About Us
HAWP comprises ten island-based Watershed Partnerships that work collaboratively with more than 100 public and private partners on five islands to protect over 2.6 million acres of vital forested watershed lands.
These Watershed Partnerships are making a critical difference for the protection of forested watersheds in our state. HAWP’s mission is to increase the effective management and protection of mauka (upper elevation) watershed areas by raising the capacity of Watershed Partnerships, facilitating sharing of watershed management expertise, building public support for protecting watershed values, and developing sustainable funding sources.
HAWP is led by four Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary/Treasurer, and Past Chair), and a Board of Directors who represent each of the ten Watershed Partnerships.
The Association is guided by a biennial action plan which outlines the goals and objectives for the organization as well as a memorandum of understanding.
Mission
Sustain, promote, and build the capacity of Watershed Partnerships in Hawai‘i.
The five main objectives are:
- Expand outreach and education initiatives to develop support for the work done by Watershed Partnerships, particularly amongst the public and decision makers.
- Investigate long-term, sustainable funding options and determine solutions to support continued implementation of the management plans developed under the Watershed Partnerships;
- Address capacity-building needs for the Watershed Partnerships;
- Support policies and laws that will benefit Watershed Partnership goals and management plans;
- Facilitate the annual Watershed Symposium and/or other similar events to maintain communication amongst partners and facilitate information exchange;
History
The first Watershed Partnership was formed in 1991 on East Maui when several public and private landowners realized the benefits of working together to ensure the conservation of a shared watershed that provided billions of gallons of fresh water to the area.
In the following years more watershed partnerships formed including, Ko’olau Mountains Watershed Partnership, East Moloka’i Watershed Partnership, West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership, Lāna‘i Forest and Watershed Partnership, The Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance, Kohala Watershed Partnership, and ‘Ōla‘a-Kīlauea Partnership. The success of these partnerships highlighted the need to address watershed issues statewide.
On April 24th 2003, the 100th anniversary of Hawaii’s Forest Reserve System, Governor Linda Lingle and the seven existing watershed partnerships signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formally recognizing the states dedication to watershed protection and established the Hawai`i Association of Watershed Partnerships (HAWP).
Additional watershed partnerships have since been established.
HAWP Officers
Chair: Lucas Behnke, The Nature Conservancy’s Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance
Vice-Chair: Corie Yanger, Three Mountain Alliance
Secretary/Treasurer: Yumi Kam, Wai‘anae Mountains Watershed Partnership
Past Chair: Chris Brosius, Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership
HAWP Board of Directors
- Lucas Behnke, Kaua‘i Watershed Alliance
- Yumi Kam, Wai‘anae Mountains Watershed Partnership
- Vacant, Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership
- Russell Kalstrom, East Moloka‘i Watershed Partnership
- Christopher Brosius, West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership
- Dan Eisenberg, East Maui Watershed Partnership
- Andrea Buckman, Leeward Haleakalā Watershed Restoration Partnership
- Mahina Patterson, Kohala Watershed Partnership
- Corie Yanger, Three Mountain Alliance
- Cheyenne Hiapo Perry, Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance
