Mālama Kawainui: Fishpond Restoration & Education

Mālama Kawainui is a community-led initiative restoring Kawainui Marsh, the largest remaining wetland in Hawaiʻi at approximately 500 acres, to its historic role as a productive fishpond. Historically, Kawainui was a masterpiece of Hawaiian aquaculture, producing over 500,000 pounds of fish annually, sustaining a thriving, self-sufficient community. This project focuses on protecting endangered waterbirds, reestablishing native vegetation, restoring pond walls and hydrology, and improving water quality through invasive species management and traditional fishpond stewardship practices. Mālama Kawainui will actively engages residents and visitors in restoration work, cultural education, and volunteer workdays. Through these efforts, the project strengthens connections between people and ʻāina, revives ancestral fishpond practices, and ensures the continuity of Hawaiian ecological knowledge and food systems for future generations.