoe. Together, the team used specialized saws to cut the collected pieces into 1-inch fragments. Scuba divers transported the pieces back into the bay and affixed them to the reef with epoxy, while snorkelers watched from above. Ko‘a pieces were planted in clusters, enabling them to grow together into a colony more quickly.
All work with ko‘a is being conducted under a Special Activities Permit with the state Division of Aquatic Resources.
“We are honored to support and work with the KMLAC and other communities who embrace their ancestral relationships to these places and perpetuate their cultural heritage along this coastline,” said Rebecca Most, TNC marine program director on Hawaii Island. “Together, we are building coral reefs’ ability to withstand the growing effects of the climate crisis.”
Coral reef health across the islands continues to decline, but reef restoration can build their resilience and help them recover.
Scientists estimate that live coral cover on some Hawaii reefs has declined by 60% over the past 40 years, due in part to overfishing and pollutants washing in from land.
The climate crisis exacerbates this decline, with three coral bleaching events in the last decade resulting in a 30% loss of live coral cover statewide.
Ka‘upulehu was prioritized for restoration through a statewide planning process because it is a healthy, well-managed area where restoration is likely to succeed.
Kahuwai Bay has few land-based pollution sources and is in a sheltered location that is less likely to experience severe storm damage.
This event is the first step in determining the best restoration method for ko‘a species that surround the island of Hawaii. Next steps include planting whole pieces of broken corals and installing an in-water nursery table to grow corals from fragments, which will then be out planted. During the next year, the restoration team will monitor the growth rates and health of the planted ko‘a to evaluate which method of planting — whole pieces, fragments or nursery-grown fragments — helps ko‘a grow best.
“Restoration is an important tool in the fight against reef decline, but its adoption in Hawaii and the Pacific is relatively novel,” said Joe Pollock, TNC senior coral reef resilience scientist. “By anchoring this project in science and culture while prioritizing learning and knowledge sharing, we can enhance local reef benefits while disseminating the insights needed to successfully scale up reef restoration throughout Hawaii and beyond.”