Reviving Hawaiʻi’s Coastal Wetlands & Estuaries
Help care for ʻāina and preserve Hawaiʻi’s unique natural and cultural legacy.
With each invasive plant removed, the land begins to breathe, water flows freely once more, and the loko iʻa tells its story—reviving a landscape that has long been hidden.
Embrace Aloha ʻĀina
The Lokowaka Pond complex—one of Hawai‘i’s traditional fishpond systems—is located in Hilo on the Island of Hawai‘i. It provides essential habitat for native species, including several endangered birds, and serves as a refuge for migratory and vagrant species.
People, too, are part of this living system—connected to the land, the water, and all the beings that depend on them. When we care for ʻāina, it responds in return, reminding us that healing the land is also a way of healing ourselves.
Our Approach
Lokowaka is ecologically and culturally significant. To protect its archaeological features and the many species that call it home, we avoid heavy machinery and rely on hand-held tools.
This labor-intensive approach requires time, patience, and many volunteers, but the results are remarkable: flourishing native flora and fauna, stronger connections between people and the natural environment, and visible, meaningful change. Even a few hours of work—though it may restore only a small patch at a time—make a huge difference for the life that calls Lokowaka home.
1,862+
Volunteers
8,136+
Hours
56
Organizations
6
Countries
Our Impact
Life is returning to the wetlands. Within just three months of our restoration work, nēnē (Hawaiian geese) began visiting and have been coming frequently ever since. About a year later, a pair of aeʻo (Hawaiian stilts) was seen, and the population of ʻalae keʻokeʻo (Hawaiian coots) doubled—proof that caring for ʻāina brings it back to life.
Follow us on our journey and join our team. Together, we can achieve the impossible when we believe in the power of ʻāina and community.
Love volunteering days with ʻĀina Hoʻōla Initiative! Itʻs a chance to work hard, learn, get gross, see our native and endemic water fowl, work with great folks, and get some quality time with ʻāina. Never hurt we get to cool off at Kealoha with the honu.
Catarina Zaragoza
Hilo, Hawaiʻi
Mālama ʻĀina (caring for the land): Revitalize, Protect, Engage, Support
What is a Coastal Wetland?
Coastal wetlands are transitional ecosystems where land meets the sea, regularly or seasonally flooded by fresh, brackish, or salt water. These areas support a rich diversity of plant and animal life specially adapted to wet soils, varying water salinity, and changing water levels.
Reviving Wetland Habitat
Hawaiʻi Island has lost about 75% of its historic low-elevation wetlands, mostly due to infill and development. Remaining wetlands are often degraded by invasive non-native plants.
In response, we are restoring vital habitat for threatened and endangered native birds, as well as migratory species, at the Lokowaka Pond complex in Hilo.
According to the 2024 Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture Strategic Plan, Lokowaka is ranked the #1 wetland restoration priority on Hawaiʻi Island and the 11th most important statewide.
What is an Estuary?
Estuaries form where watersheds meet the ocean, blending freshwater from the land with saltwater from the sea. These dynamic ecosystems—where river flows and ocean tides converge—support a rich web of life, providing food and shelter for a wide range of species, including humans. At our site, the estuary is fed by freshwater springs, adding to its unique character and ecological richness.
In Hawaiʻi, loko iʻa—traditional fishponds—are ancestral technologies designed to function in harmony with estuarine systems, sustaining communities by enhancing the abundance of naturally available resources.
Reviving Estuary & Loko Iʻa
A 1990 survey documented 488 loko iʻa sites across the Hawaiian Islands. Over time, many became degraded, overgrown, or filled in for development.
Today, stewardship groups across Hawaiʻi are actively working to restore and care for these culturally and ecologically important systems. At the Lokowaka Pond complex, we are removing overgrown invasive plants that have been taking over the ponds.
