Mokauea Island Restoration Project (2005 - 2011) Kai Makana lead an effort to environmentally and culturally restore Mokauea Island. Adopting the vision of the Mokauea fishermen, the goal was to recreate a living example of a traditional Hawaiian subsistance fishing village.

September 11, 2004 - Kanapou Bay Clean-up On the island of Kaho'olawe, Kai Makana will partner with the Department of Land & Natural Resources, and the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission to clean Kanapou Bay of the marine debris and analyze what, we as humans, have littered our ocean with.

June 26 - September 26, 2004 - Youth Environmental Summer Program This is a summer program that includes youths from Kuhio Park Terrace.

April 3, 2004 - Punana Leo Canoe Race Kai Makana partnered with 'Aha Punana Leo o Kawaihao to raise funds for the Hawaiian Immersion Schools. The race consisted of 6-man and one-man canoe, short and long courses which began and finished at Magic Island.

April 4, 2004 - E Malama I Ke Kai Kai Makana participated in E Malama I Ke Kai at the Bishop Museum. Kai Makana taught interested parents and children about dissolved oxygen, nutrients, etc. and the need to take care of our ocean and water ways.

December 13, 2003 Kai Makana Ocean Education Day. Activities included cleaning the enchanted lakes area, planting naupaka, water quality testing, and outrigger canoe paddling. All activities were open to all ages.

Kuhio Park Terrace (KPT) Summer Ocean Environmental Project (June 2003 - October 2003)  Participants ranging in age from 11 to 18 learned water quality testing, canoe paddling, kalo farming, raising fish in a traditional fish pond, and cultural protocol. Students tested fresh water at Kalihi stream and the Waiahole Loi on the Windward side of Oahu. They also tested salt water at the Heeia Fish Ponds. In both instances the students tested for pH, dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform. During the summer these participants conducted their own community project at Kalihi stream, where they collected over 500 pounds of garbage in a 1/4 area of the stream. As a component of this project, the students were taught Oli Mahalo to thank all the volunteers who hleped them at each venue as well as a greeting oli. The KPT project was concluded at the end of the Women's Na Wahine O Ke Kai outrigger canoe race, a six-man canoe race from theisland of Molokai to the island of Oahu, where the Outrigger Canoe Club women presented as Oli Kahea to the students and the KPT participants responded with a greeting oli to welcom the team on shore.

Nanakuli Beach Clean-up (May 2003)  Nanakuli Beach was the focus of Kai Makana's community project. Keiki brought in friends and family to participate in this group effort to help beautify and restore the area. Trash was picked up from the beach to the roadside. Keiki conducted water quality testing in two separate areas and educated the group on the process and findings. Native plants such as Naupaka, Pohinahina, and Naio, just to name a few, were planted.

Heeia Fishpond Clean-up (May 2003)  Kai Makana spent the day with Paepae O Heeia, an organization dedicated to taking care and preserving the Heeia Fishpond. Keiki were educated about the area, the effects of evasive limu and mangrove overgrowth. Work stations were setup to address these areas and water quality testing was also performed. 

E Malama I Ke Kai (April 2003)  Kai Makana participated in the E Malama I Ke Kai festival held on the grounds of Bishop Museum on April 27, 2003. Kai Makana was one of the many exhibitors that participated in educating the community by providing a better understanding of the ocean that surrounds us and the effects we have on it. Water samples from different parts of the island were displayed to compare results such as coliform, nitrate, and dissolved oxygen. Brochures were passed out and t-shirts were for sale. Keiki pledged their help in keeping the ocean clean by providing their painted handprints on a cloth. Donna Kahakui and Kai Makana were also recognized for their efforts to protect and preserve the ocean.

Meadow Gold Environment Regatta (April 2003)  Keiki from schools all over Oahu participated in the Meadow Gold Environmental Regatta races. Milk cartons were used to build canoes of various shapes and sizes and were judged by sponsors and Kai Makana. Keiki from Kai Makana held Hawaii language classes as well as performed water quality testing.

Aotearoa, New Zealand Trip (February 2003)

Hokulea Restoration (November 2002) Kai Makana assisted the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) in the restoration of the Hokulea. The keiki along with some of the parents, participated in sanding and varnishing the lashings and assisted in the rigging process. Keiki were also educated on the construction and structure of the Hokulea and other canoes.

Hilo Bay Project (July 2002)  Marine debris pick-up and water-quality testing after the Fourth of July celebration.

E Malama I Ke Kai (May 2002)  Kai Makana participated in the E Malama I Ke Kai festival held on the grounds of the Bishop Museum on May 5,  2002. T-shirts were for sale and brochures were provided to explain more about the organization and its function. Displays were set up to provide information such as water pollution, run-offs, etc. to raise public awareness. Keiki pledged their help in keeping the ocean clean by providing their painted handprints on a cloth.

Shark Tagging (April 2002)  This was a day-long educational excursion to Coconut Island or Moku O Lo`e, home of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. A guided tour was provided explaining the various functions of the complex. Keiki participated in catching small hammerheads for documentation to identify long term habitat and human impact.

Wai`anae Environmental Education Day (March 2002)  A one-person canoe/kayak race that required all participants to plant a native plant on the heiau in Poka`i Bay at the end of the race.  The day also included environmental and education displays, information, and interactive areas where individuals learned about the ahupua`a system, environmental hazards, water-quality testing, poi pounding, and kapa making.  Also included was a one-person canoe paddling clinic by Mike Judd.

