Driving the road to Hana and on to Kipahulu and Kaupo, one cannot help but notice the lush forests and streams from the ocean up to the top of Haleakala which make up this region that is especially precious to the people of Maui. This is the East Maui Watershed, a priceless part of what makes Maui "Maui."
This area is a scenic wonder that makes the trip to Hana so famous. But it is more than beautiful.
These rain forests provide more than 60 billion gallons of surface water each year for Central and East Maui's agricultural, residential, and commercial needs. And these forests are one of the last great strongholds for the native plants and animals that greet the first Hawaiians over 1,500 years ago. In fact, this region is home to a greater concentration of rare and endangered birds than any other place on Earth.
The East Maui Watershed Partnership represents an important opprtunity to save these ancient forests.
The members of the partnership all share a common goal and commitment to the long-term protection of the watershed. Six landowners and Maui county have already made a commitment to pool their expertise and other resources to implement an active watershed management program. Members of the greater Maui community are also getting involved in the effort to protect this place we all value.
The Partnership does not seek to resolve issues about water rights, Hawaiian sovereignty, or recreational access, and is not related to any future plans to develop new water resources in East Maui.
Its sole purpose is to ensure that this area remains a viable resource for this and future generations.
This innovative partnership is the first of its kind in Hawaii, and will hopefully serve as a model for other regional partnerships throughout the state and the nation.
In 1991 seven concerned landowners formed the East Maui Watershed Partnership (EMWP) to coordinate the resource management of 100,000 acres (4,047 hectares) of watershed ecosystem.
Although the members of the partnership have different priorities, mandates, and constituencies, all share a common committment - the long-term protection of the East Maui watershed.
Our mission is to protect the East Maui watershed from degradation by pooling our expertise and other resources to develop a plan for the funding and implementation of an active watershed management program.
The 100,000 acre watershed extends from Kipahulu to Makawao, and from the sea almost to the rim of Haleakala crater.
The watershed has generally well-defined vegetation communities based on elevation. Below the upper elevation grass and shrublands at approximately 7,200 feet, diverse forest communities are dominated by the native Ohi`a Metrosideros polymorpha extend to the windward coastline. Other forest types include the native Koa Acacia koa, as well as non-native forest plantations of Eucalyptus, common guava, paper bark, rose apple and java plum.
Some of the most intact and extensive native forests in Hawaii occur here, and support the state's greatest concentration of endangered forest birds.
The watershed extends over most of the windward (northern) side of East Maui, and receives over 60 billion gallons of rain a year.
The Pilot Project is focused on the Keanae Valley region of East Maui. The research will result in recommendations to the East Maui Watershed Partnership for the continued long term monitoring of the 100,000 acre East Maui watershed.
For more information see: A Multi-Scale Study of Alien Species Invasion into the Native Rainforests of Windward East Maui -- Robyn Myers, U.C. Davis