The Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership

Collaborating to Restore Pearl Harbor to Abundance

About Us

The Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership is a group of stakeholders currently involved in natural area and cultural resource management, as well as community engagement, along the Pearl Harbor shoreline.  

Initiated by the community non-profit  Hui o Ho`ohonua  in August of 2019, the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership seeks to build collaboration that enhances the capacity of all participants to achieve our restoration and management goals.

Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership participants represent a wide range of stakeholders, many of whom participate in an informal, advisory capacity.

Accomplishments of the Partnership to Date

Almost $2.5 million in collaborative grants

  • A National Fish and Wildlife Coastal Resilience grant to expand collaborative Pearl Harbor shoreline restoration efforts - Hui o Ho`ohonua and NAVFAC
  • American Public Health Association Environmental Justice Public Education - Hui o Ho`ohonua and Waiwai Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands
  • National Coastal Wetland Conservation - Hui o Ho`ohonua, DLNR-Division of Aquatic Resources and USFWS
  • NOAA B-WET (Watershed Education) - Hui o Ho`ohonua and NOAA
  • NEEF Greening STEM Education - Hui o Ho`ohonua, Ko`olau Mtn. Watershed Partnership, DLNR - Division of Forestry and Wildlife (USFS)
  • Kaulunani Urban Forestry (Agrofood forest pilot) - Hui o Ho`ohonua, DLNR - Division of Forestry and Wildlife

Native Plant Propagation for Honouliuli Watershed Restoration: Hui o Ho`ohonua, LCC, DLNR-DAR, USFWS

Citizen Science - Biological Monitoring and Fishing Activity: Leeward Community College and Hui o Ho`ohonua

Shoreline Toxicity Research and Environmental Justice Mapping: Hui o Ho`ohonua and Seagrant, University of Hawai`i

Navy Volunteer Groups Engaged and Commended: Hui o Ho`ohonua, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Marine Corps Kaneohe Bay, Single Marine and Sailors and Schofield

Common Management Goals

  • Remove invasive mangrove vegetation from Pearl Harbor shoreline and off-shore islands
  • Improve water quality throughout all watersheds associated with Pearl Harbor
  • Restore native wetlands and shoreline vegetation
  • Restore oyster, mullet and native bird populations
  • Restore Hawaiian fishponds where possible
  • Engage the community in resource management and education
  • Collect data that serves to inform our efforts
  • Increase inter-agency collaboration and capacity

Hui o Ho`ohonua

A community stewardship networking 501(c)3 non-profit formed in 2015.

Mission: to address the perpetuation of historical trauma to the land, waters and people of the `Ewa moku.

Primary program: Mālama Pu`uloa - restoring Pearl Harbor to abundance

Seeing is Believing!

Keep scrolling to see all photos

Honouliuli Stream Flood Mitigation and Habitat Restoration

Empowering emerging leaders

Engaging schools

Collaborating on Pu`uloa Research Resources

Restoring native vegetation

Developing citizen science with LCC

Public education campaigns

Partnering with cultural practitioners for resource access

Partnering to battle the invasive Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

Engaging military volunteers

Invasive mangrove removal in sensitive areas

Improving habitat for endangered wetland birds

Improving community engagement and empowerment

Empowering emerging leaders like the HOH Alaloa Agrofood Forest Project Coordinator Jade Rhodes

  • Engaging local schools in restoration - HOH partners with 28 schools K-college

Collaborating on an `āina-based research collection, video and story map with Leeward Community College. Click here to access this amazing resource.

Restoring native vegetation with an engaged community

Developing educational-career pathways with Leeward Community College and the UH Office of Indigenous Knowledge and Innovation

Public education campaigns like this one focused on reducing the risk of toxins from seafood harvested in Pu`uloa

Partnering with cultural practitioners like this crew from the `Ewa `Āina Network havesting mangrove for Hawaiian hale

Working with the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle team to save niu

Engaging military volunteers like the Navy Construction Battalion to tackle invasive mangrove

Working with partners to train chainsaw crews removing invasive mangrove in sensitive areas

Improving habitat for endangered wetlands birds like the `alae ula


Meet the Participants

Hui o Ho`ohonua 501(c)3

Hui o Ho`ohonua 501(c)3. Click to expand.

