A healthy, resilient landscape
will rise from the ashes.
THE KULA FIRE RESTORATION PROJECT
The Kula Fire Restoration Project is a survivor led effort to stabilize, protect, restore, and maintain the areas of Kula impacted in the August 2023 wildfire.
Learn more about our restoration process, which is guided by a group of subject matter experts, below.
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Our first step is to safely set a healthy foundation to build from. We are beginning with a fire-scorched disturbed landscape–the fireʻs intensity combined with soil dehydration prior to the fire has left us with completely sterile soil without structure or organic matter.
In order to repair the soil safely, we are applying a mulch treatment made of invasive woody material collected nearby. The much provides a protective blanket over the soil, stabilizing it, slowing water down along the slopes, filtering rainwater and nutrients into the soil below, and getting it ready for planting.
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The restoration of this fire-effected area comes with many challenges, not the least of which is invasive species–both flora and fauna. The lands in our area were disturbed by deforestation and invasive, fire prone plant species well before the fires. Our area is also known for a large Axis Deer population, which is devastating watersheds all over Maui County. As an Alliance, we are committed to prioritizing landscape resilience Kula in the face o. these challenges.
This is why weʻll need to engage in what‘s called in “Assisted Natural Regeneration,” meaning that human efforts will need to support the process along the way. We will do everything we can to reduce fire fuels, prevent invasive species regrowth, and to keep Axis Deer away from our restoration site. This will be achieved through a variety of methods, including systematic weed control and fencing where appropriate.
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With the guidance of ecological and cultural advisors, we will restore a healthy watershed environment using site-appropriate native plants and trees planted in the burned areas to return native groundcovers to the understory, shrubs to the mid-story, and magestic trees to the canopy.
This area of Kula, known as Pōhakuokalā (and Pūlehu just downhill), is home to a montane mesic forest known to biologists as a former home to a tremendous amount of biodiversity. As much as possible, we strive to restore the ecological identity of this area through careful sourcing of seeds within our ahu’pua’a and nearby habitat preserves and saplings that have origins nearby. Several partner organizations have already begun growing these for us.
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Stewardship is a marathon, not a sprint. We are committed to the long-term maintenance of our restoration area, and this will include careful monitoring, weeding, fence repair, and plant care.
Community work days to maintain our watershed (in the safest areas of the restoration zone) will be a big part of our maintenance plan.
Sign up for our mailing list to be informed of upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Explore all the ways to join us and get involved.
Join the Alliance.
Are you a concerned resident living in the fire affected areas of Kula? A potential partner that can bring resources to our effort? Join the Kula Community Watershed Alliance and connect with like-minded neighbors who are dedicated to restoring the lands they call home.
Make a Gift
Post-fire recovery, soil stabilization, and land restoration of this magnitude is a long-term stewardship process that requires hard work, specialized equipment, expertise, and resources to properly execute. Please give what you can to help us make our neighborhood fire-safe, recover the land, and support its vitality.
Watch the Watershed.
Have you noticed anything new in your watershed? Submit your observations to our crowdsourced citizen science project to get to know our watershed better.
Volunteer
The Alliance is currently engaged in large-scale soil stabilization work in the burn areas requiring skilled contractors and machine operators – it is work that’s not quite suitable for volunteers.
Sign up to Join the Alliance, and choose the volunteer option, and weʻll be in touch when the opportunity arises!
