(BIVN) – A $1.9 million federal grant will fund the Puapuaʻa Iki Habitat Restoration Project in Kona. 

“This project will restore 11.5 acres of coastal land and provide shoreline stabilization while protecting historic infrastructure on the site,” wrote the NOAA Office for Coastal Management. “The County of Hawai‘i and the Hawai‘i Coastal Management Program will partner to remove invasive plants and plant native species to improve soil structure and reduce the influx of harmful nutrients into the bay and coastline.” 

The funding was awarded to the County of Hawaiʻi Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience (OSCER). The County provided these details, as well as photos of the site: 

This initiative aims to restore native ecosystems, preserve historic and cultural sites, and strengthen community resilience against climate impacts such as erosion, flooding, and sea level rise at Puapuaʻa Iki, a parcel of land in Kona managed by the County’s Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC) program. 

“The Puapuaʻa Iki Habitat Restoration Project is a good example of the important work being done by the County of Hawaiʻi to support conservation and cultural preservation,” said Mayor Kimo Alameda. “By engaging with local stakeholders, we can ensure that this land is properly stewarded for future generations.”

Puapuaʻa Iki mixed native & invasive shoreline vegetation, photo courtesy County of Hawaiʻi

The project will be managed by OSCER in close collaboration with the PONC program. Puapuaʻa Iki has deep cultural and ecological significance and has long faced challenges from invasive species, erosion, and trespassing.

As part of the grant development process, the County engaged local stakeholders with connections to the site that span decades and generations. This collaboration will continue as the grant includes funds to convene a community advisory group starting in 2026 to guide planning and implementation throughout the project, ensuring that restoration efforts reflect traditional knowledge and cultural values. 

Key project activities include the establishment of the community advisory group, landscape planning and environmental assessment to ensure environmental compliance, cultural site restoration, and ecological site restoration efforts focused on replanting native vegetation and stabilizing the shoreline. The restoration will cover approximately 11.5 acres of lowland coastal dry/mesic forest and will include careful work around the heiau and burial sites to protect these culturally important areas. 

The project aims to provide long-term benefits including enhanced shoreline stability, protection of historic and cultural resources, biodiversity restoration, and greater community engagement in land stewardship. The first meeting of the community advisory group is anticipated for January 2026, following the acceptance of funds. 

The funding runs through September 2029 and was awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Competition.

Community members interested in participating in future engagement opportunities or sharing their manaʻo about Puapuaʻa Iki may complete the project interest form at (here). For more information, email OSCER@hawaiicounty.gov, call 808-854-3129, or follow @hicountyoscer on Instagram.