2024 Impact Report

Building Capacity for Scalable Impact

Mahalo īa ʻoukou!

FOR FIVE INCREDIBLE YEARS

This

past

November,

Kuleana

Coral

Restoration celebrated our five year

anniversary! Since 2019, we’ve faced challenges, learned valuable lessons, and

refined

our

strategies

to

give

Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs the best chance at Our

recovery.

mission

is

clear:

sustain the reef that sustains us.

to

Hawaiʻi is unlike any other place in the world,

with

environment

a

and

powerful

coral

ocean

species

that

support our way of life. Determining the most effective and suitable techniques to restore them has been a challenge, but also a central part of our kuleana.

local communities. Our reefs belong to the people of Hawaiʻi, and we will

continue to empower local communities to guide the restoration process in their

ocean backyard as the entity offering the technical access.

We believe that the resilience of our reef is intertwined with the resilience of

our people, which is why community engagement

remains

our

largest

strength in the restoration process. By tailoring our restoration approach to the needs of the community we are serving,

we can ensure the restoration outcome benefits the people who use the reef for

Over the last year we have expanded

their livelihoods, joy, and way of life.

restoration

our restoration toolkit, innovated on

Looking ahead, we hope to bring this

emergency repair, and continued the

the

dedicated

interventions

and

rewarding

such

as

community engagement framework to

work

of

support scalability through reciprocity.

scaling restoration in partnership with local

broader

restoration

sector

to

Aloha Kākou, I am filled with gratitude and satisfaction for the incredible progress that Kuleana Coral Restoration has made in 2024. Through the unwavering commitment of our team and the support of our partners, we continue to expand our influence as a leader in active coral restoration in Hawai‘i. Together, we are shaping a future where our coral reefs can thrive for generations to come. One of the most exciting developments this year has been the growth of our collaborative partnerships, both locally and internationally. By working with diverse organizations, scientists, and community members, we are combining expertise, resources, and passion to amplify our impact.

These partnerships not only enhance our restoration efforts but also underscore the critical global importance of Hawai‘i’s reefs.

This summer we completed our second annual COAST training program and have expanded our capacity as a coral restoration community with talented new restoration divers. We’ve also welcomed several exceptional new team members whose skills and dedication have elevated our work, enabling us to innovate and scale our efforts even further, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of coral restoration in Hawai‘i.

Our hope that Hawai‘i’s reefs will flourish as healthy, resilient ecosystems that sustain life and inspire future generations, remains steadfast. By fostering community engagement, advancing cutting-edge restoration techniques, and nurturing our partnerships, we are taking meaningful steps toward this vision.

I’d like to mahalo Stan Kimura for his years of service as former president of Kuleana Coral Restoration. Stan has been a stalwart board member, and we are grateful that he will continue with Kuleana Coral Restoration as the board treasurer.

Mahalo for your continued support, belief in our mission, and shared commitment to the health of Hawai‘i’s coral reefs.

Together, we are striving to fulfill our sacred kuleana to our beloved coral reefs.

Daniel DeMartini Dr. Daniel DeMartini President of the Board

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Daniel DeMartini, PhD, Co-Founder and Board President

Stan Kimura, Treasurer Michelle Van Tassel, Secretary Matt Parry, PhD, At Large Sweetie Nelson, At Large Duane DeSoto, At Large

BOARD MEMBERS (NON-VOTING) & FOUNDERS BoAAlika Peleholani Garcia Co-Founder and Executive Director Kapono Kaluhiokalani

Co-Founder and Community Coordinator

Kuleana Coral Restoration is a nonprofit corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. EIN 84-3445902. Your contribution is taxdeductible as allowable by law and your tax situation.

1,194 4,291

5,475 81

Coral Fragments

Total Outplants

Photomosaics generated

Over seven football fields of imagery!

