Between Koko Head and Black Point on the southeastern shore of O’ahu, lies an eight-mile stretch of fringing reef coastline known as Maunalua Bay. For over 2 million years this bay developed a rich and diverse coral reef ecosystem that early Hawaiians carefully managed and sustained life through. In 1961, California entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser signed a lease agreement for a 521 acre land parcel with the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate that sparked the development that would drastically transform the Maunalua region. In a short span of only 50 years, Maunalua went from less than 100 to approximately 60,000 people and 20,000 households.
Rapid urbanization and exponential population growth alongside problems like unsustainable human use, illegal fishing, and pollution have caused a severe decline in the health of Maunalua Bay. Once a thriving resource, the bay today is plagued with invasive species, endangered fish and coral populations, and has been declared an impaired body of water by the federal government.
This is the story of Mālama Maunalua, a non-profit organization formed in 2006 to unite the community together with the common goal of restoring and protecting Maunalua Bay. While our mission is to heal the bay, we hope to set the model for other communities to learn from and encourage anyone and everyone, regardless of your ethnicity, economic background, or where you call home to get involved, learn more, and strive to help not only our bay but our oceans and our earth.
Funded by PPSEAWA Hawaii
Additional footage provided by Andrew Laurence
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Special Thanks to the Thompson ʻOhana, MM volunteers, staff, and board members, PPSEAWA Hawaii, Prickett Films, and most importantly, the thousands of community members who love and protect Maunalua Bay.
“Malama i ke kai, a malama ke kai ia oe!” Care for the ocean and the ocean will care
for you. ~ Olelo Noʻeau
April Davenport Gedney Hey Dave, great work by your son! I hear he is working with my son now (David Rippey). Maunalua Bay was a place to escape for me. I used to walk barefoot with my little dog at low tide. I paddled for Hui Nalu there. It’s where my sister’s ashes were scattered in ’06. It’s where I want my ashes to be scattered when I die. Thank God for Malama Maunalua!