The kaho'olawe island reserve commission will develop a digital application to collect and manage relevant cultural and environmental information related to the restoration of kaho'olawe island

The Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission will develop a digital application and data management system to support cultural and environmental restoration efforts on Kaho'olawe Island, Hawaii under a $147,201 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Commission, a sub-awardee of the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, will design collection protocols, an app, and training to record consistent data in real-time on restoration-related topics. The standardized digital tools will centralize information to better inform current and future stewardship of Kaho'olawe's natural and cultural resources. The project aligns with IMLS's Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program to sustain indigenous heritage, culture and knowledge through July 2026.

Project activities include developing, testing, and implementing collection protocols for gathering data through cultural and traditional practices, developing the digital application and data management system, and providing staff training on data collection, management, and digital application use. The resulting APP and related protocols will allow users to record, collect, and organize consistent and accurate data in real time, and in a standardized format, making IT more manageable and easier to analyze by current and future cultural and environmental stewards of kaho'olawe. As a result, the overall care, management, and use of the environmental, historical, archeological, and cultural resources on kaho'olawe will improve.