Annual report oahu

Oʻahu Soil and Water Conservation Districts

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Photo: Forest and Kim Starr

He aliʻi ka ʻāina; he kauwā ke kanaka The land is chief; man is its servant Ōlelo Noʻeau #531, Mary Kawena Pukui

Annual Report 2013 " "

South Oʻahu~West Oʻahu~Windward Oʻahu

Oʻahu Soil and Water Conservation Districts Promoting responsible stewardship of natural resources in our community

Message from HACD Oʻahu Vice President, Nathan Miranda “Soil and Water Conservation.....

Itʻs a simple concept that goes a long way” Page 1

The Oʻahu SWCDʻs and how they can help you..

Who, What, and How? Page 2

South Oʻahu SWCD & Featured Cooperators Otsuji Farms and Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui Page 3-4

Conservation practices Enhance and Protect Soil and Water Quality.

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West Oʻahu SWCD & Featured Project and Cooperator Honouliuli Watershed Restoration Project and Owen K. Kaneshiro Farms Page 6-7

Of course there are many people who help make conservaIon efforts possible, but I would just like to take the Ime to thank those whose hands are

Aloha kākou! We are proud to connected with the ʻāina to keep present to you our annual HACD report. conservaIon efforts moving forward.

They are Jean, Bob, and Ann from the In our report you will find the latest details and happenings with your HACD Oʻahu RC&D and Mike, Ben, Cheryl, and Susan from the NRCS. Thank you for all family on Oahu as well as some of our that you do! Most especially, thank you accomplishments over the past year. for taking the Ime to pour all the

We represent 3 districts. They knowledge that you can into our sole are the South Oʻahu, Windward Oʻahu planner… Puaonaona. It’s not an easy and West Oʻahu SWCD’s. With the job for one person to take on, but over assistance of the Oʻahu Resource ConservaIon and Development Council the last 11 months it has been amazing to see how quickly she has taken on all (Oahu RC&D), the USDA-­‐Natural Resources ConservaIon Service (NRCS) the responsibiliIes that we used to expect of 3 planners. Mahalo nui loa and one extremely talented SWCD Puaonaona!

ConservaIon Planner we somehow As we go through plans manage to keep up with most of the soil and water conservaIon concerns for the someImes we may take the work that these planners do for granted, but it’s island of Oʻahu (though some might when you come across the problems argue just barely). stemming from misguided plans that

Message from HACD Oʻahu Vice President

Annual Report 2013

Windward Oʻahu SWCD & Featured Cooperators Milo Nursery, Double J Livestock and Hui Kū Maoli Ola. Page 8-10

Mahalo Nui Loa! Page 11

don’t put conservaIon first, that you really begin to see and appreciate the great work that they do. Soil and water conservaIon… it’s a simple concept that goes a long way. Thanks to everyone who believes and strives for this, and mahalo for all your honorable work!

Nate Miranda HACD Oʻahu Vice President

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The Oʻahu Soil & Water Conservation Districts and how they can help you...

Who.....

The Soil and Water ConservaIon Districts (SWCDʻs) on Oʻahu were first established in 1948 by Oʻahu farmers, ranchers, and land users to coordinate local efforts in the conservaIon of soil, water and other natural resources in our communiIes. The SWCDʻs are self-­‐ governing sub-­‐units of the state and total sixteen currently acIve in Hawaiʻi and nearly 3,000 in the naIon. In Oʻahu we serve communiIes in 3 SWCDʻs, South Oʻahu, West Oʻahu and Windward Oʻahu.

Each SWCD is governed by a board of five directors, three elected by agricultural land-­‐users or landowners within the respecIve district (a director must either live or work in the SWCD) and two appointed by the directors. Our directors and associate directors volunteer their Ime and have a strong interest in balancing the well-­‐being of 2

our communiIes with the sustainability of our natural resources.

What....

Our purpose is to encourage conservaIon and assist land users to properly manage their natural resources, reducing negaIve effects to the environment. The way we accomplish this is by working with cooperators in our communiIes as well as working in partnership with the USDA-­‐NRCS, Oʻahu Research and Development Council, The Department of Health, The Department of Land and Natural Resources, The University of Hawaiʻi, CTAHR and many others to ensure the quality of our lands in Hawaiʻi. We... *Develop conservaIon plans using best management pracIces to reduce soil erosion and or other forms of polluIon on and offsite of farm/ag. operaIons.

*Encourage and assist in surveys, invesIgaIons, and research relaIng to soil and water conservaIon *Conduct community outreach, specifically environmental educaIon in schools and at community events. *Coordinate the ConservaIon Awareness contest for high schools in Oʻahu.

These are just a few of the many services the Oʻahu SWCDʻs provide How.....

To learn more about the Oʻahu SWCDʻs and the ways we can HELP you, contact your Oʻahu SWCD ConservaIon Specialist.

Annual Report 2013

South Oʻahu SWCD Board Members L-R: Associate Director-Raymond Higashi, Treasurer-Warren Wong, Chair-Karen Ah Mai, Secretary-Judy Ni’i, Director-Lisa Zeman and Vice Chair-Dudley Kubo

OTSUJI FARMS

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Cooperator: Edwin Otsuji

self from the land. He says, “Itʻs all about sustainability and educaIng people about foods that are good and possible for them to eat in keeping them healthy.”

Nestled in the middle of a Hawaiʻi Kai neighborhood and behind Kaiser High School is Otsuji farms, a family operated farm since 1954. A humble man, Edwin Otsuji has been a true example in his community of what proper land stewardship is all about.

He not only incorporates conservaIon pracIces into his farm operaIon but he makes people in his community and elsewhere the focus of his work by providing high quality

produce at reasonable prices. He even makes delicious meals from his produce that insIll in people the idea of eaIng healthy and feeding oneʻs Annual Report 2013

In speaking with him and being at his farm for just a few minutes, evidently this South Oʻahu SWCD cooperator is not only an expert farmer, educator, but also an innovaIve thinker, unafraid to try new things in the way he manages and sustains his farm. He along with his family, workers, and volunteers ranging in age from high school kids to reIrees successfully grow over 20 different vegetable crops and leafy greens.

They include crops such as Anuenue leiuce, green onions, bok choy, kale, sweet potato leaves, basil, and mint to name a few.

DiversificaIon to Edwin is about providing people with a variety of produce to chose from but also about

promoIng a healthy soil medium for his crops and welcoming beneficial insects and microorganisms. A conservaIon pracIce he consistently benefits from is his implementaIon of veIver, a clump grass, planted along the contours of sloping land on his property. The veIver forms dense hedges to slow run-­‐off, promotes infiltraIon moreover traps sediment from entering into his farm plots. It has been so beneficial in reducing soil erosion and surface run-­‐off on his site that he has planted veIver along every slope on his property. Edwinʻs efforts throughout the years to properly manage his farm and implement conservaIon pracIces has

proved beneficial to the success of his farm. The Oʻahu SWCDʻs applaud Edwin Otsuji of Otsuji Farms for his dedicaIon to the conservaIon of Oʻahu’s natural resources.

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Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui Community stewardship to conserve and preserve Oʻahu’s natural and cultural resources

Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui (LHKH), spearheaded by Elizabeth Reilly and comprised of many concerned community members of Maunalua (a.k.a.

Hawaiʻi Kai) set out in 2004 to protect a 5-­‐acre parcel in threat of development that had known cultural and natural resources on site; a heiau, petroglyphs, various ancient agricultural terraces, a once spring fed well, threatened and endangered species such as the ʻAlae ʻula, the indigenous ʻaukuʻu and the NaIve Hawaiian damselfly or pinao. At the Ime their efforts began, Reilly states, “We were not known for being land managers and were viewed as simply a well intended group of people,” which proved difficult for LHKHʻs desire to gain access to the land and one day acquire it as well.

