Maunalua Bay Reef Restoration: A Cause for Celebration
Invasive algae isn’t typically a cause for celebration. But the successful removal of it can be, particularly when it involves job creation, composting and community engagement.
On March 1, 2011, the Maunalua Bay community, together with The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Pono Pacific Land Management LLC. and Mālama Maunalua, celebrated the successful completion of the Maunalua Bay Reef Restoration Project. The project, made possible with the support of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, was completed earlier than expected and under budget.
The removal of 23 acres of invasive algae was only one of the benefits realized through the project. The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii reports that the funds provided by the ARRA created or retained 75 jobs, engaged eight local businesses and five local farmers, with one hundred percent of the algae recycled into compost by facilities such as Hawaiian Earth Products, to be used on local farms. In addition, 3,000 community members and 12 schools got involved in the reef restoration by contributing a total of 7,000 hours of community service. According to The Nature Conservancy, the volunteer program will continue, as will scientific research in the Bay.
The truth is, volunteers have been working to clean up the bay long before the funding from ARRA came through. In collaboration with the University of Hawaii, NOAA, and The Nature Conservancy, community non-profit organization, Mālama Maunalua identified three major threats to the once clean waters and plentiful marine life that inhabited the Bay: land-based sediments and pollutants, unsustainable fishing practices, and the invasive algae, Avrainvillea amadelpha. Recognizing the need for action, in 2006, Mālama Maunalua began organizing volunteers in the effort to remove invasive algae and has continued to do so to this day. The funding from ARAA has allowed Mālama Maunalua to increase its efforts and expand the scope of sustainability, from simply removal to reuse, and additional support to the community.
Pono Pacific Land Management, LLC, the local natural resources management company awarded the contract for cleanup, shares Mālama Maunalua passion for protection and restoration of the Bay, upholding Mālama Maunalua’s policies that prohibit the use of motorboats and require that the removal of algae to be done by hand.
The celebration marked a milestone but not an end to conservation efforts. Suzanne Case, Director of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, expressed the long term investment, stating, “There’s no better investment in our state than to improve the health of our ocean, which is a source of food, recreation, sustenance, and income for many”.
To learn more about volunteering with Mālama Maunalua on this “Great Huki” and other projects, visit http://malamamaunalua.org/