38,152

Sq Meters of Reef Imaged

P

Large Rescued Colonies (LRC)

R

R

OG

EP

GRE

S S

T R O

985

Training Hours

Total Hours Underwater

6,532

Engaged Participants at Outreach Events

7,487 Followers & Fans

128K Impressions

CUMULATIVE IMPACT

1,519 2,836

Scuba Tanks

OUR SOLUTIONS

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE

COASTAL PROTECTION

FISH HABITAT

TABLE OF Community-Based Coral Restoration

Mapping & Monitoring

Education & Outreach

Modern Science & Indigenous Wisdom

Conferences

Dive & Boat Training Program

Coral Restoration

Training & Restoration Hub

Reef Stars

Looking Ahead

Global Restoration Community

Mahalo!

COMMUNITY-BASED CORAL RESTORATION AREAS

EMPOWERING LOCAL COMMUNITIES FOR LONG-TERM IMPACT A harmful event in one place ripples out to all others, and by the same principle, a restorative change catalyzes far-reaching and often unexpected forms of revitalization.

—CANDACE FUJIKANE Indigenous land management practices are increasingly being recognized as effective solutions to many of our world’s complex environmental challenges today. Prior to Western contact, the Hawaiian ahupua‘a system empowered communities to achieve selfsufficiency by carefully managing the resources they relied on and understanding the interconnectedness of ecosystems. This system was built on the belief that actions upstream inevitably affect our downstream environments, including coral reefs in land divisions as an essential component of a healthy watershed.

Inspired by the resurgence of these traditional practices, Community Based Coral Restoration Areas (CBCRA) offer a holistic framework that aligns with the goals of local communities.

KULEANACORAL.ORG

CBCRA can bridge the gap between landbased conservation efforts and the work we do in the water to create lasting positive change for the entire ahupua’a system.

Building a network of pilot scale restoration sites across different areas will allow us to build regional capacity and compare similar methods in multiple sites to inform archipelago-wide scalable restoration projects as communities determine them necessary. This adaptable, place-based approach ensures that efforts are tailored to the unique needs of each community, offering critical lessons about what strategies succeed and where improvements are needed.

This network will also enable swift responses to anticipated climate disasters while facilitating preventative measures via proactive restoration and emergency response depot hubs.

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CBCRA

FRAMEWORK PHASES COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, PLANNING & PERMITTING We partner with local community organizations to lead CBCRA efforts and identity restoration goals based on intervention priorities.

Contingent upon community approval, KCR evaluates the restoration potential of proposed sites, maps the area through photogrammetry for baseline understanding, and facilitates community exchanges and land-based outreach experiences.

CORAL RESTORATION KCR begins direct coral interventions at the restoration sites alongside partners.

Each restoration site spans approximately 4k sq feet, divided into two halves: one dedicated to intervention and the other serving as a control. Our template is characterized by ~6 pyramid modules, ~6 dome modules, and up to ~188 Large Rescued Colonies, but our CBCRA model is designed to be guided and adapted through community input based on needs of each place.

LONG-TERM MONITORING & COMMUNITY Our framework includes scheduled assessments at 6 months and 1 year post-restoration, along with additional monitoring following critical events such as mass bleaching or ship groundings. Through mapping, comprehensive surveys & monitoring, our goal is to identify changes in fish abundance, biodiversity, coral growth, coverage, and survival. KCR provides necessary training to community partners to actively participate in and support the monitoring activities.

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EDUCATION

& OUTREACH 2,900 PEOPLE ENGAGED

30

COMMUNITY EVENTS

In 2024, our team engaged 2,900+ individuals

5

CONFERENCES

HANA PŪKOʻA - WORKING TOGETHER FOR CORAL

at 30 community events across Hawaiʻi. We continue to participate in annual gatherings like Hoʻākea Mauka to Makai at Pōkaʻī Bay, World Ocean Day at Waimea Bay and Disney Aulani,

and Pilina Kanaloa Ocean Day at the Capitol

because these events provide meaningful opportunities to educate the next generation of stewards, engage local leaders and decisionmakers in the important work we’re doing and demonstrate what’s possible through collaboration with our partners and community.

After supporting Mālama Maunalua & Coral Resilience Lab with dozens of successful Hana Pūkoʻa events at Maunalua Bay, we were thrilled to introduce this outreach model to our West O'ahu community. In 2024 we led three of these experiential restoration events: WORLD OCEAN DAY AT DISNEY AULANI PŌKAʻĪ BAY COMMUNITY-BASED CORAL RESTORATION AREA (CBCRA) WITH NĀ KAMA KAI THE LAUNCH/CELEBRATION OF HĀNIʻO CBCRA WITH HOʻOLA HĀNIʻO

These memorable events allow participants to directly restore coral in their own backyard, while learning about the threats and solutions.

