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The Nature Conservancy

Aloha mai kākou! We invite you to explore the multiple mālama ‘āina and kai efforts happening in Olowalu-Ukumehame.

Our vision is: A thriving Olowalu-Ukumehame where healthy ahupuaʻa support resilient reefs, cultural relationships to ʻāina are strengthened, and the community leads long-term stewardship for future generations.

Māmala Maui Nui
Mālama Maui Nui helped to remove trash and cars at mile marker 13.5 over the course of 8 months.
Kipuka Olowalu
Kipuka Olowalu
Kipuka Olowalu is an organization seeking to preserve the Olowalu Valley, a Native Hawaiian cultural site located on the island of Maui.
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Volunteers
Mālama Pono
Mālama Pono is a community-focused volunteer initiative that invites residents, visitors, and staff to take part in meaningful conservation activities across Maui.
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Fishing in west maui
Marine Debris Rapid Response
This program responds to urgent reports of large-scale marine debris that pose a significant threat to coastal ecosystems.
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Underwater reefs
Super Reefs
Super Reefs is a global collaboration project that aims to boost coral reef resilience by identifying and stewarding coral communities that can survive heat stress.
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People on a beach.
Hui O Ka Wai Ola​
Hui O Ka Wai Ola: Maui's Clean Ocean Team is a group of water quality champions dedicated to measuring and sharing the status of Maui Nui's nearshore waters.
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A road next to a coastline.
Olowalu: The Road to Resilience
The planned Honoapiʻilani Highway realignment provides an opportunity to restore the area’s coastal zone and re-envision the old right-of-way.
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Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership
With a 50,000-acre management area encompassing Mauna Kahālāwai, our mission is to protect and preserve Maui’s native ecosystems and freshwater supply.
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Wildfire prevention
Hawaiʻi Division of Forestry and Wildlife
Hawai'i Forestry and Wildlife strives to restore native landscapes and species.
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Limu Monitoring
The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council conducts ongoing limu monitoring across Maui, including four sites in the Olowalu area, to understand nutrient dynamics and water quality.
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mooring.
Aqualink Buoy Monitoring
MNMRC manages an Aqualink smart buoy offshore of Olowalu that provides continuous, real-time oceanographic data directly from the reef environment.
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A woman with water sample on a beach.
Surfrider Foundation Maui Chapter
The Blue Water Task Force is Surfrider’s volunteer water quality monitoring program that provides critical water quality information to protect public health at the beach.
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Trail on the side of a hill.
Lahaina Pali Trail
The Lahaina Pali Trail has been restored and is maintained with assistance by the Nā Ala Hele Statewide Trail and Access program, State Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW).
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People picking up trash on a beach.
Mālama Maui Nui
Mālama Maui Nui helped to remove trash and cars at milemarker 13.5 over the course of 8 months.
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The underside of a manta ray.
The Olowalu Manta Project
HAMER does marine work at Olowalu and Ukumehame, tracking manta ray populations and their prey field, with a focus on habitat threats such as water quality and sedimentation.
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People planting next to a road on a beach.
Ukumehame Living Shoreline Project
TNC, UH Sea Grant, and Maui County are using native coastal plants to create "living shorelines" to stabilize dunes and beaches in Ukumehame.
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Map of Olowalu-Ukumehame

Pilina Olowalu Map 2 This map of Olowalu-Ukumehame features efforts happening in the area including but not limited to: cultural stewardship, conservation, education, and relationships with this ‘āina. Please hover over the map or visit our Partners and Projects page to learn more.

Would you like to be featured on Pilina Olowalu?

Are you an individual, organization, or project active in the Olowalu-Ukumehame area with a mālama 'āina or kai component? Please join us! This is a living site with an open invitation to participate or learn more.

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Dive in to Pilina Olowalu!

Olowalu

The Olowalu reef is a vital “mother reef” who seeds larvae to neighboring nearshore areas in Maui Nui. The splendor of this reef speaks to us of aloha, legacy, and resiliency. While the Honoapi‘ilani Highway connects West Maui to the rest of the island, the proximity of the highway to the ocean is a concern. © Kelly James