According to Reilly that perspecIve soon changed when Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui decided to contact the South Oʻahu Soil and Water ConservaIon Districts. In becoming a cooperator and working with the SWCDʻs and its partnership with the NRCS, a porIon of the 5-­‐acre parcel was defined as a wetland. This documented wetland delineaIon helped to convince others about the importance of preserving the five-­‐acre parcel and led to the development of LHKHʻs conservaIon plan with the support of the SWCD and NRCS planners. Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui 4

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Cooperator: Elizabeth Reilly

quickly became viewed “as an organizaIon that had the capacity to properly manage the land because of our conservaIon plan,” stated Reilly. It also escalated to an opportunity for LHKH to access 2.3 acres of land (where a porIon of the wetland is situated) from The Oʻahu Club.

In 2013, LHKH is a comprised of 7.3 acre included within it is the Hawea heiau, Keʻawaʻawa wetland and the many cultural and natural resources they fought to protect. As a result of their hard work, vision and dedicaIon to conserving not only our natural resources in Oʻahu but also preserving our cultural resources, LHKH has successfully bought the 5-­‐acre parcel. In addiIon, they have grown to include a Cultural Resource Commiiee and a Natural Resource Commiiee comprised of 4 members each as well as a core of 4 volunteer leaders to organize work projects on site. This project is unique in that it started as an effort only known to people facing the problem in their backyards, but has now grown to inspire us, educate us and remind us of the power of a group effort and the partnership of a state and federal enIty working together to protect our natural and cultural resources for our future generaIons.

At present Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui has been busy implemenIng their conservaIon plan by removing over 300+ false koa, kiawe and miscellaneous shrubs using the Tree/Shrub site preparaIon pracIce. This pracIce ensures that special care is given to the

way that the trees are removed and disposed of to prevent unnecessary damage to the environment such as soil erosion and the contaminaIon of waterways. Mulching efforts are conInuous on site as there is a constant supply through the chipping of invasive trees. This pracIce is helpful in suppressing weeds, increasing soil organic maier and water retenIon in soils. LHKH is also busy removing loads of garbage that were exposed during the removal of trees and are finding ways to recycle and repurpose some of the materials found. LHKH plans to implement a conservaIon cover using a naIve Hawaiian species and are currently propagaIng naIve plants to be used throughout their project site.

Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui is also expanding their conservaIon efforts by taking the tools they learned through the SWCDʻs and NRCS and spreading them into the community. They host school groups to educate youth about conservaIon pracIces, how to implement them and how to read resource maps. The goal in educaIng the school groups Reilly states “is to create stakeholders within the community that will take pride in their land and elsewhere.” Elizabeth also hopes that one day LHKH can construct a hālau waʻa for educaIonal purposes.

The South Oʻahu SWCD is proud to have Livable Hawaiʻi Kai Hui as a cooperator and looks forward to all the great work they will do in the future.

Annual Report 2013

Conservation Practices that Enhance and Protect Soil and Water Quality

Riparian Forest Buffer An area consisIng of trees and/or shrubs located up-­‐gradient and near waterways or water bodies. This pracIce restores riparian plant communiIes, reduces excess amounts of soil nutrients, organic maier, sediment and pesIcides in surface runoff. The buffer also creates shade to maintain or lower water temperatures to improve the habitat for aquaIc organisms.

Vegetative Barrier It is a permanent strip of dense sIff vegetaIon such as VeIver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) planted across concentrated flow areas or along the general contour of slopes. VegetaIve barriers are beneficial in reducing ephemeral gully erosion, sheet and rill erosion, trapping sediment, stabilizing steep slopes and controlling water flow on the soil surface. "

CREDIT: OAHU RC & D

Composting facility A structure used to facilitate and contain the decomposiIon of organic material or manure by microorganisms into a useful soil amendment. This holding area decreases the polluIon potenIal of organic waste solids from entering ground water and provides a soil amendment that adds organic maier, beneficial microorganisms, and slow-­‐release plant-­‐available nutrients to the soil profile.

