Blue-Green Shoreline Enhancements for Moku o Loʻe

Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island) is a 28-acre island in Kāneʻohe Bay surrounded by 64-acres of coral reef, which is designated the Hawai‘i Marine Laboratory Refuge (HRS 188-36). Located on Moku o Loʻe, the UH Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology is a world-class marine research facility providing multidisciplinary research and education in all aspects of tropical marine biology. In 2024-25, HIMB co-developed the Mālama ʻĀina Plan, a conceptual design grounded in Hawaiian knowledge systems, planning for the future of Moku o Loʻe under sea level rise. This Plan provides an exemplar of holistic planning and prioritization for islands facing similar threats. Following on the success of a recently completed pilot, this project will address priority areas incorporating three types of design, and can be scaled to different levels of investment ($750k - $3m): (1) Living Shorelines, (2) Biological enhancement and stabilization of existing seawalls, (3) Accommodation for rising sea levels.