About KMWP
• History
• Partners
• How We Protect the Watershed
• Accomplishments
• Staff
• Back to Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership homepage
History
Back in the early 1900s, the destruction of the mountain areas by cattle and other feral animals was quite evident (see photos below of denuded Nu'uanu Valley). The large private landowners knew that something was needed to be done to protect the source of their water. They, along with the territorial government ofHawai‘i
Officially formed in 1999, the major milestones of the Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership (KMWP) are as follows:
1997 - The first KMWP meeting is held at the Department of Land and Natural Resources Kalanimoku building.
1999 - The KMWP formalizes as eleven partners sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at a ceremony at the Ho'omaluhia Botanical Park in Kaneohe. These partners include: Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, Agribusiness Development Corp., Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands, U.S. Army, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Queen Emma Foundation, Kamehameha Schools, Manana Valley Farm LLC, Tiana Partners, et. al, Dole Food Company Inc., and Bishop Museum. (signing ceremony photo)
2000 - The KMWP preliminary assessment plan is developed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joins the partnership as a landowner with the acquisition of the O'ahu Forest Wildlife Refuge.
2001 - The Opaeula fencing project, a joint project between Kamehameha Schools, the U.S. Army, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the State Division of Forestry and Wildlife, is completed.
2002 - The first KMWP coordinator is hired and a KMWP management plan is completed (see below for plan link).
2003 - KMWP begins weed survey and management efforts. Kualoa Ranch, Hawai'i Reserves Inc., and O'ahu Country Club join the Partnership.
2004 - KMWP begins ungulate management efforts. The University of Hawai'i Lyon Arboretum join the Partnership.
2005 - KMWP completes its first mauka restoration project.
2007 - KMWP has funding for a staff of seven. The Partnership now includes a total of 15 landowning partners working on projects across the Ko'olaus.
2009 - The KMWP celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Partners
• Partners
• How We Protect the Watershed
• Accomplishments
• Staff
• Back to Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership homepage
History
Back in the early 1900s, the destruction of the mountain areas by cattle and other feral animals was quite evident (see photos below of denuded Nu'uanu Valley). The large private landowners knew that something was needed to be done to protect the source of their water. They, along with the territorial government of
Officially formed in 1999, the major milestones of the Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership (KMWP) are as follows:
1997 - The first KMWP meeting is held at the Department of Land and Natural Resources Kalanimoku building.
1999 - The KMWP formalizes as eleven partners sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at a ceremony at the Ho'omaluhia Botanical Park in Kaneohe. These partners include: Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, Agribusiness Development Corp., Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands, U.S. Army, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Queen Emma Foundation, Kamehameha Schools, Manana Valley Farm LLC, Tiana Partners, et. al, Dole Food Company Inc., and Bishop Museum. (signing ceremony photo)2000 - The KMWP preliminary assessment plan is developed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joins the partnership as a landowner with the acquisition of the O'ahu Forest Wildlife Refuge.
2001 - The Opaeula fencing project, a joint project between Kamehameha Schools, the U.S. Army, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the State Division of Forestry and Wildlife, is completed.
2002 - The first KMWP coordinator is hired and a KMWP management plan is completed (see below for plan link).2003 - KMWP begins weed survey and management efforts. Kualoa Ranch, Hawai'i Reserves Inc., and O'ahu Country Club join the Partnership.
2004 - KMWP begins ungulate management efforts. The University of Hawai'i Lyon Arboretum join the Partnership.
2005 - KMWP completes its first mauka restoration project.
2007 - KMWP has funding for a staff of seven. The Partnership now includes a total of 15 landowning partners working on projects across the Ko'olaus.
2009 - The KMWP celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Partners
Watershed threats do not recognize landownership boundaries. This is why the Partnership, in which a forum is provided for partners to share costs, information and expertise to promote good stewardship of the land, is so critical to protecting our productive forests. Landowners who own more than 100 acres within the partnership boundaries are invited to participate in the Partnership. All participating partners agree that the Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed is an important watershed for O‘ahu . The partners also concur that pro-active management of the watershed is crucial in eliminating or reducing the threats of damage to the watershed due to weeds, insects, disease, feral ungulates, and in some instances, human impacts. They agree to work together to formulate watershed projects for the mauka regions of the Ko‘olau mountains and join in cooperative efforts to seek funds for these projects.
The KMWP consists of 16 landowning partners and 8 associate partners:
Accomplishments
To date, KMWP has successfully:
• Planted more than 22,000 native plants
• Removed 50,000 invasive plants from priority summit areas
• Coordinated community hunts
• Restored 156 acres of native forest (see example to the right of post-wildfire restoration)
The KMWP consists of 16 landowning partners and 8 associate partners:
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Landowning Partners
Bishop Museum
City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply
Dole Food Company, Inc.
Hawai‘i Reserves Inc.
Hi'ipaka LLC dba Waimea Valley
Kamehameha Schools
Kualoa Ranch
O‘ahu Country Club
Queen Emma Land Company
State Agribusiness Development Corporation
State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
State Department of Land and Natural Resources
Tiana Partners, et al.
