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Kahaluʻu Kūāhewa is one of Konaʻs largest intact traditional agricultural field systems preserved within a 354-acre area owned by Bishop Estate-Kamehameha Schools. Within the past 20 years, archaeological survey has documented at least 3,500 features, of which 98.7% are considered traditional agricultural features. In 2015, we began working to revitalize and restore this traditional system, which is now overtaken by invasive species, such as strawberry guava and Christmas berry. We have fenced in 16-acres of this vast system and have so far cleared five acres, restoring it to serve its initial intention and purpose. We aim to support and enhance the biocultural resources of the forest and agricultural lands within the ma uka region of the ahupuaa of Kahaluu, to protect and revitalize the natural and cultural resources that enable traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices, and to engage the greater Kona community through educational outreach programs and initiatives relating to a traditional regenerative agroforestry model of farming and community-based stewardship of natural resources.

VISION

REVITALIZATION OF THE WAHI KŪPUNA KAHALUʻU KONA FIELD SYSTEM AS A TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE AND RECONNECTING KĀNAKA TO ʻĀINA.

MISSION

TO STRENGTH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ʻĀINA, COMMUNITY AND CULTURE THROUGH THE REVITALIZATION OF ANCESTRAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS. GROUNDED IN ʻIKE KŪPUNA, OUR WORK BRINGS TOGETHER ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION, AND ʻĀINA-BASED EDUCATION TO SUSTAIN BIODIVERSITY, PERPETUATE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND CULTIVATE  OUR FUTURE GENERATION OF STEWARDS.

OUR VALUES

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OUR PILLARS

RESTORATION. CULTIVATION. EDUCATION.

AT THE HEART OF KAHALUʻU KŪĀHEWAʻS WORK ARE THREE INTERCONNECTED PILLARS: RESTORATION, CULTIVATION, AND EDUCATION. BECAUSE RESTORATION MAKES CULTIVATION POSSIBLE. AND CULTIVATION MAKES FOOD SHARING AND EDUCATION POSSIBLE. EDUCATION HELPS US BUILD FUTURE STEWARDS AND THOSE FUTURE STEWARDS MAKE LONG TERM CARE OF THESE PLACES POSSIBLE.

OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT

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