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LESSON PLANS

ENGAGING FUTURE ADVOCATES

This year, our team focused on creating new outreach materials aimed at enhancing ocean literacy through placebased approaches and a Hawaiian cultural lens. These resources can be utilized in classrooms, at community outreach events, or paired with our Hana Pūkoʻa experience. In collaboration with Nā Kama Kai, we have incorporated coral restoration education into their teaching programs and provided a keiki coloring book as an engaging resource for their students. Additionally, our work with the Hawai’i Fish Habitat Partnership enabled us to develop outreach materials uniquely designed for the Pōkaʻi Bay Community-Based Coral Restoration Area. These materials emphasize the vital connection between reef health, fish abundance, and a resilient ocean ecosystem.

MAUKA TO MAKAI STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

In Hawai’i, sustainability and resilience are intrinsically linked to our watersheds. The key to resilience is empowering communities to revitalize traditional and indigenous practices while building upon them with contemporary scientific knowledge and technology. KCR strives to be the “Makai” partner that supports “Mauka” communities in ahupua’a restoration.

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In 2024 we presented on restoration techniques, community engagement, mythology and our workforce training program, COAST

CONFERENCES SHARING OUR SOLUTIONS Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference: ‘Auamo Kuleana Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC)

Kuleana Coral Restoration is committed to sharing our community-focused approach with the broader coral

restoration network. To achieve this, we’ve prioritized attending

conferences,

symposiums,

and

speaking

engagements beyond Hawaiʻi. These platforms enable us to

Reef Futures 2024

share the techniques and frameworks that shape our work,

American Fisheries Society

while honoring local, place-based needs. Equally important,

offering others insight into how we scale restoration efforts

Santa Cruz Restoration Symposium

these exchanges provide us with opportunities to learn from

Thermal Stress Design Thinking

valuable lessons back home and enhance our own

Challenge by National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

KULEANA CORAL RESTORATION

partners working in diverse regions, allowing us to bring restoration practices.

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WAYS IT’S BEING APPLIED IN THE FIELD:

FISH HABITAT

COASTAL PROTECTION COASTAL PROTECTION

ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE

EMERGENCY REPAIR

By collaborating with the Hawai’i Department of Transportation we’re eager to explore nature-based solutions (NBS) for coastal protection in East O’ahu. The working group, Mālama i Ke Ala Kahakai, will facilitate community engagement, identify areas of concern, and identify NBS that can be most effective for specific areas.

We’ve expanded our collaboration with the Restore with Resilience initiative to stress test one of our sites on west O’ahu. We developed a workflow for rapid in-situ implementation with the goal of establishing a living library of corals with known thermal tolerance to inform future management strategies.

We completed our first emergency response project in collaboration with NOAA and DAR following a damage incident at Kewalo. A total of 206 colonies were reattached. We also participated in a Rubble Stabilization Workshop hosted by NOAA and Coral Restoration Foundation at the M/V Vogetrader ship grounding site outside Ko Olina Marina.

RESTORATION PILLARS

Porites compressa or finger coral is the focal species of our restoration efforts at Pōkaʻī Bay because its intricate branching structure offers vital habitat, especially for juvenile fish. We trialed several approaches to outplanting this species to determine which is the most effective across different areas.

CORAL RESTORATION EXPANDING INTO NEW AREAS AND OPTIMIZING EFFICIENCY

8

9

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diversity

• •

1,194 4,291 5,475 LARGE RESCUED COLONIES (LRC)

It’s been a busy year for our restoration team!

This year we increased efforts in new restoration areas while training additional team members and optimizing the efficiency of our workflow. In total, 540 large rescued colonies (LRC) and 2,477 fragments were planted across nine restoration sites. As we expanded into new areas, we found some restoration methods needed to be adapted requiring a place-based approach. These insights continue to guide our work and help inform other projects.

