East Moloka`i Watershed Partnership
(EMoWP)

 
 

Moloka'i from mountains to reefs

From mauka to makai - upper native forest systems to denuded middle zone to adjoining fringing reefs.
The East Moloka`i Watershed Partnership was formed in November 1999, to protect the best remaining native forest watershed areas on the East Moloka`i Mountains.

A grassroots community effort which eventually led to Moloka`i being designated an USDA “Enterprise Community (EC)” designation, played a key role in the formation of the partnership.

The EC, also called, “Ke Aupuni Lokahi (KAL) helped kick off the partnership’s first project, the Kamalo/Kapualei Watershed Project. The Nature Conservancy’s Moloka`i Program is the coordinator of the EMoWP.

Our Approach
The partnership uses the traditional Hawaiian land division, or ahupua`a, approach to protecting  the EMoWP watershed landscapes, with the upper native forests systems as the highest priority. Such an approach tries to protect watershed areas from the mountain top to the sea. 

Controlling threats such as hoofed animals and invasive weeds are key strategies to protecting the best remaining native forest areas and to increase vegetation to the  highly denuded, eroding mid-elevation slopes and thus reducing the sedimentation rate that severely impacts the adjoining  fringing reefs.

Intact native upper forest systems

Intact native upper forest systems.

Key Strategies

  • Reduction of feral animal populations
  • Monitoring systems that help guide and document management actions
  • Community outreach that engages, educates and gain supports of the local communities
  • Continual development of the partnership through fundraising, capacity building and landowner expansion
  • Involvement with fire (Moloka`i Fire Task Force) and island invasive species efforts (Moloka`i subcommittee of the Maui Invasive Species Committee) 

Land-Based Partners 

  • Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate, Kamalo Ahupua`a
    (3,566 acres), Kapualei Ranch, Kapualei Ahupua`a (1680 acres)
  • Kawela Plantation Homeowners Association, Kawela Ahupua`a (5,500 acres)
  • State Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Pu`u Ali`i (1,330 acres) and Olokui (1,620 acres) Natural Area Reserves
  • National Park Service, Kalaupapa National Historical Park (10,800 acres)
  • The Nature Conservancy, Kamakou (2,774 acres) and Pelekunu Preserves (5,714 acres)   

 Agency Partners

  • Ke Aupuni Lokahi, Enterprise Community Governance Board – community, funder
  • Maui County – funder
  • Moloka`i/Lāna`i Soil and Water Conservation District – erosion experts
  • USDA Natural Resource Conservation Services – erosion experts, funder
  • US Fish & Wildlife Service – funder, rare species
  • EPA – non-point source pollution expert, funderUS Geological Services – hydrological, erosion and sedimentation experts
  • Hawai`i Department of Health – non-point source pollution expert, funder

Map of Moloka'i

Contact:  The Nature Conservancy Moloka`i Program, (808) 553-5236, emisaki@tnc.org

Key Plans:  EMoWP 2015 South Slope Management Plan; EMoWP 2015 Weed Control Plan; Pelekunu and Kamakou Preserves Long-Range Management Plans.