There are many ways to help us care for, educate about, and protect the fragile ecosystem of the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District. Your much-needed tax-deductible donation goes straight towards our Ka Papa Kai education programs, our Makai Watch program, our Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project, and more.
To Donate, click here.
Here are some other ways you can kōkua:
There are lots of ways to volunteer with Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea. Our dedicated volunteers are critical to the success of the Marine Life Conservation District. Whether you are an individual, a family, friends, a school group, or club, you can help!
If you’d like to contribute, stop by our community outreach tent on Saturdays between 8am-4pm. Groups of 5 or more, please contact us in advance so we know you’re coming (other days of the week can be arranged).
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities with us:
Outreach & Education – We set up our community outreach tent each Saturday (summer hours are 8am-4pm, winter hours are 10am-2pm)) at Sharks Cove. Volunteers help us set up and break down, and help us educate visitors to the tent about everything from species identification to directions to other places. If you enjoy hanging out in the shade and talking to people from all around the world, this is the job for you!
Makai Watch – Our Makai Watch program is a fantastic collaboration between our community and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement (DOCARE) officers. Volunteers are trained to accurately identify and report violations, helping to reduce poaching in the Marine Life Conservation District. Trainings are offered periodically, and the next one is scheduled for Saturday, June 25th, 2016. Click the Makai Watch page link above for more info.
Biological Monitoring – Our volunteers who love to be in the water are trained to help us conduct fish counts. We monitor six species of Hawaiian fish, and during summer months when the surf is calm, participants spend time helping us keep track of them. You can come by any Saturday to be trained to help us. It’s a fun way to both help out and get in the water…plus the underwater paper is pretty cool! For volunteers who prefer to stay where their feet can touch, we also have tide pool surveys, where we monitor fish and invertebrates.
Human Use Monitoring – Each Saturday, we count people and keep track of how the MLCD is being used. Our volunteers count swimmers, snorkelers, beachgoers and more. Over time, this information helps us identify peak use times and lets us know when we need to increase our presence in the area.
Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project – Volunteers have been the driving force behind our planting project. After seeing a need to help reduce erosion and sedimentation at Sharks Cove, over 193 volunteers have helped us remove invasive weeds and shrubs, and plant thousands of native Hawaiian Plants in their place. If you like working with plants, landscaping, weeding, or if you just like being in the dirt, join us to help save the coral in the Cove! If you or your group would like to participate, watch this awesome slide show that explains the project, grab your hat, and come by any Saturday between 8am-4pm. We’ll supply the tools and gloves!
Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project Slide Show
Beach Cleanups – Last year, over 1500 pounds of trash was removed from the water, beaches, and shoreline of the Marine Life Conservation District. Help us reach our 2016 goal of 2000 pounds of trash removed. This is a great activity for families and groups. We supply the gloves, picker-uppers, and bags. Stop by any Saturday and we’ll get you going. If you’re a diver, you can help, too! Any trash, fishing line, weights or other rubbish – no matter how small – is bad for the environment. If you can bring it in, we’ll add it to the pile. All trash is weighed before being recycled and/or thrown away.
