Hawai'i

Ai.Fish
Operationalizing Machine Learning in Fixed Gear Electronic Monitoring Program
Develop and deploy a cloud-based software system for processing electronic monitoring video data using machine learning, incorporate machine learning processing into data review, and conduct a study on the effects of using machine learning to assist review. Project will improve efficiency for data analysis in Alaska and disseminate best practices for implementing machine learning in data review in Alaska and other fisheries.
$250,000

American Bird Conservancy
Saving Hawai‘i’s Imperiled Forest Birds XIV (HI)
Continue conservation activities to protect forest birds in Hawai‘i. Project will: 1) restore native dry forest and maintain 48 miles of fence around palila critical habitat on Hawai‘i, 2) conduct cat, rat, and mongoose control on 16,270 acres on Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i  Island, 3) survey and monitor kiwikiu and palila populations, 4) conduct mosquito surveys on Kaua‘i and Maui, and 5) support coordination of the Birds, Not Mosquitoes committee to develop and deploy a landscape-scale mosquito control tool.
$270,000

College of Charleston
Mitigation of Chondria Tumulosa Spread in Papahānaumokuākea (HI, SC)
Utilize satellite imagery and invertebrates to monitor and understand invasive Chondria’s spread in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Project will create distributional maps, Best Management Practices, and train resource managers to decrease the spread of Chondria.
$174,030

Hawai‘i Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
Developing Community Resilience for Molokai Coastal Homesteads (HI)
Develop a resilience plan for homestead communities on the island of Molokai through scientific analyses and modeling of projected sea-level rise, flooding, groundwater upwelling and other increasing coastal hazards. Project will identify priorities for projects that will stabilize and restore shorelines, mitigate coastal flooding and sedimentation, and emphasize culturally grounded, nature-based solutions.
$203,941

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources
Enhancing Flood Mitigation Through Invasive Species Control for a Resilient Ala Wai Watershed (HI)
Mitigate flood risks in the Ala Wai watershed on O‘ahu by controlling invasive plant species, albizia and mulesfoot fern, and accelerating the complete eradication of miconia from O‘ahu. Project will control and monitor an estimated 1,000 albizia trees across 669 acres, treat all miconia plants detected during surveys across 4,000 acres, and treat mule’s foot ferns across 200 acres.
$1,640,830

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources
Increasing Military Installation Resilience and Mitigating Rare Plant Impacts (HI)
Construct 10 miles of ungulate-proof fence, build 10.75 miles of new firebreaks to protect over 1,900 acres of native habitat, and outplant 7,000 native plants consisting of 25 species to restore mixed wet and dry forests on Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu. Project will provide landscape-level protection from invasive ungulates; protect sensitive habitats by reducing fire risk; and create new populations of endangered, threatened, and at-risk plant species on state managed lands.
$1,280,591

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources
Initiating a Reintroduction Strategy for ‘Alala in Maui Nui (HI)
Support a reintroduction program for ‘alala, a culturally significant bird that currently exists only in captive breeding facilities, to establish a self-sustaining wild population in Maui Nui, Hawai‘i . Project will increase capacity for two ‘alala monitoring associates who will be responsible for assessing bird condition, following movements, recording behavior of released birds, and will integrate lessons learned from past reintroduction efforts.
$99,241

Hawai‘i  Department of Land and Natural Resources
Supporting Reintroduction and Recovery of ‘Alae ‘Ula in Hawai‘i  (HI)
Conduct a reintroduction feasibility study for ‘alae ‘ula (Hawaiian common gallinule) to support recovery efforts for establishing a new population on a third island in Hawai‘i . Project will identify source populations, model population scenarios, create site assessment criteria and conduct preliminary post-site assessments on potential translocation sites, and engage local community members and organizations to develop partnerships to provides ongoing support and expertise.
$41,870

Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources
Relocate Corals in Honolulu Harbor to Prevent Damage from Dredging (HI)
Mitigate damage to coral clusters in the Honolulu Harbor entrance. Project will rescue 77 at risk coral colonies from the harbor prior to dredging operations and attached the coral to larger reef structures.
$30,270