Grassed waterway A graded or shaped channel that is planted with a suitable vegetaIon to carry surface run off to a stable outlet. This pracIce aims at taking runoff from diversions, terraces or other areas of concentrate water flow without causing flooding or erosion. It is also beneficial in reducing gully erosion and improving and protecIng over all water quality.

Cover crop PlanIng of legumes, grasses, or forbs (herbaceous flowering plant) for seasonal cover and conservaIon purposes such as the reducIon of erosion from wind and water. Cover crops also promote biodiversity, the uptake of plant available nitrogen, manage soil moisture, suppresses weeds, increases organic maier and minimizes and reduces soil compacIon.

Annual Report 2013

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West Oʻahu SWCD Board Members L-R: Vice Chair-Alan Gottlieb, Treasurer-John McHugh, Secretary-Peter Gibson, Director-See Ba Thee (TC). Not pictured: Chair-Larry Jefts

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Honouliuli Watershed Restoration Project

Credit: CRAMP Hawaiʻi

The Honouliuli watershed is one of ten watersheds that drain into Puʻuloa (commonly known as Pearl Harbor) and is on the state of Hawaiʻi’s list as a water body not meeIng water quality standards.

Therefore, with funding from a grant through the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) awarded to the Oʻahu Resource ConservaIon and Development Council (ʻOahu RC & D), several West Oʻahu SWCD cooperators were able to help improve water quality in the watershed over a 3 year restoraIon project with the technical experIse from the NRCS and others.

West Oʻahu SWCD cooperators in the watershed such as HARC, Sygenta, Pioneer and Monsanto implemented nearly 10,000 linear feet of vegetaIve barriers, over 6 miles of terrace, and planted 500 acres of cover crops.

These conservaIon pracIces help to promote infiltraIon, trap sediment, reduce field steepness (slowing 6

surface run-­‐off) and increase soil health and prevent soil loss. The result of these efforts was an overall reducIon of soil erosion in the watershed by nearly 7,300 tons annually, reducing the amount of sediment entering local water bodies.

Jean Brokish, execuIve director of Oahu RC& D states “the reducIon in sediment also reduces nutrient loads; and in this project, nitrogen was reduced by more than 12,000 lbs per year, and phosphorous was reduced by 385 lbs per year.”

The funding from the DOH helped to cover a porIon of the installaIon costs, with farmers in the watershed contribuIng more than $650,000 in labor and materials. “The contribuIon from farmers and landowners in the watershed demonstrate real dedicaIon to protecIng our soil and water resources,” commented Brokish. In efforts, to increase the understanding among farmers of how acIviIes on the land affect near shore water

quality, Oʻahu, RC & D, with the help of the SWCDʻs and NRCS held 2 field days aimed at educaIng small scale farmers and large scale farmers about various conservaIon pracIces to protect and enhance water quality and reduce soil erosion. The results of this Honouliuli watershed restoraIon project, Brokish states, “Will reduce sediment and nutrient loads in runoff entering West Loch, and will ulImately move West Loch and [Puʻuloa] closer to achieving naIonal water quality standards.”

The West Oʻahu SWCD is proud of the Ireless effort done in the Honouliuli watershed to reduce soil erosion and sediment from entering into our local water bodies.

We applaud the efforts of our cooperators and the dedicaIon of the Oʻahu Research and Development Council in working throughout the island to conserve Hawaiʻiʻs natural resources and educate communiIes on best management pracIces.

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Owen K. Kaneshiro Farms ""

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Itʻs what I know...

Armed with years of experience and a carefree spirit of aloha, Owen Kaneshiro of Owen K. Kaneshiro Farms has been farming the same land since 1980 and currently has 30 acres of land in producIon. He grows various leafy greens such as kai choy, bok choy, shanghai, a small cabbage as well sunflowers, for the ornamental market.