Mission: to address the perpetuation of historical trauma to the land, waters and people of the `Ewa moku.

State of Hawai`i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources

State of Hawai`i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources. Click to expand.

Mission: to work with the people of Hawai‘i to manage, conserve and restore the state’s unique aquatic resources and ecosystems for present and future generations.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service

The US Fish and Wildlife Service. Click to expand.

The Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge Complex has created wetland habitat for engaged, native plants and animals. Participants in the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership have been provided essential expertise in native plant restoration and invasive species control as well as support for the Honouliuli National Wetlands Restoration project set to restore 21 acres between this site and the Honouliuli Stream. Click here to learn more about the refuge complex.

Leeward Community College

Leeward Community College. Click to expand.

Students and faculty from Leeward Community College have developing native plant propagation methods, citizen science programs and working to develop next generation leaders. Access the LCC Pu`uloa : `Āina based Research GuidePuuloa

Waiwai `Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands

Waiwai `Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands. Click to expand.

With initial collaboration between Hui o Ho`ohonua (HOH) and the Waiwai `Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands, HOH continues to pursue public education campaigns aimed at decreasing the risk of consuming toxins from seafood harvested in Pu`uloa. Mahalo to the American Public Health Association and their Environmental Justice funding for supporting these efforts. To view the HOH public health webpage click here.

Sea Grant University of Hawai`i

Sea Grant University of Hawai`i. Click to expand.

A Sea Grant team is currently conducting heavy metal toxicity research in sediments, fish and crabs in West Loch Pearl Harbor.

Ko`olau Mountains Watershed Partnership

Ko`olau Mountains Watershed Partnership. Click to expand.

Collaborating with Hui o Ho`ohonua to engage students from Pearl City High School in forest stewardship, and providing stunning photos of Pu`uloa, participants from KMWP work foster landowner collaboration and perpetuate the water resources of Oʻahu by protecting and enhancing the forests of the Koʻolau and its invaluable native ecosystems. Learn more by visiting the organizationʻs website.

DLNR Div. of Forestry and Wildlife Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program

DLNR Div. of Forestry and Wildlife Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program. Click to expand.

Working with Hui o Ho`ohonua on the Hui Alaloa Project with the goal of developing a lei of community stewardship projects along the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail that reactivate the region as a source of healthy food systems and waters, DLNR-DOFAW also stewards the Pouhala Wildlife Refuge on the shores of Pu`uloa.

NOAA - Office for Coastal Management, Hawai`i

NOAA - Office for Coastal Management, Hawai`i. Click to expand.

Joining the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership as a new, informal adviser, the NOAA Office for Coastal Management is a vital part of the partnershipʻs work and strategically located on Ford Island in the center of Pearl Harbor. They remind us that in Hawai`i, coastal management is a ridge to reef undertaking.

The Honolulu City and County Resilience Office

The Honolulu City and County Resilience Office. Click to expand.

The majority of the Pu`uloa shoreline is managed by the Honolulu City and County. This partner has assisted the partnership in ways to work collaboratively with multiple city and county departments, advance policies that address equity and providing data and tools to address equity (Hui o Ho`ohonua has utilized these tools to pursue environmental justice grants).

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Click to expand.

As the waters of Pu`uloa are controlled by the Navy, we are grateful that representatives from JBPHH have participated in the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership.

UH Hilo Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Research Center

UH Hilo Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Research Center. Click to expand.

Dr. Maria Haws of UH Hilo PACRC works with the Waiwai Ola Waterkeepers, Hawaiian Islands to research ways to restore the oysters or hamau i`a to Pu`uloa. She is now working to develop an oyster propagation program at Waipahu High School with their Academy of Natural Resources.

Hui o Ho`ohonua 501(c)3

Mission: to address the perpetuation of historical trauma to the land, waters and people of the `Ewa moku.

Engaging community in education and stewardship since 2017. Through our Mālama Pu`uloa Program we. have engaged over 10,000 community volunteers, 28 regional schools K-college and manage 35 acres of active shoreline restoration and community gardens.

State of Hawai`i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources

Mission: to work with the people of Hawai‘i to manage, conserve and restore the state’s unique aquatic resources and ecosystems for present and future generations.

