Environment

Molokai Heritage Trust Moving Forward

Friday, July 26th, 2024

The Molokai Heritage Trust (MHT) is more than halfway through its membership drive and community information sessions. About 20 people attended a meeting at Mitchell Pau‘ole Center July 15 — the third of 10 planned meetings. By the closing of this issue, three additional meetings were held on the island.
“We are hoping this is going to be the beginning of a monumental moment for Molokai,” said Zhantell Dudoit Lindo, a founding member of the trust.
Ultimately, MHT wants to purchase more than 55,000 acres of land — about a third of the island — owned by Molokai Ranch. The trust would then manage the lands through an elected Board of Directors.…

NOAA to Survey Coral Reefs and Ocean Conditions

Friday, July 12th, 2024

This summer, residents and visitors may see a large white ship sailing around Molokai and other Hawaiian Islands. This ship will be launching small orange boats carrying teams of scientific divers to conduct noninvasive underwater surveys close to shore. The ship will be off the coast of Molokai from July 15 to July 19, but this schedule is weather dependent.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) will be measuring and counting reef fish, assessing coral health, and collecting ocean temperature and condition data. In addition to recording biological and habitat data, they will also be taking images of the ocean floor.…

Promising Signs for Native Species Recovery in Mokio

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Wedged between ‘Ilio Point and Mo’omomi, the Mokio Preserve has been a focal point for native species rehabilitation for years. Now, with the completion of a state-of-the-art predator proof fence, the preserve is poised to support a resurgence of native plants and birds.

Construction of the 5,600-foot-long conservation fence began back in August 2020 as a joint project between the Molokai Land Trust and American Bird Conservancy (ABC).

“We’ve already begun seeing benefits from the newly installed fence, including Wedge-tailed Shearwater (‘Ua’u Kani) chicks this year, compared to previous years when all chicks were lost to mongoose predation,” explained Bard Keitt, oceans and islands director at ABC.…

Coastal Homestead Community Resilience Plan Begins

Thursday, June 13th, 2024

Molokai community members are taking another important step in addressing sea level rise and climate change.
Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) residents of Kalamaula, Kapa‘akea, and Kamiloloa One Ali‘i are encouraged to attend the second beneficiary meeting to discuss the Molokai Coastal Homestead Community Resilience Plan (MCH-CRP). This meeting is a critical step toward ensuring the sustainability and resilience of Molokai’s coastal communities.

The primary goal of this session is to identify key issues and hazards affecting each ahupua‘a, including flooding, erosion, deforestation, and wildfires. This meeting marks the initial step in developing solutions and initiating relevant projects to address these challenges.…