UH Manoa/Lyon Arboretum
US Army
US Fish and Wildlife Service - Refuges |
Associate Partners
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Accomplishments
To date, KMWP has successfully:
• Planted more than 22,000 native plants
• Removed 50,000 invasive plants from priority summit areas
• Coordinated community hunts
• Restored 156 acres of native forest (see example to the right of post-wildfire restoration)
• Constructed over 300 acres of fenced protected areas
• Engaged over 300 volunteers in projects
• Generated over $4 million in federal, state, and private funds as well as in-kind services that all go to support local jobs for local people and businesses.
• Generated over $4 million in federal, state, and private funds as well as in-kind services that all go to support local jobs for local people and businesses.
Staff
Meet the dedicated and passionate staff who work hard to protect the mauka forests of Ko'olau Mountains which help to support our daily lives.
George Akau, Ungulate Management Specialist
BJ Davis, Ungulate Field Technician
Born and raised on O'ahu on the west side, BJ loves to go outdoors and do things such as hunting and fishing. BJ joined conservation to keep our watershed safe. He joined KMWP in 2009, but previously volunteered with KMWP before he started. His job focuses on ungulate work to keep the pigs and goats from destroying our natural and native plants.
Jay Dobby, YCC Field Technician
Born in Southern California, Jay migrated to O'ahu for the surf in 2002. Through his love for the outdoors, he has gained a great appreciation for O'ahu’s natural environment. As a previous employee of DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources and an active member of Malama Maunalua, Jay strives to protect near-shore watershed resources by locating and eradicating mountain point-sources. He graduated in 2009 from UH Manoa with a BBA in Finance and is looking to pursue an advanced degree in either Natural Resource Management or Environmental Policy. Jay has worked with KMWP since 2009.
Cory Estioko, YCC Field Technician
Born and raised in Hau’ula, O’ahu and a 2004 graduate of Kahuku High School, Cory joined the KMWP team as an intern through Americorps in 2009. He plans to return to school in Fall 2010 to finish a degree in Secondary Education. On his free time Cory enjoys the beach and playing competitive sports. His interest in environmental conservation has brought him to KMWP.
Patrick Landgraf, Field Technician/Field Crew Leader
Patrick grew up in Honolulu, Hawai'i and is a graduate of Punahou School. He went on to the University of California, Santa Cruz and received a degree in biology. He has taught nature education to children at the Hawai'i Nature Center and fought wildfires in Southern California with the US Forest Service. Patrick has been with KMWP since 2008. When not working in the mountains, he enjoys surfing and running marathons.
Brenten Reust, Field Technician
Brenten grew up in the first electrically lighted city of Wabash, Indiana. From there he attended Indiana University and graduated with a degree in public affairs with a major in environmental policy. Since then he has battled invasive plants along the East Coast, Midwest, and Southern United States. Now with KMWP, he continues to battle invasive species and improve the watershed of O'ahu. Future plans include Southeast Asia, exploration of the multi-verse, and bringing back the gold standard to our economic policy.
Miranda Smith, Coordinator
Miranda Smith is the coordinator of the Ko`olau Mountains Watershed Partnership on O`ahu. Miranda has an undergraduate degree in biology from Boston University and a graduate degree in environmental economics and policy from Duke University. She has been part of Hawaii’s conservation community for six years and enjoys paddling, swimming, and gardening.
Carolyn Woods, Program & Data Assistant
Carolyn takes care of the administrative details with her education and experience in administrative work. She supports on the ground field operations and partnership coordination. Though having grown up in Arizona, she understands how important the partnership is to O'ahu and enjoys being a part of the process.
How We Protect the Watershed
"The Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership recognizes that the watershed encompassing the Ko'olau Mountains is an invaluable resource for the island of O'ahu that must be preserved and protected. It is an integral component of the present and future water supply of the island of O'ahu. Proper management of the forested watershed area and its native ecosystems is needed to protect the usefulness and value of the watershed in perpetuity." - KMWP mission statement
In addition to the mission statement above, the KMWP is guided by its Memorandum of Understanding as well as its Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership Management Plan. All projects are decided and agreed upon by the KMWP and funded by grants (federal, state, and private) as well as by in-kind services provided by partners.
The boundary of the KMWP is the old forest reserve boundary that was established in the early 1900s. The KMWP boundary area consists of approximately 111,407 acres, of which 100,484 acres are in the partnership.
Major threats facing the Ko'olau Mountains are feral ungulates (hooved animals such as goats and pigs), invasive weed species, wildfire, and forest pest and diseases. Management is focused on the following four major areas, which are all targeted to mitigate these threats:
Meet the dedicated and passionate staff who work hard to protect the mauka forests of Ko'olau Mountains which help to support our daily lives.
George Akau, Ungulate Management Specialist
BJ Davis, Ungulate Field Technician
Born and raised on O'ahu on the west side, BJ loves to go outdoors and do things such as hunting and fishing. BJ joined conservation to keep our watershed safe. He joined KMWP in 2009, but previously volunteered with KMWP before he started. His job focuses on ungulate work to keep the pigs and goats from destroying our natural and native plants.
Jay Dobby, YCC Field TechnicianBorn in Southern California, Jay migrated to O'ahu for the surf in 2002. Through his love for the outdoors, he has gained a great appreciation for O'ahu’s natural environment. As a previous employee of DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources and an active member of Malama Maunalua, Jay strives to protect near-shore watershed resources by locating and eradicating mountain point-sources. He graduated in 2009 from UH Manoa with a BBA in Finance and is looking to pursue an advanced degree in either Natural Resource Management or Environmental Policy. Jay has worked with KMWP since 2009.
Cory Estioko, YCC Field TechnicianBorn and raised in Hau’ula, O’ahu and a 2004 graduate of Kahuku High School, Cory joined the KMWP team as an intern through Americorps in 2009. He plans to return to school in Fall 2010 to finish a degree in Secondary Education. On his free time Cory enjoys the beach and playing competitive sports. His interest in environmental conservation has brought him to KMWP.
Patrick Landgraf, Field Technician/Field Crew LeaderPatrick grew up in Honolulu, Hawai'i and is a graduate of Punahou School. He went on to the University of California, Santa Cruz and received a degree in biology. He has taught nature education to children at the Hawai'i Nature Center and fought wildfires in Southern California with the US Forest Service. Patrick has been with KMWP since 2008. When not working in the mountains, he enjoys surfing and running marathons.
Brenten Reust, Field TechnicianBrenten grew up in the first electrically lighted city of Wabash, Indiana. From there he attended Indiana University and graduated with a degree in public affairs with a major in environmental policy. Since then he has battled invasive plants along the East Coast, Midwest, and Southern United States. Now with KMWP, he continues to battle invasive species and improve the watershed of O'ahu. Future plans include Southeast Asia, exploration of the multi-verse, and bringing back the gold standard to our economic policy.
Miranda Smith, Coordinator
Miranda Smith is the coordinator of the Ko`olau Mountains Watershed Partnership on O`ahu. Miranda has an undergraduate degree in biology from Boston University and a graduate degree in environmental economics and policy from Duke University. She has been part of Hawaii’s conservation community for six years and enjoys paddling, swimming, and gardening.
Carolyn Woods, Program & Data Assistant
Carolyn takes care of the administrative details with her education and experience in administrative work. She supports on the ground field operations and partnership coordination. Though having grown up in Arizona, she understands how important the partnership is to O'ahu and enjoys being a part of the process.
How We Protect the Watershed
"The Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership recognizes that the watershed encompassing the Ko'olau Mountains is an invaluable resource for the island of O'ahu that must be preserved and protected. It is an integral component of the present and future water supply of the island of O'ahu. Proper management of the forested watershed area and its native ecosystems is needed to protect the usefulness and value of the watershed in perpetuity." - KMWP mission statement
In addition to the mission statement above, the KMWP is guided by its Memorandum of Understanding as well as its Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership Management Plan. All projects are decided and agreed upon by the KMWP and funded by grants (federal, state, and private) as well as by in-kind services provided by partners.
The boundary of the KMWP is the old forest reserve boundary that was established in the early 1900s. The KMWP boundary area consists of approximately 111,407 acres, of which 100,484 acres are in the partnership.
Major threats facing the Ko'olau Mountains are feral ungulates (hooved animals such as goats and pigs), invasive weed species, wildfire, and forest pest and diseases. Management is focused on the following four major areas, which are all targeted to mitigate these threats:
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Planning Given limited resources and the large nature of threats across the landscape, planning is critical to ensure that management actions are targeted to be most effective. In addition to its management plan, the KMWP also develops an action plan and annually reviews its targets and progress to assess against goals and any adaptive management required as a result of lessons learned from projects and by partners and staff. |
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Working Core programs revolve around feral ungulate control, invasive weed control, water resource protection, and biodiversity protection. Examples include mapping over 80% of the Ko'olau summit areas for invasive weeds, establishing ungulate transects and setting pig corral traps, developing an ahupua'a stream monitoring project, monitoring 18 acres of outplanted native plants, and surveying 34 acres of degraded areas for potential restoration. |
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Learning This focus encompasses both outreach to communities as well as outreach internally to partner members to increase knowledge of watershed management and the protection of native forests. Examples include partner field trips to learn on-the-ground management techniques, conducting six hunts with community hunters, attending outreach events, conducting work exchanges with other island Watershed Partnerships, and working with 45 elementary school children on native forest restoration. |
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Partnering We can't do it alone and that's why partnering is a critical part of protecting our forested watershed. These include work trips and joint projects with the O'ahu Invasive Species Committee, O'ahu Plant Extinction Prevention Program, and participating in Hawai'i Association of Watershed Partnership activities. |
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