Our Programs

Restoring Ululāʻau o Kalamawaiʻawaʻawa is hands-on work, grounded in traditional practice and carried out season by season. Here's what that looks like on the ground.

Invasive Species Removal

Much of our site was choked by Guinea Grass, Maile Pilau, Cat's Claw, and Christmas Berry before restoration work began. Clearing these invasives is the first and ongoing step in every part of our work — it's what makes room for native and traditional Hawaiian plants to return.

Traditional Cultivation: Kalo and ʻŌlena

Where invasives once ruled, dryland kalo and other traditional plants are now thriving. Our ʻōlena (turmeric) beds alone yielded 130 pounds of raw root this past season — a reminder of how deeply our kūpuna relied on this plant for medicine, ceremony, and daily life.

Erosion Control: Vetiver Hedge

To protect the ʻāina from erosion, especially during heavy rains that carry water down from Mauna Loa through our site, we've planted a vetiver hedge. Vetiver's dense, deep root system forms a living barrier that stabilizes soil and slows runoff.

Native Reforestation: Koa Replanting

In areas cleared of Christmas Berry, we've replanted Koa — restoring native canopy and helping the broader ecosystem recover its natural balance.

Each of these programs feeds the others: clearing invasives protects the watershed, a stable watershed supports new planting, and new planting — native and traditional alike — is what brings this ʻāina back to life for the next generation.