He'eia Estuary Restoration

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Find Yourself On A Path To The Sea

Invaders have dug a stronghold on the shores of the Windward Coast, and threaten to hide traditional routes to the sea. Invasive plant species that found their ways to the streams, valleys, and estuaries of the Hawaiian Islands are encroaching on the natural irrigation routes, leaving them nearly impassible. Join Hui o Ko'olaupoko (HOK) to gain an understanding of Hawaii's unique ecosystems and what can be done to protect and restore them. At the breathtaking He'eia State Park, you can help to remove invasive species from the He'eia Estuary and replace them with Hawaiian native plants which aid in erosion control, filtration of stormwater runoff, and provide habitat for other native species.

Join us (nearly) every third Saturday to:

• Secure the beauty and health of the Hawaiian Islands.
• Restore habitat for fish and shorebirds.
• Outplant native Hawaiian species
• Take in awe-inspiring views.
• Play in the mud.
• Play & learn while you work.

Below is a brief description of the Heʻeia Estuary Restoration Project and you can also find more information and pictures on our website.

He'eia Estuary Restoration:

Since the Spring of 2015, Hui o Ko’olaupoko has been working at the mouth of He’eia Stream to clear invasive mangrove and other non-native plants in an effort to restore stream flow, re-plant native plants and improve habitat for native aquatic species and shorebirds. The majority of invasive species removal was completed in under one year and the re-planting of native species began in February 2016.

Volunteers will be involved in clearing invasive plant species from the stream and shoreline area using small hand tools and hand pulling small weeds as we work to open and create areas to outplant native species. We will wrap up this service event with a short walk on the private He’eia Fish Pond wall to hear about its historical significance and how efforts to restore the fish pond are directly linked to the HOK project and other projects in the ahupua’a (valley).

• Closed toe shoes are required
• Please wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting VERY wet & muddy
• Bring a water bottle and sun/rain/bug protection, change of clothes
• Restroom facilities are located in the main/upper park building
• Participants under age 16 must have adult supervision.
• Participants under the age of 18, attending without their parent or legal guardian must bring the signed waiver, all others will sign the waiver upon arrival.

Please RSVP to reserve your spot and receive other important information about this workday. RSVP to 277-5611, volunteer@huihawaii.org. RSVPs are required so that we can maintain small group sizes per local COVID social distancing guidelines. If your name is not on the RSVP list you cannot participate.

We offer a variety of regularly scheduled events each month as well as weekday outings to join our field staff and we can work with groups to arrange a private weekday service trip or educational visit at no cost to the group. The best way see what events we have coming up and which would be the best fit for you is by visiting the Get Involved & Calendar pages on our website, contacting us at volunteer@huihawaii.org and signing up to receive our monthly newsletter.

Feel free to call or e-mail me if you have any additional questions. We look forward to working with you!