KULEANA CORAL RESTORATION KULEANA CORAL RESTORATION

CORAL FRAGMENTS

TOTAL OUTPLANTS

inform other projects. A prominent focus of 2024 was restoration site design as we began to incorporate different elements into our sites such as mixed species outplanting, coral size and spacing, as well as strategically leveraging facilitative ecological processes.

We also continued to mitigate losses due to detachment by refining our attachment methodology with promising results so far.

Diligent monitoring will continue to inform our efforts.

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PROGRAM

REEF STARS Supported by SHEBA® Hope Grows™ This summer, the KCR team returned to Indonesia with Mars Sustainable Solutions (MSS) and Sheba Hope Grows to train four additional team members on the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS). Not only did we have the privilege of learning from skilled local experts, but training alongside other restoration partners from around the world— including Australia, Malaysia, Kenya, and the Maldives—enriched our experience. Together, we gained deep theoretical and practical knowledge that we put to use in the field.

Indigenous internationalism and knowledge exchange emerged as a powerful theme during our time together as we shared insights and learned from each others efforts. As one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet with nearly 600 coral species, the reefs looked strikingly KULEANA CORAL RESTORATION KULEANA CORAL RESTORATION

nearly 600 coral species, the reefs looked strikingly different from the seascapes we have here in Hawai'i. Despite these differences, shared experiences of island nations and coastal communities united us in our effort to install 600 reef stars with over 9,000 fragments, all while forging meaningful connections and memories that will last a lifetime.

Reef Stars have been successfully deployed across 63 sites in 11 countries, providing a promising solution to restore coral-damaged areas with little chance of natural recovery.

KCR is exploring the restoration potential of Reef Stars in Hawai’i as a rubble stabilization method, a particularly challenging issue due to Hawaii’s extreme wave energy.

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EXPLORING A PROMISING NEW INTERVENTION FOR HAWAIIAN CORAL REEFS

To evaluate the suitability of Reef Stars in Hawaiian

waters, KCR will conduct a Pilot

Scale

Reef

Star

Installation Project with a

small number of Reef Stars at two different locations.

Goals of this project

include demonstrating sound attachment,

documenting accelerated

growth rates, compatibility with Hawaiian coral

species, and observing interactions with fish assemblages.

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The octopus map is a powerful indigenous representation of Polynesian migration and interconnectedness across the Pacific Ocean. It demonstrates how Pacific islands are connected through genealogy, trade routes, and shared cultural narratives.

In 2024, our team had the incredible opportunity to expand our expertise by visiting facilities across the globe and gaining hands-on experience with innovative restoration techniques. These events bring unite experts from around the world to share their knowledge, discuss new findings, and exchange ideas.

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MAPPING & MONITORING

2024 was a record-breaking year for KCR’s Monitoring Team—our busiest yet! We successfully completed an impressive 22 photomosaics of restoration and emergency repair sites across O’ahu, covering more than 5,000 square meters of reef—over 12 basketball courts! These photomosaics serve as a digital archive, allowing us to track the growth and survivorship of our coral outplants over time.

Throughout 2024, we’ve used photomosaics to track over 540 coral colonies that were outplanted by KCR. Two of our restoration sites reached a remarkable milestone this year as they turned 4 years old! These two sites, located just outside of Ko Olina, are our longest standing. We have monitored over 30 restored coral colonies across these two sites for the entire duration of our work— check out these happy corals!

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PHOTOMOSAICS GENERATED

38,152 SQ. METERS OF REEF IMAGED

As our restoration efforts expanded in 2024, so did our monitoring workload. To meet this growing demand, we added two new team members: a Monitoring Technician and a Science & Monitoring Manager. With their expertise, we’ve been able to not only process data from more restoration sites but also enhance our program to include monitoring other reef communities, such as fish and invertebrates (e.g., urchins and sea stars). By late 2024, we had already initiated these expanded surveys, completing 7 reef fish surveys and 4 invertebrate surveys at our recently restored Pōka‘ī Bay site. These surveys provide valuable insights into the ecosystem-wide impacts of coral restoration on the local reef environment.

