The Puʻuhonua Kauluwehi project aims to develop a rapid response to the recent Maui wildfires by collaboratively establishing a network of biocultural refuges supporting the cultivation of native plants to accelerate landscape-scale agroecological resilience, food security and community well-being strategies. Puʻuhonua Kauluwehi is a Hawaiian phrase describing regenerative agroecosystem areas that provide shelter for native vegetation, attract native birds and insects, and serve as a source of thriving launching points to revegetate the landscape through community engagement. In Hawaiʻi, establishing biocultural refuges is even more critical as the unique ecosystems of the islands continue to come under threat from invasive species, drought, commercial development, lack of ecosystem management and are more at risk due to the dependence on imported response and aid resources from the mainland as demonstrated by the devastating impact of the Maui wildfires in August 2023. The project’s specific objectives are to: (1) Provide applied research and GIS mapping services that integrate water quality testing, soil testing and native plant and tree cataloging in one accessible database for the growing coalition of local agricultural and conservation organizations responding to the wildfires; (2) Develop strategies to ensure all children, youth, and adults have access to abundant local food during and after wildfire disasters through a network of seed orchard, seed bank, nursery and food hub partners; and (3) Design extension and non-formal community education initiatives to address the health and well-being of children, youth, and adults affected by wildfire disasters through work-based agroecosystem and stewardship training in the Kauluwehi Biocultural Garden for 300 participants. The Puʻuhonua Kauluwehi restoration project, led by University of Hawaii Maui College, will share initial outcomes of launching a technology platform to connect critical nodes of the Maui wildfire response into a thriving network that will serve as a social-ecological incubator for the positive impact of vibrant and culturally authentic landscapes and redefine the value of agroecosystems in Maui’s unique context for disaster recovery.
