Park Projects

Nuʻalolo Kai Archaeological Resource Management Project

	Nā Pali Coast ʻOhana members mālama ʻāina (care for the land and everything on her). Photo courtesy of www.napaliphoto.com

This project has been the main focus of the ʻOhana's efforts for the past several years. In cooperation with the State Parks Archaeology Program, the group has assisted with clearing of vegetation, removal of invasive species, and archaeological research in this small but spectacular area of the coast.

Continual maintenance of the area is needed to keep the encroaching vegetation from covering fragile archaeological sites, allowing them to be viewed, and for site documentation to be conducted by archaeological staff.

Moana Lee, a volunteer archaeologist and ʻOhana member, helps map a newly discovered ancient site in Nʻualolo Kai. Photo courtesy of www.napaliphoto.com

Future goals include implementing a program of test excavation with the aim of learning more about the function and age of various features, stabilization and restoration of damaged archaeological features, and re-establishment of native and polynesian introduced plants in an effort to recreate the cultural landscape which existed in prehistoric times.

The Nʻualolo Kai project received an Historic Preservation Honor Award in 2001 from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation.

Educational Outreach

The ʻOhana speaks to the community through a variety of forums to educate people about the plight of Nāpali's resources. Among these programs are an effort to educate the tour guides who escort and educate visitors to Kauaʻi.

Future goals include creation of a "Nāpali in the schools" program aimed at encouraging our youngest residents to join us in our stewardship, custom tours of the coast which convey the foundation's message, and coordination with the State Parks Division to better educate day-users and campers about how they can help protect the coast.

Kalalau/Hanakāpiʻai Beach Clean-ups

The foundation has coordinated multiple major clean-ups of beach and camping areas on the coast, where trash is continually left behind by campers and illegal squatters. These efforts require inter-agency coordination and are very costly, as they require helicopters to sling-load out the gathered rubbish.

It is hoped that with a greater emphasis on education and resource management, the need to conduct such clean-ups will decline, and the foundation can focus its efforts on research and enhancement of public areas.