Owen graciously takes me around his farm to view conservaIon pracIces heʻs been implemenIng, as a result of his work with the SWCDʻs and the NRCS Aiea Field Office Staff, Susan Kubo and Michael BajinIng. Heʻs proud to tell me about the panax heʻs planIng for windbreaks to prevent wind erosion on his property as well as decrease the difficulty he has when irrigaIng his crops. The strong winds from the Waianae Mountains come through his property making it difficult for him to know if his crops are receiving even water distribuIon during irrigaIon. The windbreak/ shelter belt establishment pracIce helps to reduce soil loss caused by wind but can also increase water use efficiency when irrigaIng crops in windy areas.

We visit an old test plot site where the UH Mānoa CTAHR Soil Science Department planted cover crops to study soil ferIlity. As Owen reaches the harvest stage for various crops he tells me about needing to acquire sunhemp seeds to plant in his fields right away. He learned from the cover crop study and from informaIon provided by the NRCS and the SWCDʻs that they are beneficial for overall crop producIon because of its ability to enhance soil physiological properIes. The use of cover crops or “green manures” such as sunhemp, rye, buckwheat, and oats increase soil organic maier, which helps reduce compacIon allowing plant roots to move freely through the soil profile to aiain water. Cover crops also Annual Report 2013

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Cooperator: Owen Kaneshiro work well at suppressing weeds, enhancing soil nutrients such as nitrogen, increasing biodiversity in fields and can reduce the presence of plant pests and diseases.

Owen comments that he knows about the importance of feeding his soil and “changing things up.” Heʻs not ashamed to talk about not knowing everything in the conservaIon field because heʻs willing to learn it and apply it to his operaIon. He tells me, “Farming is what I know, its what I do,” and its obvious he loves it with a passion.

He expresses his want to manage his natural resources as best he can so that he can conInue on with his passion of farming for maybe another decade or so. As I thank him for his Ime and take my last picture, I walk away feeling hopeful for the way people will farm into the future. Owen a self-­‐proclaimed “old Ime farmer” showed that although he may be accustomed to a certain way of doing things on his farm, if you have an open mind and a willingness to learn and try new things then one can really benefit in his or her farm operaIon and enhance the environment at the same Ime. This way of thinking can be applied in many situaIons but in the case of conservaIon of our natural resources, Owen has the right frame of mind to be farming sucessfully a long way into the future.

The West Oʻahu SWCD thanks Owen Kaneshiro for his hard work over the years in providing food for our islands and for his belief in conservaIon and the proper management of natural resources on his farm.

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Windward Oʻahu SWCD Board Members L-R: Chair-Rick Towill, Treasurer-David Morgan, Director-David Ringuette. Not pictured: Vice Chair-Brian Cordero and Secretary-Nathan Miranda

Milo Nursery/Kanu Farms

Cooperators: Gabe and Shellee Machado

Gabe and Shellee Machado of Milo Nursery and more recently Kanu Farms began planIng an orchard on their beauIful Waimanalo property about 5 years ago. The orchard includes a wide variety of figs, several peach trees, lychee trees, ulu or breadfruit trees, papayas, and bananas. They also grow lilikoʻi, cherries, hydroponic leafy greens and 3 years ago began raising Ilapia. Gabe a landscaper by trade and a reIred firefighter said this endeavor is to move towards sustainability and providing he and his family’s needs from the land. Shellee hopes to one day incorporate various ways of using the fruits from their orchards to produce products to share with the community.

