LAUKOA Supports Kahoʻolawe Restoration

DAWSON’s recent impact initiative on Kahoʻolawe brought together members of our ʻohana for a multi-day volunteer effort rooted in service, learning, and cultural connection. This meaningful experience strengthened our team while supporting the ongoing restoration and stewardship efforts that protect the island’s fragile environment and honor its deep historical significance.

The purpose of this initiative was to reconnect our team with the cultural, historical, and environmental importance of Kahoʻolawe. The island holds profound significance for the Hawaiian people and remains the focus of extensive restoration and research efforts. As DAWSON’s O&M department is contracted by the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission (KIRC) to maintain the facilities that support volunteers, operations, and access groups at Honokanaia—and whenever required, groups from the Protect Kahoʻolawe ʻOhana—this visit provided an invaluable opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the systems, responsibilities, and challenges tied to sustaining work on the island.

Throughout the trip, participants engaged in a variety of hands-on restoration and maintenance activities. The team planted more than 500 native plants, including ʻaki ʻaki, milo, and ʻakulikuli, across multiple sites to help stabilize soil and mitigate erosion along access roads. They also supported fire prevention work by clearing vegetation around the solar farm and generator shed, followed by installing tarp mats and gravel to reduce wildfire risk. In addition to these physical tasks, team members learned about the island’s critical infrastructure, such as the reverse osmosis system that provides freshwater and requires precise coordination due to the logistical limitations of transporting resources to Kahoʻolawe.

The group also visited several culturally significant locations, including:

• Moaulaiki: A sacred site on the traditional summit of Kahoʻolawe. It served as an ancient astronomical observatory where navigators could study stars, celestial movements, and ocean currents to learn how to navigate between the islands and observe other major islands from the peak.
• Kealaikahiki: The westernmost point and a sacred navigational channel, historically significant as a route for Polynesian voyaging to Tahiti. It is a crucial historical and cultural site for traditional navigation, serving as a launching point for voyages and a place for training modern wayfinders.
• Po Kanaloa: The “Po Kanaloa” site, also known as Kohemalamalama o Kanaloa, which means “the place dedicated to Kanaloa“. Kanaloa is the Hawaiian god of the ocean, and Kahoʻolawe’s traditional name reflects its sacred importance and historical function as a navigational and cultural center, especially for teaching Polynesian voyaging skills
• Moaulanui: The highest point on Kaho’olawe. On its summit is the rain ko’a used for cultural ceremonies and observation.

These visits offered the team a deeper appreciation for Kahoʻolawe’s role in Hawaiian history, navigation practices, and cultural traditions. Time spent at the beach allowed for quiet reflection, spiritual connection, and a shared sense of purpose as the team honored the work being done to protect and restore the island.

Twelve DAWSON team members participated, including Sterling Wright, Drew Cruz, Tyra Craig, Marilynn Eleccion, Andrea Keithley, Nathan Lower, Evan Leha, Nicholas Haigler, Peter Mario, Nicholas Gregory, Curren Gaspar, and Reuben Del Rosario. DAWSON extends deep appreciation to the KIRC Base Camp Management at Honokanaia for their support and guidance throughout the visit, including DAWSON project manager Peter Akoni, site superintendent (and interim cook) Calif Peat, mechanics Bruce Froemsdorf and John Moniz.

The experience was both physically demanding and deeply meaningful. Participants witnessed the lasting environmental impacts caused by decades of ranching and military training, gaining an understanding of the long-term commitment required to restore the island. Working together in challenging conditions strengthened communication, fostered teamwork, and deepened the sense of ʻohana among the group. Being on an island with limited resources offered a powerful reminder of the importance of stewardship—both environmental and cultural—and of the collective responsibility to care for a place as significant as Kahoʻolawe.

KIRCs Vision

The kino (physical manifestation) of Kanaloa is restored. Forests and shrublands of native plants and other biota clothe its slopes and valleys. Pristine ocean waters and healthy reef ecosystems are the foundation that supports and surrounds the island. Nā poʻe o Hawaiʻi (the people of Hawaiʻi) care for the land in a manner that recognizes the island and ocean of Kanaloa as a living spiritual entity. Kanaloa is a puʻuhonua and wahi pana (a place of refuge, a sacred place) where native Hawaiian cultural practices flourish. The piko of Kanaloa (the navel, the center) is the crossroads of past and future generations from which the native Hawaiian lifestyle is spread throughout the islands.

To learn more about Kahoʻolawe and the efforts of KIRC, visit: https://www.kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/home.php

Impact event participants (left to right): Sterling Wright, Drew Cruz, Tyra Craig, Marilynn Eleccion, Andrea Keithley, Nathan Lower, Evan Leha, Nicholas Haigler, Peter Mario, Nicholas Gregory, Curren Gaspar, Peter Akoni, Reuben Del Rosario.

Above photo (left to right): Paul Higashino, KIRC, Head of Restorations, Peter Akoni, DAWSON, Project Manager, Dean Tokishi, KIRC, Head of Oceans Program.