Hawaii is home to some of the worlds most fragile and endangered ecosystems

The federal Project Grant award from the Department of the Interior's Interior Business Center under the Native Hawaiian Climate Resilience Program (CFDA 15.098) provides $250,000 to the Ala Kahakai Trail Association, a Native Hawaiian Organization, to establish coping mechanisms and raise awareness through educational programs that reduce the risks of climate change in Hawaii.

The project aims to preserve, restore, and perpetuate the health of the Kiolakaa dryland forest by engaging the local community, including descendants, to develop a program for community stewardship and long-term management. This will allow the forest to thrive and overcome the impacts of climate change, while also reinforcing the cultural identity of Native Hawaiians. The award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026.

Climate change poses a significant threat to not just our unique island environment but for many native hawaiians, our way of life. This project aims to establish coping mechanisms and awareness through educational programs that reduce the risks of climate change. Through this process, we strive to build a spirit of resiliency while reinforcing our cultural identity. The overall mission of the project is to preserve, restore, and perpetuate the health of the kiolakaa dryland forest. We aim to preserve both the native ecosystem and ancestral relationships through descendant and broader community engagement. The project will support education of the KA community and keiki about the significance of the dryland forest and its relationship with the native hawaiian community. The desired outcome of our work will include development of a program for community stewardship and long-term management which will allow the forest to thrive and overcome the impacts of climate change.