Aloha!
WE LOVE VOLUNTEERS!
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 group, or club, you can help!
We also offer service learning opportunities for groups wishing to visit the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District. Lessons are geared towards each group’s needs.
If you’d like to contribute, please contact us here for more information or to reserve a date (weekdays available).
The following is a list of volunteer opportunities with us:
NEW!! Ocean Education Ambassador Program!! – We are currently recruiting volunteers for our brand-new Ocean Education Ambassador Program. These specialized volunteers will be trained to interact with visitors at the Kapo’o Tidepools and Cove and actively educate about pono practices, rule violations, and more. If you love interacting on the spot, are friendly, and are passionate about our marine environment, then this is the job for you!
Outreach & Education – We set up our community outreach tent both at the MLCD and at various community events. Volunteers help us set up and break down, and help us educate about our work, pono practices, and much more.
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. 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, coral & invertebrate, and limu counts. We monitor during summer months when the surf is calm. It’s a fun way to both help out and get in the water…plus the underwater paper is pretty cool!
Human Use Monitoring – In an effort to understand human impacts on the MLCD, 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. Volunteers are trained to use our online data recording pages and can enter counts whenever they are 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 hundreds of 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 join us!
Here’s an awesome slide show video about our Native Hawaiian Plant Coastal Restoration Project:
Beach Cleanups – Last year, over one ton of trash was removed from the water, beaches, and shoreline of the Marine Life Conservation District. Help us reach our 2022 goal of 2500 pounds of trash removed. This is a great activity for families and groups. We supply the gloves and bags. 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.