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Private Oʻahu landowners stepping up to protect natural resources in Koʻolau mountains

Partners and associate partners of the Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership gather to renew their commitments for the first time since 1999. (Aug. 3, 2022)
Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership
Partners and associate partners of the Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership gather to renew their commitments for the first time since 1999. (Aug. 3, 2022)

Private landowners are stepping up to protect natural resources in the Koʻolau Mountains on Oʻahu.

Sixteen landowners have reaffirmed their commitment to the Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership. It oversees conservation efforts in nearly ninety percent of the Ko‘olau Range.

JC Watson manages the partnership. He says the health of the watershed is critical to urban O‘ahu’s water supply.

"Even though you’re downtown, you are less than two miles from forest. All you have to do is step outside and look through the gaps in the buildings and boom, there’s your watershed. Everytime you turn the tap on, I mean, that’s a direct output from our forests. The most valuable output is water, it’s not timber, it’s not minerals — it’s water," Watson said.

Watson estimates that the Ko‘olaus yield over 130 billion gallons of water each year, which recharges our aquifers.

Without the support of private landowners for conservation, Watson says the Ko‘olaus could see higher levels of invasive species and decreased water recharge over time.

This interview aired on The Conversation on Aug. 4, 2022. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.

Savannah Harriman-Pote is the energy and climate change reporter. She is also the lead producer of HPR's "This Is Our Hawaiʻi" podcast. Contact her at sharrimanpote@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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