Funding for Hanapēpē Salt Pond dune restoration and stewardship

Provide funding to support community-led coastal dune restoration, climate resilience, and long-term stewardship at Hanapēpē Salt Pond on Kauaʻi, the last remaining place in Hawaiʻi where Native Hawaiian families continue the traditional practice of making paʻakai (salt).

Increasing coastal erosion, sea level rise, storm surge, and flooding threaten the natural systems that sustain this unique cultural practice. Recent hurricane impacts have further demonstrated the vulnerability of the coastal dunes that serve as a critical protective barrier for the salt-making area.

The project would build upon existing community-led restoration efforts by supporting dune stabilization, native coastal vegetation restoration, environmental and hydrological monitoring, nature-based coastal protection strategies, and ongoing stewardship and maintenance. Funding would also strengthen community capacity through youth engagement, cultural knowledge transmission, stewardship training, and partnerships that integrate traditional ecological knowledge with scientific research.

Long-term investment in the protection and management of this culturally significant coastal ecosystem will strengthen climate resilience, reduce the impacts of coastal hazards, and ensure that the natural environment and traditional Hawaiian salt-making practices are sustained for future generations.