Collaborative work for Pu`uloa has focused on the Honouliuli Watershed and is continuing with the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant to expand this work for a total of 27 acres of restored shoreline.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service

The Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge Complex has created wetland habitat for engaged, native plants and animals. Participants in the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership have been provided essential expertise in native plant restoration and invasive species control as well as support for the Honouliuli National Wetlands Restoration project set to restore 21 acres between this site and the Honouliuli Stream.  Click here to learn more about the refuge complex .

Leeward Community College

Students and faculty from Leeward Community College have developing native plant propagation methods, citizen science programs and working to develop next generation leaders.  Access the LCC Pu`uloa : `Āina based Research GuidePuuloa 

Waiwai `Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands

With initial collaboration between Hui o Ho`ohonua (HOH) and the Waiwai `Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands, HOH continues to pursue public education campaigns aimed at decreasing the risk of consuming toxins from seafood harvested in Pu`uloa. Mahalo to the American Public Health Association and their Environmental Justice funding for supporting these efforts. To view the HOH public health webpage click here.

Learn more about all the ways in which Waiwai `Ola Waterjkeepers Hawaiian Islands is working for "fishable, swimmable, drinkable waters" -  click here to view the organizationʻs website. 

Sea Grant University of Hawai`i

A Sea Grant team is currently conducting heavy metal toxicity research in sediments, fish and crabs in West Loch Pearl Harbor.

The overarching goal of Sea Grant is to increase the sustainability and resilience of our communities and to learn more,  click here to visit the organizationʻs website. 

Ko`olau Mountains Watershed Partnership

Collaborating with Hui o Ho`ohonua to engage students from Pearl City High School in forest stewardship, and providing stunning photos of Pu`uloa, participants from KMWP work foster landowner collaboration and perpetuate the water resources of Oʻahu by protecting and enhancing the forests of the Koʻolau and its invaluable native ecosystems.  Learn more by visiting the organizationʻs website .

DLNR Div. of Forestry and Wildlife Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program

Working with Hui o Ho`ohonua on the Hui Alaloa Project with the goal of developing a lei of community stewardship projects along the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail that reactivate the region as a source of healthy food systems and waters, DLNR-DOFAW also stewards the Pouhala Wildlife Refuge on the shores of Pu`uloa.

NOAA - Office for Coastal Management, Hawai`i

Joining the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership as a new, informal adviser, the NOAA Office for Coastal Management is a vital part of the partnershipʻs work and strategically located on Ford Island in the center of Pearl Harbor. They remind us that in Hawai`i, coastal management is a ridge to reef undertaking.

The Honolulu City and County Resilience Office

The majority of the Pu`uloa shoreline is managed by the Honolulu City and County. This partner has assisted the partnership in ways to work collaboratively with multiple city and county departments, advance policies that address equity and  providing data and tools to address equity  (Hui o Ho`ohonua has utilized these tools to pursue environmental justice grants).

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

As the waters of Pu`uloa are controlled by the Navy, we are grateful that representatives from JBPHH have participated in the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership.

We believe it is important to acknowledge the multiple groups of volunteers from the base who have contributed to restoration in Honouliuli, notably, members of the the Navy Construction Battalion shown in these images.

UH Hilo Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Research Center

Dr. Maria Haws of UH Hilo PACRC works with the Waiwai Ola Waterkeepers, Hawaiian Islands to research ways to restore the oysters or hamau i`a to Pu`uloa. She is now working to develop an oyster propagation program at Waipahu High School with their Academy of Natural Resources.

Partner Spotlights

Rhiannon Tereari`i Chandler-`Iao, the Executive Director of Waiwai Ola Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands, is the first guest on Conservation Conversations Hawai`i. We are honored to have her as a member of the Pu`uloa Strategic Partnership...watch and see why!

Conservation Conversations Hawai`i - Rhiannon Chandler-`Iao


Honour Booth, Department of Chemistry, UH Mānoa and SeaGrant Hawai`i researcher shares her initial findings from her investigation "Hāpai i ka Wai" Carried by the Water: Land-based Pollutants in Kaihuopala`ai (West Loch)". Weʻre honored to be working with Honour on a public health education project funded by the CDC and a Pu`uloa Strategic Partner!

Pu`uloa Toxin Study 2 8min