Hawaii

The Trust for Public Land and Mālama Hulē‘ia successfully purchased and protected Alakoko Fishpond (also known as Menehune Fishpond), a 102-acre site of cultural and environmental significance near Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i. The purchase will forever protect Alakoko, a 600-year-old fishpond with a 2,700-foot long kuapā (fishpond wall) and the largest remaining fishpond on the island. In some legends, it is said to have been built overnight by the Menehune, who were among Hawai‘i’s earliest inhabitants.

The Waimea Valley has always been a place of refuge. Today, the lush canyon on the North Shore of O'ahu has a botanical garden and a shaded trail to a waterfall, offering visitors a change of pace from the busy, sun-drenched beaches of Waikiki. But hidden somewhere behind a wall of jungle near the parking lot, the valley holds the memories of a pivotal era in Hawaiian history: the final resting place of the islands’ last high priest, Hewahewa.

Land in Hawaiʻi has special meaning — ʻāina or land (that which feeds us) supports all life — both physical and spiritual, and connects us to our culture, past, and ancestors. Land conservation in Hawai'i is unique, blending culture, conservation, biology, and history for a brighter future. The Community Guide to Hawaiʻi Land Conservation explores how land conservation can build community resilience, conserve biocultural resources, and support healing land and local communities scarred by past divisions and disconnections.