Protecting Lānaʻi’s Land Through Community Action

October 2025 — If you’ve spent time on Lānaʻi, you know how special this island is — quiet, rugged and full of life. You can feel the mana of the land when the wind moves through the kiawe, when the light hits the ocean just right. But beneath that beauty, something has been out of balance for a long time. Axis deer and mouflon sheep — animals not native to Hawaiʻi — have taken a heavy toll on Lānaʻi’s ecosystems. They’ve eaten away at the native plants that protect our soil and water, and their growing numbers are threatening the island’s natural and cultural health. That’s where our community steps in.

It all started back in 1867. Seven axis deer were brought from India to Molokaʻi as a gift to King Kamehameha V — a thoughtful gesture at the time, meant to add new game to the islands. No one could have imagined what would happen next. Without predators, and with Hawaiʻi’s lush landscapes to feed them, the deer population exploded. In the 1920s, deer were brought to Lānaʻi, and by the 1960s, mouflon sheep were added for sport hunting. Over time, their populations grew beyond what the land could support. Now, these animals eat nearly everything in sight — stripping hillsides, destroying crops and allowing invasive weeds to spread. When the rains come, the soil washes down into the sea, clouding our reefs and harming marine life. For a small island like Lānaʻi, that’s a big problem.

Rather than see the deer as just a problem, the Lānaʻi community has chosen to see them as part of the solution. Through the Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center’s Community Stewardship Hunting Program, local hunters are taking responsibility — not just as hunters, but as caretakers of the ʻāina. Every day, 30 licensed Lānaʻi residents (15 per area) can hunt in designated zones using approved firearms or bows. There are no bag limits — and that’s intentional. This is about restoring balance, protecting native plants and caring for the land that feeds us. But it’s not just about numbers. It’s about values. Every hunter who steps onto the land carries with them kuleana — a deep responsibility to do this work with respect. This program is part of the Kuahiwi a Kai Lānaʻi Watershed Conservation Program, supported by Pūlama Lānaʻi and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, all working together to protect the health of Lānaʻi’s forests and watersheds.

One of the most exciting new developments is Lānaʻi’s new Mobile Processing Unit — a USDA-inspected facility that lets hunters process locally harvested venison right here on island. For the first time since 2007, Lānaʻi-raised venison can be sold in stores and restaurants. That means this once-destructive species is now helping feed families, support local businesses and strengthen food security. It’s a powerful reminder that sustainability doesn’t just mean protecting nature — it means finding balance between people and place. As we say, mālama ʻāina, and the ʻāina will mālama you.

This program is about more than hunting — it’s about connection. Connection to the land, to our ancestors, and to each other. Every arrow released, every deer harvested, every meal shared is part of a larger story — one of community action and cultural resilience. The Stewardship Hunting Program shows what happens when people come together with respect, humility and aloha ʻāina to care for their home. Because on Lānaʻi, we know that true stewardship isn’t just about protecting the land. It’s about belonging to it.

Registration: Monday–Friday, 5–6 p.m. at the Dole Administration Building. To learn more, visit Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center and discover how you can be part of protecting Lānaʻi’s ʻāina — one hunt, one meal, and one act of kuleana at a time.