Hawaii launches two-mile mangrove removal to restore wetlands and protect native birds
Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources and partners have begun a multi-year effort to clear nearly two miles of red mangrove-infested streams in Kailua, aiming to restore wetlands and safeguard endangered waterbirds.
A coalition led by Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, the University of Hawaii Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit and the nonprofit Hui o Koolaupoko has launched a multi-year program to eradicate invasive red mangroves from about two miles of waterways in Kailua. Backed by grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and NOAA, crews will begin removal on 26 September, starting with the stretch of Kawainui Stream between Kawainui Neighborhood Park and the Hamakua Street Bridge.
The mangroves, introduced from Florida in 1902, have altered water flow, raised stream beds and degraded habitat for endangered waterbirds such as the Hawaiian stilt, coot, gallinule and duck. Volunteers and local landowners are being recruited to pull seedlings and seed pods, after which native wetland species will be planted to stabilize soils and block future invasions. Monthly workdays will continue through 2027, and long-term monitoring will address the prolific seed pods that can travel far on tides. Officials say restoring natural hydrology will bolster the ecosystem's resilience to climate change and protect the region's unique avian fauna.
Why it matters
Removing invasive mangroves will improve water quality, reduce flood risk, and preserve critical habitat for Hawaii's endangered waterbirds.
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