The Department of Land and Natural Resources wants to hear from the public about a coral restoration project on Oʻahu.
The Division of Aquatic Resources will be hosting meetings for residents to engage in the site selection process for transplanting coral. The public can give feedback through meetings in person, or through an online survey.
There will be two target sites for restoration. One in Waikīkī, either at Turtle Canyon or Waikīkī Marine Life Conservation District, and one on Oʻahu's south shore at Kewalo or Maunalua Bay.
“These sites were selected because of their need for restoration and the strong likelihood of successful coral outplanting,” said Christina Jayne, curator of DAR’s Hawaiʻi Coral Restoration Nursery, in a news release. “We want to hear from stakeholders because they access these sites frequently and notice subtle changes in the reef. They provide valuable insights as partners in our decision making.”
The project aims to restore the reef ecosystem by planting 80 to 100 nursery-grown corals at the selected sites by the end of 2026.
Recovery can be a challenging effort as many unique species of Hawaiʻi's coral are slow-growing compared to other corals found around the world. Restoration can lead to higher coral reproduction rates.
The in-person meeting will be on March 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Waikīkī Aquarium Classroom. Zoom meetings will be held on April 1 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and on April 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information about the project click here.
