Community-Led Coral Restoration Effort Launches in South Maui

 

KIHEI – Maui’s coral reefs are facing increasing threats from rising ocean temperatures, sediment pollution, and human impact. In a community-driven effort to combat these challenges, a new Community-Based Coral Restoration Area (CBCRA) has been established in South Maui, giving damaged corals a second chance at survival.

Over the course of 3 days in February, the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC) worked under the guidance of Kuleana Coral Restoration to find broken corals near large reef colonies and re-plant them on bare reef in the same area. Reattaching the broken coral can help to extend its lifespan and over time it will continue to grow, increasing coral cover and providing habitats for fish and other marine life.

“We are excited to support Maui’s community in creating this new CBCRA site,” said Kuleana Coral Restoration’s Manager, Blake Nowack. “We have spent over a year training and planning with the MNMRC team to pilot restoration techniques in Maui so that their local communities can foster resilient coastal ecosystems. Kuleana Coral primarily focuses on Oʻahu, but we want all of Hawaiʻi to have healthy reefs, so we support efforts on other islands whenever we are able to.”

The teams only sourced corals found already detached from the reef, focusing on collecting grapefruit-sized (or larger) Large Rescued Colony (LRCs) and smaller coral fragments. Large Rescued Colony corals were prepared with a metal pin for reattachment while smaller, baseball-sized fragments were reattached directly to the bare reef using an adhesive.

The project began with a collaboration between MNMRC and community members to identify potential areas for restoration work. “Kula Kai is facing many threats, so when this project came up, we thought, ‘Why not try? What do we have to lose?’” said Kanaka ʻŌiwi of Kula Moku, Vernon Kalanikau. “It is clear the reefs need help, and while we are also looking mauka for solutions to mitigate sediment run-off, the thought has always been, ‘What else can we do to help makai?’ We felt that if there is an opportunity to do something in the ocean, this is a good place to start. Considering the damage sediment run-off has caused to our reefs in Kula Kai for years, a project like this can only have positive outcomes and results.”

In addition to working with community members, MNMRC also worked with the State of Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) to evaluate site selections and hosted DAR staff of Day 2 of the project. “Protecting our local reefs is of critical importance,” said DAR Aquatic Biologist, Russell Sparks. “Being a part of this project was a great opportunity to support restoration work in South Maui and train our team in new coral restoration methods to build capacity for future work on Maui.”

MNMRC has a long history of launching projects and initiatives to address the many factors influencing reef health. Last year, they launched reef-friendly landscaping education and test plots, adding to previous erosion mitigation efforts like gulch sediment removal and deer fencing for upstream ranches. The organization also conducts water quality monitoring at 41 sites in Maui, scientific studies, and reef monitoring dives throughout the year.

By creating community-based coral restoration areas, MNMRC aims to enhance the impact of conservation work already taking place on land and in the water.

“Whenever possible, we try to connect different efforts, so that we can make an even greater impact in one area or create a network of related projects from mauka to makai,” said Executive Director, Amy Hodges. “When we connect projects or communities together, impact is multiplied and change can happen at a faster pace.”

While the process is still new to Maui, there is interest in creating CBCRAs from communities in West Maui that are already doing water quality monitoring or reef-friendly landscaping. “Our goal is to accelerate conservation efforts in Maui by helping communities who want to create their own CBCRAs and to provide training so they have the skills and knowledge needed to sustain long-term reef health,” said Hodges.

The team from Maui Nui Marine Resource Council will continue to maintain the two sites going forward and monitor restored corals for signs of growth.

Support for community-based coral restoration provided by the County of Maui Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability.

For more information, please visit: mauireefs.org/cbcra

NOTE: Please do NOT touch any live coral without obtaining a permit. Special permits are required for handling coral in Hawai’i [SAP 2025-12].