2024: a Banner Year for Stewardship
March 2025 - At Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center, there’s no better expression of our mission than through community-driven volunteer events. In 2024, we were fortunate to work alongside many dedicated volunteers who helped restore natural habitats, clean coastal areas and outplant native plants. The spirit of collaboration inspires us. Together, we’ve made a lasting impact on the island’s environment.
Here's a look back at some of the incredible volunteer events that were held:
One standout event took place in August at Kānepuʻu Preserve, where more than 80 volunteers joined forces with staff from The Nature Conservancy to outplant 50 native plants, including ʻilima papa, ʻaʻaliʻi, naio and wiliwili. The ʻilima papa plants were propagated by kindergarteners earlier in the year. It was truly special to see the island’s youngest generation involved in this important work.
In September, volunteers gathered at Hiʻi to outplant 20 native plants, including the beautiful ʻōhiʻa lehua and ʻaʻaliʻi. The group also worked to weed and remove invasive eucalyptus leaf litter. This hands-on effort helped to ensure that native plants had the space and resources to thrive in this important area.
The end of 2024 saw volunteers remove over 390 pounds of marine debris and rubbish from the area surrounding the loko iʻa (fishpond) at Waiaʻōpae. This major cleanup effort prepares the site for future outplanting of native plants and restoration of the area’s cultural significance.
Impact:
- 70 Native Plants Outplanted
- 129+ Volunteers Participated
These volunteer events are essential to rejuvenating Lānaʻi’s delicate ecosystems. We are filled with gratitude for all who contributed their time and energy to the cause. Whether you helped by planting, cleaning or restoring habitats, your efforts are making a lasting difference and creating a legacy. We also appreciate KS Kaiāulu and NFWF for their support of these initiatives.
