The island of Kaho‘olawe was once an island with an abundance of Hawaiian plants and culture, but due to outside influence, it has become an island of harsh red dirt and rocks. Visible from Maui’s west shore and 20 minutes away by boat, Kaho‘olawe is inaccessible due to the presence of unexploded ordnances that cover the island.
The island of Kaho‘olawe has gone through different stages that destroyed much of the native flora, causing increased erosion on the island, according to the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission’s (KIRC) website.
In 1793, goats were introduced to the island, which caused a sharp loss of vegetation as grazing became uncontrolled. Ranching was also introduced during this time and took over much of the island, according to KIRC.
Kaho‘olawe was turned into a bombing range for the U.S. Military in 1941 after Pearl Harbor was attacked, according to KIRC. The island was used for years for the military to practice and test bombs. Organized groups fought against the increased test bombings until 1980, when the U.S. Navy and the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana, or PKO, signed a decree.
This decree agreed to start soil conservation, re-vegetation, and goat eradication programs, according to KIRC’s website. In 1990, President George Bush Sr. gave the official order to stop bombing of Kaho‘olawe, reported KIRC.
Since 1994, the KIRC became established after the Navy gave ownership of the island back to the State of Hawaii. There are no explosives in a 4 foot-deep layer all around the island, reported KIRC.
For KIRC, its mission is more than just restoring the island. Kelly McHugh, grant writer for KIRC from Maui, said it’s also about “educating people about the culture. The second part of our mission is where we are ensuring that the people of Hawaii are caring for the land.”
Despite the dangers of unexploded weaponry, people can still visit the island through volunteering with the KIRC. Through this service opportunity, volunteers are safely guided to see the island and to help KIRC with its overall mission: to restore Kaho‘olawe.
Wanda Coordner, a past volunteer and a math teacher from Maui, visited because she and her husband “wanted to experience Hawaii.” Now, after volunteering and experiencing the island, Coordner said she wanted to come back to “continue what we’ve started.”
Volunteer Richard Anderson, a retired Maui resident, saw the island from Maui, was interested, and researched it. “My real intrigue was learning about the culture,” he said.
Volunteers who go to Kaho‘olawe usually sign up online through KIRC’s website and then wait for two to six months. Due to the limited funding for KIRC and maintaining the island, not many volunteers get the chance to visit. In 2015, only 200 volunteers came.
It is reported that 10,000 people in total have been on the island, according to McHugh.Kaho‘olawe does not get regular funding from the state despite being a state entity, and most of the funding comes through grants, according to McHugh.
“We’re constantly searching for partnerships,” said McHugh. In 2008, over $6 million was provided to KIRC to restore the island but has now diminished to fewer than $1.5 million. This has resulted in a large loss of staff for KIRC and funds stretched thin. “Anything any volunteer is doing on island is part of a grant process,” said McHugh.
“Very measured and very strategic.”This past year, KIRC was working on a grant to plant native Hawaiian plants in a field on the island’s east side and near the beach. The plants have started to grow, helping nourish the soil and prevent erosion. The invasive flora on the island has not been removed because it’s also stopping accelerated erosion.
The most people can do to change the KIRC’s financial situation is to petition legislators for more funding, according to McHugh. This way, more volunteers can come to restore it and learn about the culture. “We don’t have voters on Kaho ‘olawe,” said McHugh. “People find value in research and education of Kaho‘olawe.”Susan Forsyth, a Maui resident and a retired volunteer, added, “You really need to understand how much work needs to be done."