Kuaaina Ulu Auamo

THE ORGANIZATION WORKS ACROSS THE STATE OF HAWAII TO EMPOWER HAWAII'S COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH CARING FOR THEIR BIOCULTURAL (CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL) HERITAGE. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS AT THE REQUEST OF COMMUNITIES TO HELP THEM ARTICULATE AND ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS FOR AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL STEWARDSHIP. THE ORGANIZATION BELIEVES THAT COMMUNITIES' SUCCESS IN ENSURING THE HEALTH AND VITALITY OF LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE LIES IN THEIR ABILITY TO PLAN, IMPLEMENT, FUND, EVALUATE AND ADAPT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OVER THE LONG TERM. THE ORGANIZATION BRINGS TOGETHER PARTNERS, TOOLS AND EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY EFFORTS. AS A CAPACITY-BUILDING ORGANIZATION, THE ORGANIZATION'S ROLES ARE THAT OF A FACILITATOR/CONVENOR, CONSULTANT/TRAINER, LIASON, AND TOOL-BUILDER.

PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPORT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, FACILIATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT HAWAII.IN 2022 KUA CONTINUED TO SERVE THREE NETWORKS 1) E ALU PU (EAP) - MALAMA 'AINA OR COMMUNITY-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FROM RIDGE TO REEF, 2) HUI MALAMA LOKO I'A (HMLI) - HAWAIIAN FISHPOND CARETAKERS, AND 3) THE LIMU HUI (LH) - NATIVE SEAWEED GATHERERS, PRACTITIONERS, AND CULTIVATORS. EACH NETWORK NESTS GENERATIVE FOCUS GROUPS SUCH AS THE LAWAI'A PONO HUI (LPH) - THAT SUPPORTS COMMUNITY FISHERY MANAGEMENT - AND THE HATCHERY HUI - THAT SUPPORTS PROGRESS IN RESTORATIVE AQUACULTURE. THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO HINDER HOLDING LARGE KUA NETWORK GATHERINGS IN-PERSON. HOWEVER, WE BUILT ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALLER CONTINGENTS TO GATHER AS WELL AS SMALL SCALE VISITATIONS AMONGST OUR ISLAND-WIDE NETWORKS. THE ROLE OF THESE NETWORKS IS TO SUSTAIN MOMENTUM AND REMAIN ACTIVE IN THEIR ALLIANCE TO MALAMA 'AINA. MANY MALAMA 'AINA EFFORTS OCCURRED OVER THE PAST YEAR, SOME THAT FOCUSED ON SHORT TERM GOALS SUCH AS EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON LIMU, OR LEARNING MORE ABOUT MOI SPAWNING. OTHER EVENTS WERE A CULMINATION OF YEARS OF EFFORT, LIKE THE MILOLI'I COMMUNITY-BASED SUBSISTENCE FISHING AREA (CBSFA) PROCESS. HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR:- THE LIMU HUI SUCCESSFULLY PASSED LEGISLATION MAKING LIMU KOHU THE STATE LIMU AND HELD NUMEROUS OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT THIS.-KUA ENDEAVORS TO ROLL OUT THE E KILO PUALA MONITORING APP CONTINUED.- E ALU PU'S LAWAI'A PONO (VIRTUOUS FISHING) WORKING GROUP MET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND INFORMED AND SUPPORTED OR OPPOSED SEVERAL POLICY ISSUES THAT COULD HAMPER OR SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN HAWAI'I. THIS INCLUDES THE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF RULE FOR THE MILOLI'I CBSFA AND ASSISTANCE IN HELPING THE KIPAHULU, MAUI CBSFA PROGRESS.- E ALU PU'S LAWAI'A PONO (VIRTUOUS FISHING) WORKING GROUP ALSO PARTICIPATED IN AN EXCHANGE THE WITH KIPAHULU OHANA (MAUI) TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR CBSFA EFFORTS FROM BOTH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND STATE OFFICIALS.- THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE INDIGENOUS AQUACULTURE HUB KUA TEAM AND MEMBERS OF THE HUI MALAMA LOKO I'A SUPPORTED AND PARTICIPATED IN PLANNING FOR A SWINOMISH INDIAN TRIBAL COMMUNITY IN WASHINGTON STATE AND HELPED RESTORE THEIR CLAM GARDENS ON THEIR SHORELINE. - KUA BROUGHT 36 NETWORK MEMBERS FOR OUR FIRST GATHERING SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN. IT HELD A THREE EVENT TO DISCUSS AND LEARN ABOUT VARIOUS APPROACHES AND TOOLS FOR KILO (ENVIRONMENTAL OBSERVATION) PRACTICE AT CAMP MOKULEIA, O'AHU.- MEMBERS OF THE LIMU HUI WENT TO HANA, MAUI TO SUPPORT THE FIRST HANA LIMU FESTIVAL SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, MEMBERS SET UP BOOTHS AND ENGAGED IN SHARING AND LEARNING ABOUT LIMU BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONS AND HANA COMMUNITY MEMBERS. - AFTER 2 YEARS OF ONLINE MEETINGS E ALU PU'S NA KAI EWALU GROUP OF FISHERS HELD THEIR FIRST IN PERSON GATHERING TO DISCUSS MULLET SPAWNING AND GONAD SAMPLING PRACTICES. - KUA HELD ITS FIRST SUCCESSFUL HUI MALAMA LOKO I'A GATHERING SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN AT KALOU LOKO I'A, WAIALE'E, O'AHU. - KUA HELD A COMMUNITY FISH CAMP IN KAHANA, O'AHU FEATURING NET MAKING PRACTICES WITH 'OPELU FISHERMAN CHUCK LESLIE OF KEALAKEKUA, HAWAI'I. - KUA SUPPORTED DIALOGUE AND DEVELOPMENT OF A HUI MALAMA LOKO I'A HATCHERY HUI TO EXPLORE THE CONCEPT, OPPORTUNITIES, OBSTACLES, AND FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING SMALL LEVEL RESTORATIVE HATCHERY PILOTS.- KUA CONTINUED TO SUPPORT ONLINE LEARNING EXCHANGES WITH EXPERTS AS WELL AS TALK STORY SESSIONS WITH ALL GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES.- IUCN: KUA CONTINUES ITS PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP IN THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE. KUA IS AN INAUGURAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S ORGANIZATIONS (IPO) AND ITS ED IS A MEMBER OF THE IUCN COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL POLICY.- IN 2022 KUA JOINED WITH SEVERAL GRASSROOTS LED OCEAN CONSERVATION GROUPS TO START THE NEXT 100 OCEAN EQUITY COLLECTIVE CULMINATING IN OUR FIRST CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA IN 2023.- AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL FOR ALL: IN 2022 KUA JOINED THIS COALITION OF CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE UNITING TO FURTHER THE US 30X30 (30% PROTECTED AREAS) AND JUSTICE 40 GOALS (40% OF FUNDS BENEFIT FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES) OF THE CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION.