Waimea Valley is managed by a non-profit organization Hi’ipaka LLC. As the stewards to this ahupua’a, their focus is on preserving and perpetuating everything about this place from the cultural to the natural resources. Everything from maintenance and restoration of cultural sites, native forest, and maintaining over 5,000 species of plants from all over the world.

One of the cultural sites currently being worked on is the Kauhale Kahiko, a traditional Hawaii living site for a high ranking chief or priest. The staff along with kupuna and volunteers are at Waimea Valley almost every day restoring the hale from natural materials using traditional techniques. This is a very important detail in educating visitors of what Hawaiian life was like in old Hawaii.

The ridges above Waimea Valley are all conservation land. They have several volunteer work days a month called, HUI HĀNAI ĀINA (HELP RESTORE OUR NATIVE LAND) that they are keeping in small groups in ordinance with our small group gatherings. These groups hike up the Valley, and spend the day removing invasive plants like, strawberry guava, and plant Hawaiian native plants that have been propagated and grow in our nursery. Some of the plants are: Koa and A’ali’i. Through grants they have been able to install fencing to protect these native forest areas from feral pigs. Today over 20,000 plants have been planted by our staff and volunteers from all over the globe.

The Conservation Tree Program was started to help increase the amount Hawaiian native trees planted up Mauka and also as an effort to help keep Waimea Valley’s doors open during the epidemic. You can donate a tree for $30 per tree. If you live on the island of O’ahu, you can have the choice to come in and plant the tree yourself.

There are selected days a month they do this and you can get more info on their website. Or if you live off island, California, Japan, anywhere you can still donate. Their conservation team will plant it for you. If you donate more than 10 trees, you get a free family pass.

Waimea Valley is currently open and would love for the community to support them through their various programs.

For more information, visit www.waimeavalley.net