Their property in Waimanalo is next to different waterways and Gabe knew when acquiring the land that it was important to incorporate conservaIon pracIces that would protect the water quality of the area. To prevent any soil erosion from surface runoff a grassed waterway, a field border in the front porIon of their property was implemented and the alleys of their orchard was grassed. In addiIon, with the help of the Oʻahu RC & D, the Machadoʻs were able to set up a composIng facility on their property to prevent the contaminaIon of ground water from organic wastes and/or manure. The Machadoʻs also currently propagate veIver grass to implement diversions on their property soon. VeIver will be used to divert surface run-­‐off away from areas that have concrete walkways and towards 8

grassed waterways. The impermeable surface of the concrete increases the rate of the runoff increasing its erosive capability when water hits the soil surface. Gabe knows with the combinaIon of the veIver and diverIng the water towards his grassed waterways infiltraIon will occur, sediment will be trapped and the velocity of surface runoff will reduce, prevenIng soil from leaving his property.

The Machadoʻs exude a determinaIon to sustain their operaIon by protecIng and enhancing their surrounding environment using conservaIon pracIces. The Windward Oʻahu SWCD congratulates the Machadoʻs on their hard work and for being mindful that their acIons on the land do not negaIvely affect the natural resources and people in their community.

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Double J Livestock"

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Cooperators: Paul & Verna Eguires

The Eguires family is no stranger to hard work and have proved it in their commitment over the years to managing

Paul and Verna Eguires are their natural resources on their ranch in owners of Double J Livestock Ranch, a Kahuku. Their work with the SWCDʻs and name chosen to represent their two the NRCS, have helped them make leaps children Jill and Josh. They have been and bounds in providing their caile a ranching for over 15 years and are in the comfortable area to graze and produce business of markeIng Hawaiʻi-­‐grown quality calves. The conservaIon pracIces grass fed finished beef and replacement they have implemented include brush seed stock for ranchers throughout the management where they cleared invasive state of Hawaiʻi since 2007. species such as turkey berry to plant

As cooperators in the Windward quality forage. The prescribed grazing Oʻahu SWCD since 2008, Paul and Verna pracIce which has improved and have been regular aiendees to monthly maintained the quanIty and quality of meeIngs and are always willing to offer forage and cover available for their caile. their Ime to support the SWCDs. Their Moreover, they also installed pasture efforts in helping others is also evident in fencing on their property to manage their the 20+ years they have volunteered their caile and rotate them throughout the Ime in the University of Hawaiʻi at various fields to prevent overgrazing.

Mānoa CTAHR 4-­‐H Youth Development Over grazing causes caile to prevent the Program teaching youth livestock regeneraIon of grass leaving soil evaluaIon and public speaking skills. suscepIble to erosion by wind and water.

They also have held leadership roles in It also leads to an unhealthy environment the Hawaiʻi State Livestock Council and for the caile when the fields become are current members of the Hawaiʻi State muddy and difficult to access during Farm Bureau. rainfall. Paul and Verna have also

Itʻs All in the Family

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implemented a watering facility to meet the daily water needs of their caile and improve animal distribuIon on their ranch.

Verna menIoned that the biggest struggle when they first started their business was how they were going to remove all the invasive species from the land. The work she and Paul did in working closely with the SWCD and NRCS has truly helped them increase the sustainability and profitability of their caile operaIon. Paul menIoned that the removal of the invasive species, allowed for them to implement other conservaIon pracIces that were criIcal to the proper management of their ranch.

The Windward Oʻahu SWCD is happy to have such hard working, dedicated people such as Paul and Verna Eguires in our family of cooperators. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors in the caile industry and thank you for your conInued work with the SWCDʻs in protecIng and enhancing our natural resources.

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Hui Kū Maoli Ola

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Cooperators: Kapalikū Schirman and Rick Barboza

Hui Kū Maoli Ola (HKMO) is a naIve Hawaiian plant nursery located in Haʻikū, managed by Rick Barboza and Kapalikū Schirman. This successfully run nursery first began as a backyard hobby in 1992 for Barboza and Schirman and now is a thriving business and has placed these two as top experts in the field of Hawaiian plants. They supply Hawaiian plants to Home Depot, Walmart, private and commercial landscapers, hotels, resorts, and State and Federal agencies. Hui Kū Maoli Olaʻs mission is to preserve and perpetuate Hawaiʻiʻs natural history and culture by increasing public appreciaIon for Hawaiʻi’s unique ecosystem through the integraIon of educaIon, propagaIon of naIve Hawaiian plants and quality restoraIon and consulIng services. They also have a nonprofit organizaIon Ied in with the efforts of Hui Kū Maoli Ola, called Papahana Kuaola.

