Kiai Collier on Habitat Stewardship: Mālama Hawai'i

Описание: Kiai Collier’s name means guardian, and he lives up to that name as a protector of Maui’s natural habitats. As a Field Supervisor at Kapoho, Waihe‘e for Hawai'i Land Trust (HLT), Kiai specializes in the rejuvenation of water pathways and streams, removing invasive plant species and revitalizing the land to support the return of native Hawaiian birds. A love for the ‘āina(land) comes naturally to Kiai, and he loves teaching the community and visitors how to mālama (care for) it.

To Kiai, malama means both responsibility and protection, “because you can cherish something, but to cherish something you also have to be able to protect it.” Kiai is passionate about caring for Hawaii’s land and all the reefs, fish, birds, and other living things that inhabit it. His main goal is the restoration of habitats, replanting native plants and helping them thrive. He sees this as providing balance and abundance for the ecosystem, calling back to the traditional Hawaiian system of land management, or ahupua‘a. While ahupua‘a was traditionally a system of land division in Hawaii, it also represents the unity between the mountains, the ocean and those who occupy it – a system of connectedness.

Speaking of connection, Kiai invites visitors to connect with Hawai'i and its natural beauty by contributing to keeping it beautiful. By planting and caring for native plants, visitors can give back to Hawai'i with aloha that lasts generations.

Visit https://www.gohawaii.com/malama to discover how you can Mālama Hawai'i when visiting.

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