Looking ahead to 2025, we have ambitious plans to grow our monitoring program even further. This includes collecting data on additional environmental factors like temperature, salinity, turbidity, and soundscapes. We’re also excited to pilot a new, community-based reef monitoring tool. These advancements will deepen our understanding of the interconnected dynamics of coral reef ecosystems and strengthen our restoration efforts for the future.

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Weaving together MODERN SCIENCE

& INDIGENOUS

WISDOM

Guided by the multitude of knowledge embedded in the Kumulipo and akua associated with areas in which we work, our monitoring efforts will be expanding in the coming year to kilo our restoration sites with the latest scientific tools and technology.

Focal areas will include:

Benthic Invertebrate Monitoring Coral Spawning Monitoring Acoustic Monitoring

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DIVE & BOAT

TRAINING PROGRAM In the Summer of 2024, we proudly celebrated the graduation of our second cohort from the Coral Occupational Applications and Scientific Techniques (COAST) Program. This intensive 8-week restoration accelerator provides fully funded dive certifications and hands-on restoration training, designed to build local capacity and break down barriers to blue economy careers. In August 2024, seven participants successfully completed the program, equipping them with valuable skills to contribute to marine conservation efforts.

As global restoration needs continue to increase, programs like COAST offer a scalable solution to meet the growing demand for skilled restoration professionals. To amplify its impact, our team shared COAST’s structure, benefits, and replicable framework at multiple conferences, encouraging others to adopt similar models and expand the reach of restoration training worldwide.

HAWAIʻI CONSERVATION CONFERENCE FESTIVAL OF THE PACIFIC REEF FUTURES 2024 AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY SANTA CRUZ RESTORATION SYMPOSIUM THERMAL STRESS DESIGN THINKING CHALLENGE

BY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY FOUNDATION

This course is made possible by funding from the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation, who

spotlighted COAST in a webstory and short video. Scan the QR code to check it out!

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COAST Participant Testimonial: “Kuleana COAST offered the framework and connections to hope for a better future for Hawaiʻi's coral reef ecosystems. This program was more than an introduction to SCUBA, restoration techniques, and the dedicated staff who envision a path to restoration. COAST equipped me with the skills and confidence to play an active role in protecting the marine ecosystems that sustain my passion and the health of my community.”

THE CORAL TRAINING &

at

Over the past year, we have made tremendous progress in building both internal capacity

and external partnerships, working towards the goal of standardizing and expanding training opportunities for our team, partners, and local community members.

PADI Open Water

PADI Advanced Open Water

Rescue Diver

Restoration Training

DAN DFA-Pro

One of our key achievements was the successful

completion of AAUS (American Academy of Underwater Sciences) Scientific Diver training by seven

core

staff

members.

This

prestigious

certification not only enhances our team’s diving expertise but also ensures they meet the highest professional standards in underwater research and safety.

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These milestones represent our ongoing commitment to empowering our local community members to fulfill their kuleana, while advancing marine conservation through education, skill-building, and collaboration.

We wrapped up a highly successful second

With the successful completion of these

year of our COAST program, which focuses

initiatives, we are now poised to expand our

on workforce development through dive

reach. The standardization of our training

training and related skills. This year, seven

protocols enables us to offer these programs

community members graduated from the

to a wider network of partners, allowing us

program, equipping them with practical

to scale our impact and further empower

experience and certifications to access new

local communities.

job opportunities in marine conservation and other related fields.

In

collaboration

As

we

continue

to

build

on

our

accomplishments, our focus will shift to with

our

Maui-based

increasing our capacity and offering these

partners Maui Nui Marine Resource Council,

training programs to more partners and

we conducted our first Restoration Training

community members. We are committed to

session. This initiative is designed to enhance

continuing the COAST program, building

the skillsets of our partners and lay the

more robust partnerships, and developing

groundwork for broader community-wide

additional restoration training opportunities

restoration

efforts,

to support the sustainable growth of our

practices

and

fostering

preserving

ecosystems.

KULEANA CORAL RESTORATION

sustainable our

coastal

community and the health of our ecosystems for generations to come.

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Mahalo

TO ALL OF THE PARTNERS, VOLUNTEERS & FRIENDS WHO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE FULFILLING OUR KULEANA

US

RE

EFS!

HELP

S TOR E OU E R R

www.kuleanacoral.org