During a volunteer workday in September, community stakeholders and volunteers identify native plants and remove aggressive invasive plant species around them in the wetlands of La‘ie in South Maui. Save the Wetlands Hui photo

The Maui News

Save the Wetlands Hui received a $5,000 donation from Hilton Grand Vacations last week that will enable the nonprofit to continue its conservation and education work in South Maui.

The Hui said that the Kihei area was once full of wetlands, but they have been greatly reduced and fragmented over time, resulting in “ecological and cultural losses.”

“Wetlands provide the valuable natural infrastructure that is an integral part of our watershed, but the greatest value to me is the open space where we can come together as a community to learn about our ahupua’a and the journey of the water from mauka to makai,” said Robin Knox, project manager for the nonprofit’s South Maui initiative. “Hilton Grand Vacations’ generous donation allows us to continue our restoration, education, and outreach work. We greatly appreciate their interest and support.”

In addition to the donation, Hilton is looking to provide longer-term volunteer support for Save the Wetlands Hui’s efforts.

“We are committed to sharing the spirit of aloha with our owners, guests, community, and environment,” said Maui Bay Villas General Manager Will Bethel in a news release. “We were very impressed by Save the Wetland Hui’s knowledge and passion for protecting Maui’s environment, and are excited about the potential opportunities for our team members, owners, and guests to get involved in helping to care for these important wetlands, some of which are right in our neighborhood.”

The funding was formally presented last week on World Wetlands Day, officially designated by the United Nations in recognition of the immense value of these ecosystems to environments and economies around the globe.

According to the Secretariat of the Convention of Wetlands, nearly 90 percent of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s, and are being lost at a rate “three times faster than that of forests,” the news release said.

The mission of the Hui is to conserve, protect and restore Maui’s remaining wetlands, and to educate the public about the critically important role that wetlands play in the island’s ecosystem.

The nonprofit is currently focusing its efforts in Kihei, in an area known as the Keokea-Waiohuli corridor of Kula Kai, Knox said.

Wetlands are valuable to the community because they provide many ecosystem services, including drainage and flood retention; keeping pollutants such as sediment and nutrients out of the ocean; and providing a place and resources for cultural practices, native plants and habitat for native insects, birds, and aquatic life.

Other benefits include reducing streambank and shoreline erosion and increasing resilience to climate change, Knox said.

To help conserve and restore the remaining wetlands in the region, Save the Wetlands Hui organizes community-based workdays and welcomes volunteers to join them in removing trash and planting native species to help restore balance to the environment.

Restoration activities are guided by botanical, environmental, and cultural experts, according to the news release.

For more information about the Save the Wetlands Hui, visit www.savethewetlands.org or email to mauiwetlands@ gmail.com.