Waimanalo Stream Before
We decided to incorporate Restoration Services as a new line of business to further support native Hawaiian plants and their rapidly diminishing natural habitats. Historically, all such projects have been performed solely by State and Federal agencies with varying degrees of success. Our decision to offer this service now provides a privatized & competitive option backed by our love for Hawaii’s natural environment, our in-depth understanding of its native plants & ecosystems, and our commitment to their survival & preservation. Included in this service are the following:
- Site Preparation – identification & maintenance of any existing native plant species, removal of all alien plants (including seed bank control), clearing of unwanted debris & alien plant material, preparation of the site for planting, and installation of irrigation systems (if necessary)
- Out-Planting of Native Hawaiian Plants – assistance in plant selection (including island- and/or area-specific species), recommended planting locations and spacing, and the actual planting of the selected plant
- Maintenance – ongoing project maintenance including watering, trimming, weeding, fertilization, and pest control (if necessary) until the plants are established
Waimanalo Stream After
We have already performed numerous restoration and rehabilitation projects since our addition of this service in the year 2000, many encompassing considerable amounts of habitat. Some of our marquee projects thus far include:
- Waimanalo Stream Rehabilitation – Secured a Department of Health & E.P.A. grant and partnered with the Waimanalo Restoration Corps to perform native out-plantings along three sections of Waimanalo streams to help control stream bank erosion, deter littering & illegal dumping, improve stream flow, and to better support native aquatic & terrestrial biota
- Mokapu Peninsula Wetland Rehabilitation – contracted by the U.S. Military to enhance endangered bird habitat by out-planting with native plant species along the banks of three highly degraded wetland areas
- Kalaeloa Coastal Restoration – contracted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to restore 35 acres of degraded coastal habitat at Barber’s Point
- Johnston Atoll Restoration – contracted by CH2M Hill Contractors, Inc. to propagate over 150,000 native plants to be used for the reforestation of Johnston Atoll
Our commitment to improving upon the restoration “status quo” in Hawai’i has yielded outstanding results for the projects we have performed thus far. One of our most exciting & remarkable results has been the successful breeding of three new generations of ‘Alae ‘ula (Hawaiian gallinule) chicks in one of our recently rehabilitated sections of Waimanalo Stream. A Federally Endangered waterfowl, this species was previously undocumented in this section of Waimanalo Stream prior to our project!
We pledge to continue to build upon these successes through future projects in our effort to improve the overall health of the fragile natural environment of our beloved island home. We’re just getting started!
