Natural Areas of Hawaii

Wiliwili Bombs Volunteers
Native plants, bombs, and volunteers on Kahoolawe

Kahoolawe (Kanaloa)

Kahoolawe is the smallest of the eight major Hawaiian Islands, and lies six miles southwest of Maui.   At its farthest points Kahoolawe is 11 miles long and 7 miles wide, roughly 28,800 acres total (45 square miles).   The highest point on the island, Moaulanui, is 1477 feet above sea level.   Steep cliffs border the southern and eastern coastlines of the island.   Its north and west facing sides are more gradually sloped, with a coastline of beaches and bays.

History

In ancient times Kahoolawe was called Kanaloa for the god of the ocean and the foundations of the earth.   It was a place where kahuna and navigators were trained and it played an important role in early Pacific migrations.   Today, Kahoolawe serves as a foundation for the revitalization of Hawaiian cultural practices, and provides an unique opportunity for restoration on an island-wide level.

Beginning in the 19th century and through 1988, feral goats and sheep overgrazed Kahoolawe, eliminating the plant cover and causing massive soil erosion.   At the start of World War II, Kahoolawe was taken by the U.S. military for use as a target and training area.   A 1953 Executive Order placed the island under the Secretary of the Navy with the assurance that it would be restored to a "habitable condition" when no longer needed for naval purposes.   Efforts to return the island to the people of Hawaii started as soon as it was taken for military purposes.   The Protect Kahoolawe Ohana led the public protest to end the bombing and return the island.   The Ohana carried out a series of occupations of the island beginning in 1976 which brought national attention to the movement.


In 1993, after years of sustained protests and strong public sentiment against the bombing, Congress passed a law that: recognized the cultural significance of the island; required the Navy to return the island to the State; and directed the Navy to conduct an unexploded ordnance (UXO) cleanup and environmental restoration in consultation with the State.   The bill authorized federal funding for the cleanup through November 2003.   Eleven percent of the Navy cleanup funding is distributed to the State for planning, restoration, and other mandated activities.   The restoration of Kahoolawe will require a strategy to control erosion, re-establish vegetation, recharge the water table, and gradually replace alien plants with native species.

Volunteer

The restoration of Kahoolawe will require a strategy to control erosion, re-establish vegetation, recharge the water table, and gradually replace alien plants with native species.   People interested in helping heal the island can get in touch with the KIRC to indicate their availability for volunteer opportunities in the future.   WARNING! Kahoolawe and its surrounding waters contain quantities of unexploded ordnance which are hazardous to public health and safety.   Unauthorized entry onto the island of Kahoolawe and into the waters within two miles of Kahoolawe is prohibited.   However, there are opportunities for access. For more information call the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission at (808)243-1276 or visit http://kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/.   For more volunteer opportunities on Maui visit www.hear.org/volunteer/maui.

More Information

For more information about Kahoolawe, call the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) at (808)243-5020, or visit:

Plants

A collection of images for native (*) and non-native plant taxa found on the island of Kahoolawe.   Click on a plant to view images for that species.
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Comments? Questions? Send e-mail to: starrimages@hear.org.
This page was created on 01 November 2004 by Starr, and was last updated on 13 January 2008 by Starr.
HEAR - USGS - Starr