Hawai‘i  Longline Association
Reducing Seabird Bycatch through Tori Line Distribution in the Hawai‘i  Longline Fisheries (HI)
Deploy tested tori line systems in the Hawai‘i  deep-set longline fishery to reduce bycatch and albatross mortality. Project will fabricate and distribute approximately 80 tori line systems for stern setting vessels as part of an updated mitigation strategy to reduce albatross interactions in the fishery.
$65,000

Kuleana Coral Reefs
Reef Restoration of Airport Reef Runway (HI)
Collect and outplant 350 large mature corals of opportunity in the Airport Reef Runway area and will closely document all efforts along with coral outplant survival to create a clear vision of operational coral restoration in Hawaiian waters. Project will directly consult with and provide all data to the NOAA-Damage Assessment Remediation and Restoration Program (DARRP), and Hawai‘i -Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR).
$34,327

Malama Maunalua
Utilizing a Traditional Framework to Minimize Flood in Manunalua Bay Watersheds (HI)
Develop a plan utilizing an ahupuaa, a traditional division of land, concept to address flooding in several watersheds that feed into Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i . Project will address the serious flooding issues confronting residential, commercial, and environmental resources surrounding Maunalua Bay by reducing the volume of the stormwater runoff in priority areas through increased filtration with revegetation in natural areas and by slowing down or capturing the water from urban areas.
$262,312

Malama Maunalua
Utilizing a Traditional Framework to Minimize Flooding in Maunalua Bay Watersheds (HI)
Develop final plans utilizing ahupuaa, a land division roughly equivalent to a watershed, to address flooding and erosion risk in several watersheds of Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Project will utilize nature-based infrastructure solutions to reduce runoff and adapt streams to mimic natural flow in order to reduce flooding and erosion.
$1,506,747

Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Building Resiliency of the Kihei Reef Tract Through Land-based Pollutant Reduction (HI)
Reduce land-based pollutant concentrations along the Kihei reef tract through recommended practices. Project will mitigate pollution of nutrients and sediment and close gaps in current reef and water quality monitoring to support conservation management.
$300,000

Maui Nui Marine Resource Council
Conducting Site Assessments and Planning to Address Recurring Coastal Flooding (HI)
Conduct site assessments and planning of proposed nature based solutions, including Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance methods, to address recurring stormwater flooding in Hapapa watershed impacting the coastal community of Kihei, Hawai‘i . Project will create a workplan for site design, with the goal of preventing property and infrastructure damage due to stormwater flooding and protecting wetland bird habitat, native plant species, nearshore coral reef ecosystems and marine wildlife.
$210,000

Na Maka Onaona
Innovating Management Strategies to Protect Terrestrial and Marine Species at Lalo (HI)
Develop biocultural process to identify and asses management options for terrestrial and marine species at risk from sea-level rise. Project will convene a group of experts to establish a list of management options for Lalo (French Frigate Shoals).
$100,000

North Shore Community Land Trust
Kalou Fishpond Restoration (HI)
Enhance over 18 acres of wetland and surrounding area through the removal of invasive trees and shrubs on the north shore of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i , which will provide wetland and terrestrial habitat benefiting endangered and indigenous waterbirds and fish. Project will result in 3.2 acres of restored terrestrial native vegetation, 4.9 acres of open freshwater pond habitat, 9.3 acres of fenced pasture and 1.4 acres of open grassed area.
$50,000

Pacific Rim Conservation
Creating Resilient Tropical Seabird Colonies through Translocation (HI and MEX) - II
Transport 36 black-footed albatross eggs from Midway Atoll in Hawai‘i  to Guadalupe Island, Mexico to help establish a new high island breeding colony at this site. Project will place translocated eggs into foster nests of Laysan albatross on Guadalupe Island and deploy social attraction using decoys and playbacks of vocalizations to provide stimuli for chicks to help with imprinting and to attract prospecting adult black-footed albatross.
$95,825

