Skip to content

Places We Protect

Kīholo Preserve

Island of Hawaiʻi

Aerial view of a fishpond surrounded by woodland next to a coastline and deep blue ocean.
Kiholo fishpond Aerial view of Kiholo fishpond on Hawai‘i Island. © Christine Shepard

Kīholo is part of a coastal area once coveted by Hawaiian chiefs for its fisheries, fishponds and anchialine pools.

Overview

Description

The royal fishpond at Kīholo stands as a testament to Native Hawaiian ingenuity—a highly refined aquaculture system that provided a sustainable supply of fish to the surrounding community for centuries.

In 2011, this historic cultural treasure was donated to TNC by Angus Mitchell, son of legendary hair care icon Paul Mitchell.

Ecological Significance

In Hawai‘i, fishpond estuaries function as a vital interface between land and coastal waters, providing habitat for native flora and fauna above and below their sheltered waters. At Kīholo, between three and five million gallons of submarine groundwater flows through the fishponds into coastal waters each day, boosting the productivity of nearshore coral reefs and reef fisheries.

Once prevalent along island shores, many fishponds were destroyed or fell into disrepair in recent decades. Fortunately, some survived, and today there is increased statewide interest in re-establishing these important cultural resources and enhancing local food security.

Access

Limited Access

Open for volunteer workdays the third Saturday of the month.

Size

7 acres

Explore our work in Hawai‘i

What TNC is Doing

TNC works in close partnership with community group Hui Aloha Kīholo to restore productivity to Kīholo Preserve. With help from expert dry-stack masons and more than 6,000 volunteers, we rebuilt the pond’s traditional rock walls and removed invasive trees and weeds that encroached on the pond and clogged waterways.

After fencing critical access points to keep out feral goats, we began restoring native vegetation using seedlings grown in an on-site nursery. Together with our partners, we continue to monitor the effects of these efforts on water quantity and quality as well as fish abundance, diversity, and recruitment. Read more about this special place and its hoa ‘āina (caretakers).

To participate in quarterly volunteer workdays at Kīholo, contact TNC’s Hawaiʻi Island Marine Coordinator Barbara Seidel at barbara.seidel@tnc.org.

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle on a gloved hand.
Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle The coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) is an invasive insect that destroys coconut palms, loulu and other native coastal vegetation. © Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC)

Working Together

Protecting Kīholo from Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles

Kīholo’s historic Hawaiian fishpond and more than 50 heritage coconut trees are under threat by the coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros), an invasive insect that destroys coconut palms, loulu and other native coastal vegetation. Alongside community partners Hui Aloha Kīholo—Kīholo Bay stewards and Native Hawaiian lineal descendants—TNC is monitoring beetle activity, removing damaged fronds and debris piles, and setting traps to slow the spread of coconut rhinoceros beetle, or CRB. These efforts protect more than trees—they safeguard the spring‑fed ponds, native vegetation and nearshore ecosystems that filter water, support fisheries and sustain cultural practices that have thrived here for generations. By combining community leadership with science‑based response, co‑management at Kīholo is helping ensure this special place endures.

Go on a virtual visit! (4:31) Experience the wonder of Kīholo in this short video.

Impacts of Restoration

Kīholo now provides thriving habitat that hosts abundant marine life, including two dozen native fish species, endemic hapawai (mollusk) and ʻopae (shrimp). A 200-foot-long ‘auwai, or stone channel, connects the ponds to Kīholo Bay, which has a resident population of green sea turtles that travel from coastal waters to the fishpond to feed and rest. Threatened migratory seabirds such as the kioea (Bristle-thighed curlew) frequent the area, and endangered aeʻo (Hawaiian stilt) were spotted for the first time at Kīholo in April 2020 and have since been observed mating. Our recent reef resilience surveys have also found that the steep coral reef offshore of the fishpond is the most resilient to climate change impacts of 20 reefs studied in West Hawai‘i, suggesting this area has a better chance of surviving in the warmer climates of the future.

Beyond Kīholo

We share what we learn at Kīholo through Hui Loko, a peer learning network comprised of fishpond and anchialine pool managers from 19 sites on Hawai‘i Island. As a founding member and coordinator of the network, TNC is committed to sharing tools and resources that build coastal and community resilience, and to learning from the past to feed the future.

Learn more about our science and restoration and how we help strengthen conservation management and leadership so Hawaiʻi’s reefs can support healthy fisheries and prosperous communities long into the future.

HELPING NATURE AND PEOPLE (4:32) In partnership with Hui Aloha Kīholo and others, TNC is working to restore Kīholo Fishpond on the west coast of Hawaiʻi Island.

You May Also Like

Evelyn Wight, TNC on Kānepuʻu Preserve, Lānaʻi.

Pilina: Deepening the reciprocal relationship between nature and people 

The reciprocal relationship between nature and people is central to Hawaiian culture, and strengthening it for all who love Hawaiʻi is crucial for our health and resilience.

Two people fishing on the rocks of a shoreline at dusk.

Ka‘ūpūlehu

TNC scientists have been conducting coral reef and fish surveys here since 2009, helping to support sustainable fisheries.

Landscape view of traditional farm in Hawaii, with mountain in background.

Heʻeia

In partnership with Kāko‘o ʻŌiwi, TNC is reintroducing traditional farming to Heʻeia to reduce flood damage, protect reefs and provide healthy food and clean water to the local community.