These two sites are where major forest and watershed restoraIon efforts were accomplished by Barboza and Schirman along with limahana (workers) of Hui Kū Maoli Ola and Papahana Kuaola as well as volunteer groups and individuals from throughout the island. They have successfully implemented pracIces such as mulching, riparian forest buffers, brush management, forest stand improvement, and criIcal area planIngs. The mulI-­‐story cropping pracIce was used to plant a canopy of naIve Hawaiian plants such as mamaki and hala which Schirman states is beneficial because not only is hala known in the area of Haʻikū, but mamaki can grow 8-­‐10 feet tall in the first year, providing weed control and promoIng a thick understory of non-­‐woody and woody naIve Hawaiian plants to thrive. The use of the mamaki and hala in the canopy does not create a dense shade as do common invasive species in Hawaiʻiʻs forest canopy, which block out sunlight prevenIng understory plants from surviving, leaving soils suscepIble to eroding into water bodies.

Kapalikū comments that in their efforts to restore areas along the stream and remove invasive species, HKMOʻs development of a conservaIon plan was really helpful in providing them a roadmap of things they needed to start with and get accomplished first for such a big project. “It was and is sIll a great guide and a good inventory of whatʻs going on in our property and educates us on the types of conservaIon pracIces we will apply elsewhere in our parcel, he states. These two gentlemen have extensive knowledge and experience in working with plants and carrying out restoraIon efforts all over the islands, however, they state that there are tools available to the SWCD that they canʻt access on their own. The resource maps the planners create for us are so useful states Schirman. He also points out that the research and scienxic models that are done to measure the effects conservaIon pracIces will have on the miIgaIon of resource concerns is not something a farmer/landowner can do on their own without appropriate soyware. In addiIon, the access the SWCD has to experts in the various fields of engineering, biology, forestry, soils, agronomy, and plants through our partnership with the NRCS greatly increases our abiliIes to provide proper guidance to landowners. Lastly, Schirman states that beginner farmers and land stewards should develop a conservaIon plan first because he believes it is probably one of the best tools you can arm yourself with in wanIng to start up a farm/land operaIon and be successful.

Owners Rick and Kapalikū show their humility in the praise they give the Oʻahu Soil and Water ConservaIon Districts through our support of their natural resource protecIon and enhancement efforts in the Heʻeia watershed. It is an honor to have such graItude come from such a highly successful, sustainable and community enriching program and the Windward Oʻahu SWCD thanks Hui Kū Maoli Ola for their efforts to restore our watersheds, increase the idea of taking care of the land and promoIng the importance of the natural and cultural history of Hawaiʻi.

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Mahalo nui loa......

The Oʻahu Soil and Water Conservation Districts would like to thank our cooperators, past, present and future that have made or will make the conscious effort to develop a conservation plan and see it through till implementation. Your effort to help us manage and protect natural resources in Hawaiʻi is invaluable as no task is too big when we work together.

The rewarding work we do in the Oʻahu Soil and Water Conservation Districts would not be possible without funding from the Department of Health, through the Clean Water Act, support from the Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Engineering division, the Office of Information Practices, the Farm Service Agency, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, CTAHR and the technical support and planning expertise of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Oʻahu Research and Development Council.

Mālama pono a me ke aloha, The South Oʻahu, West Oʻahu and Windward Oʻahu Soil and Water Conservation District board members and conservation specialist

Annual Report 2013

IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO

MĀLAMA ʻĀINA, CARE FOR THE LAND

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