Pacific Rim Conservation
Developing a Predator-Free Nesting Area for Hawaiian Petrel in Hawai‘i  (HI)
Construct a predator-proof fence to protect 3 acres of seabird habitat for Hawaiian petrel in the Kohala mountains. Project will initiate social attraction for Hawaiian petrel and Newell’s shearwater to increase the numbers nesting within the protected area, remove predators, and conduct ground searches for possible breeding locations of both seabird species on O‘ahu and Kauai.
$408,839

Pacific Rim Conservation
Improving Predator Control on O’ahu (HI) - II
Continue rat control in the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve on O’ahu to protect O’ahu elepaio from rat predation. Project will improve the efficacy of rat control methods and expand the scale of trapping activities into 3 new territories for a total of 45 territories under management resulting in increased O’ahu elepaio reproductive success and supporting population growth.
$29,467

Papahanaumokuakea Marine Debris Project
Increasing Capacity for Marine Debris Removal from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (HI)
Remove large scale debris from coral reefs and shorelines of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and implement strategies to improve removal practices. Project will aim to remove 110 metric tons of marine debris to mitigate impacts to protected wildlife species and marine habitat.
$2,186,580

Pono Pacific Land Management
Improving Native Habitat for ‘Ua’u on Lana‘i (HI)
Identify and establish a 10-acre area to initiate systematic removal of invasive plants to promote regeneration of native species and increase vegetative cover within ‘ua’u (Hawaiian petrel) nesting habitat on Lana’i. Project will perform herbicide treatment and physical removal of invasive plants, and conduct native seed collection, nursery propagation, outplanting, and outreach events in partnership with the local community.
$36,426

Pulama Lanai
Protecting Endangered Seabirds through Predator-Proof Fencing and Eradication on Lana’i (HI)
Eradicate non-native rodents from a recently completed predator-proof fence on the island of Lanai, to protect 80 acres of dense nesting habitat for Hawaiian petrels. Project will complete necessary compliance and eradicate non-native rodents, cats, and deer from the protected area and monitor predator presence within and around the fenced project area.
$64,900

The Nature Conservancy
Assessment of Kiwikiu and Mosquito Populations in Waikamoi Preserve, East Maui - III (HI)
Continue assessing the status of the western subpopulation of kiwikiu (Maui parrotbill) and mosquitoes carrying avian disease in the Waikamoi Preserve on Maui. Project will fill information gaps on the presence, distribution, abundance, and seasonality of kiwikiu and avian malaria carrying mosquitoes that are essential to developing an effective landscape-level mosquito control strategy.
$53,000

University of Hawaii
Establishing Water Quality Targets for Nutrient Inputs to Coral Reefs in West Maui (HI)
Monitor nutrient pollution and coastal acidification across population fluctuations and wastewater infrastructure upgrades. Project will assist management by developing quantitative water quality targets to support the recovery and resiliency of the Kahekili coral reef ecosystem.
$176,815

University of Hawaii
Formulating a Resiliency Strategy to Address Climate Impacts at Lalo (HI)
Formulate an inter-agency resiliency strategy to maintain ecosystems that include birds, coral, green sea turtles, and monk seals at French Frigate Shoals (Lalo). Project will explore innovative management options for terrestrial and marine species through research and workshops.
$45,000

University of Hawaii
Restoring Coastal Dunes to Improve Community Resilience and Enhance Wildlife Habitat (HI)
Restore 12 acres of impaired coastal sand dunes at Kapukaulua to address impacts of coastal hazards and enhance habitat for native Hawaiian plants and animals including wedge-tailed shearwaters, Hawaiian green sea turtles, and endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Project will preserve and restore dunes along 1 mile of shoreline to reduce impacts of erosion, sea-level rise, and high wave flooding.
$1,435,665

University of Hawaii
Understanding Chondria Spread at Papahānaumokuākea (HI)
Detect and characterize Chondria spread and potential impacts using eDNA. Project will seek to understand the dynamics of the Chondria outbreak to increase management options.
$115,969