Waimanalo Spring Clean-up Project (March 2002)  The Waimanalo Clean Up Project was a community effort  to clean the streams and rid the streets of trash and abandoned vehicles. Kai Makana participated in the stream clean up and worked on three of Waimanalo's litter-strewn waterways. These once thriving water systems now flow intermittently. In hopes of filtering the toxins that now flow through these streams, the project focused its efforts on reintroducing the native plants that once thrived in the area. `Ahu`ula, `Akia, Kulu`i, and `A`ali`i were some of the Native Hawaiian plants used in the project.

Tahiti (October 2001)

New York (June 2001)

Poka`i Project 2001 (March 2001)  In observance of Earth Day 2001, Kai Makana, in partnership with Wai'anae Hawaiian Civic Club, Ka`ala Farm, Wai`anae High School Hawaiian Studies Program, Ke Ola Mamo, Wai`anae Girl Scouts, Maui Ocean Center, U.S. Coast Guard, Sea Grant, Chevron's Keiki ID and Kanaka Ikaika One Man/Kayak Association conducted an environmental race and replanting of native plants at Poka`i Bay.  The event brought out more than 360 participants many of whom were one person canoe/kayak racers who, not only had to race a 6 or 12 mile, course but in order to finish the race had to plant a native plant on the Ku'ilioloa Heiau.  It was a wonderful day that joined together many organizations who believe that we need to take care of our oceans, our lands and our youth.

Earth Day Adventure Aloha (April 2000)  A 140-mile paddle around O`ahu, which included three educational projects (Poka`i Bay, Kahana Bay, Maunalua Bay) which involved over 800 participants.  Projects included habitat restoration and reintroduction of native plants to the shoreline areas.  In addition, projects focused on revitalization of the ahupua`a system by restoring the natural water flow from the mountains to the sea.  Educational displays were utilized to address marine issues such as net debris, pollution, and the importance of of our watersheds.  Some partners in this project included: Chevron, Patagonia, Wai`anae Hawaiian Civic Club, Ka`ala Farm, Ai Pohaku, Ahupua`a Action Alliance, DLNR, Xcel, Nike, Haili's Hawaiian Food, Maui Jim, Eye Catcher, and the City and County of Honolulu.

Lanai Project - Kaiolohia Beach (November 1999)  The objective involved Chaminade University Students educating at-risk youth and others, about the effects of marine debris and included instructing participants about how to transect a reef in order to determine the volatility and effects of runoff on the reef.  Marine debris was also collected, documented and weighed for this specific area.  The total weight of the marine debris collected in a 4-hour period was over 1,000 pounds.  Project partners included: Trilogy-Maui Tours, Lana`i Company, DLNR, Hawai`i Wildlife Fund, & Chaminade University.

Maunalua Bay Reef Rescue (May 1999)  The object of this project was to involve the community (especially canoe paddlers) in a reef area clean-up that involved education about the life within a reef and the reef itself as a living organism.  Partners for this project were: DLNR, Starbucks, Hui Nalu Canoe Club, Ocean Club, & McDonald's Hawaii Kai.

Reef Rescue Project - Waikiki (April 1999)  The object of the project was to involve the community (especially canoe paddlers) in a reef clean-up combined with educational information about the life within a reef and the reef itself as a living organism.  Partners in this project were: Starbucks, Koa Kai Canoe Club, DLNR, Anuenue Canoe Club, & Waikiki Surf Canoe Club.

Shoreline Educational Clean-up - Waimanalo Beach Park (March 1999)  The object of the project was to clean-up the beach area, create an understanding definition of marine debris, identify and quantify the shoreline marine debris, explain the hazards of marine debris, and provide visual experience to demonstrate the severity of the problem.  Partners in this project were: Ocean Club, Waimanalo Canoe Club, & Kamehameha High School Canoe Club.

Make-A-Difference Day - Ala Moana Beach Park The objective of this project was to clean-up the beach area and survey what the public feels the ocean environment is worth.  This was done by conducting surveillance on garbage, specifically soda pop cans and potato chip bags, placed strategically near specific garbage receptacles in order to determine how many people walked by before it was picked up.  Partners in this project included: Jamba Juice, Punahou High School Paddling, & Keahiakahoe Canoe Club.

Would you like to start one of these projects?  Contact us!

Shoreline Restoration Projects  Community-based projects that inform participants about the importance of native plants to the restoration and sustainability of the shoreline.  Participants remove alien species and plant native plants in strategic locations along the shoreline.

Adopt-A-Reef  Specific reefs are earmarked by the community for clean-up.  The community participates in removing debris, garbage and entangled nets from a reef and develops a better appreciation of our unique marine ecosystems.  Kai Makana assists the community with its ongoing care of the adopted reef and documentation of an improved ecosystem.

Ahupua’a Watershed Projects  Watershed management projects educate community and partner organizations, or groups, about the importance of maintaining the natural flow of the water from the mountains to the ocean.  Participants learn about how run-off affect ocean ecosystems.  These projects emphasize the necessity of taking care of the land as well as the ocean.

Marine Debris Education Projects  Groups of high school students, canoe clubs, and various organizations statewide are working with Kai Makana to clean up our beautiful shoreline.  Kai Makana inspires and nurtures ongoing stewardship of local beaches by educating people about the positive impact of cleaning up coastal debris.

Interested?? - contact us:
  kaimakanasmile@gmail.com

For inquiries or to make a contribution, please contact us at:
Kai Makana
P.O. Box 22719
Honolulu HI  96823