Group News: Hawaiʻi Island Group, Maui, and Oʻahu
Hawaiʻi Island Group
Hike Leaders Needed!
Do you love exploring the outdoors and sharing its beauty with others? The Sierra Club Hawaiʻi Island Group is looking for passionate individuals to join us as volunteer outings leaders!
Our outings leaders guide hikes and service projects that connect community members to the stunning landscapes of Hawaiʻi Island while fostering a deeper appreciation for mālama ʻāina. Whether you’re experienced in leading groups or simply eager to learn, we’ll provide the training and support you need to succeed.
Why become an outings leader?
Inspire others to cherish and protect Hawaiʻi’s unique ecosystems.
Enjoy opportunities to explore new trails and sites.
Build community with like-minded outdoor enthusiasts.
Together, we can make a difference—on the trail and for the planet. If you’re ready to step up and lead, we’d love to hear from you!
Email our outings chair, Diane Ware, at volcanogetaway@yahoo.com to learn more.
Let’s explore and protect Hawaiʻi together!
Maui Group
Maui Group Updates
by Lucienne de Naie, Maui Group Chair
Maui Group volunteers and members have been busy this past month—attending public hearings, hosting educational events, tracking important issues, and planning even more.
Soft Launch of “Wiki Wai” Website Well Received
Maui Group is a co-sponsor of Wiki Wai, a new online portal focused on Maui water resources. The website features hundreds of Maui-specific maps, charts, studies, reports, and legal documents—all related to water.
“Think of Wikipedia, but for Maui water info,” suggests Scott Werden, a member of the Wiki Wai team.
At a soft launch event on March 31, hosted at UH Maui, the team shared a slideshow demonstrating how to navigate the site and showcased the useful information it holds. Phase 1 currently features East Maui and Upcountry water data. Phase 2, underway in 2025, will expand to include Central and West Maui.
The event was also filmed for future broadcast. The Wiki Wai team is currently looking for volunteers to:
Help post new data (training provided)
Read and summarize important studies and issue topics
Gather and share information about upcoming water-related events
To volunteer, contact the team at info@wikiwai.org. Explore the Wikii Wai site at wikiwai.org.
Maui County Releases Water Availability Study to Satisfy Consent Decree
Over 20 years ago, three community groups—the Sierra Club Maui Group, Coalition for Protection of East Maui Water Resources, and Hui Alanui O Makena—challenged an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for a massive new well field project proposed in rural Haʻikū. The project “estimated” a large amount of groundwater could be withdrawn from the Haʻikū aquifer and transported to South and Central Maui.
However, as the US Geological Service comments pointed out: “The use of the sustainable yield equation may not be adequate for estimating the sustainable yield of the aquifer in the Haʻikū area.”
A Consent Decree reached in 2003 between Maui County and the community groups, requires that a number of robust studies be completed before any future well development. These studies include one on opportunities to restore stream flows in the Haʻikū aquifer area—after almost 150 years of dewatering for Central Maui sugar plantations.
On March 15, 2025, Maui County notified the community groups that the final two of the four required studies have been completed and are ready for review. This process is expected to take several months. The Maui Group will keep members and supporters updated as more information becomes available.
East Maui Consent Decree signing, December 2003 in Mayor Arakawa’s office.
South Maui Luxury Project Fails to Secure Planning Commission Support
The Ledcor South Maui Properties and Improvements Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) spans thousands of pages—but was light on specific plans for drainage, affordable housing, historic preservation, and water sources. These critical details were deferred to “later phases” of the project review, to be addressed parcel by parcel rather than comprehensively.
Three Planning Commissioners voted “no” on the motion to accept the FEIS, echoing many concerns raised by dozens of public testifiers. However, the Commission also did not secure five votes to formally reject the document. Under current state rules, this means the FEIS is automatically “accepted”.
Citizen groups have 60 days from final acceptance to file a legal challenge.
Ledcor luxury home project Final EIS claims no Native Hawaiians use any of their 8 parcels for cultural activities—ignoring claims of cultural groups.
Grand Wailea Hotel Expansion Decision Deferred—Again
The Grand Wailea Resort—South Maui’s largest hotel and biggest public water user—is seeking to expand. For five years, cultural groups have questioned the legality and appropriateness of this plan through a contested case before the Maui Planning Commission. The groups have a number of good reasons to ask the tough questions:
The 36-acre luxury resort is built on an ancient Hawaiian burial ground. Hundreds of iwi kūpuna have already been disturbed by previous construction.
Expansion could further stress the ʻĪao aquifer in the Wailuku area, already overdrawn and the main water source for South Maui.
Cultural groups Mālama Kakanilua, Hoʻoponopono O Makena, and Pele Defense Fund presented a strong case in 2020, including testimony from over a dozen qualified experts. A draft Decision and Order was issued in March 2023. Despite this, the Maui Planning Commission again deferred decision-making at its March 25, 2025 meeting—after cultural groups and their supporters waited seven hours for the matter to be heard.
A final decision is required before the County can issue an updated Special Management Area permit. The Maui Island Burial Council had previously recommended, in 2022, that no further ground-altering work be allowed on the hotel site due to the high likelihood of disturbing additional Kanaka Maoli ancestral remains.
Lineal descendents of Paeahu (“Wailea”) and cultural groups have asked Maui County not to permit more ground disturbing activities at the Grand Wailea Resort, since it is known and verified as an ancient Hawaiian burial ground.
Save the Date: South Maui Community Plan Forum – May 27
Monday, May 27, 6-7:30pm at ProArts Playhouse – Azeka Makai Shopping Center, “Kula Kai” (Kīhei)
Join the Maui Group and allies for a roundtable discussion with audience participation: “What’s Up with the South Maui Community Plan: How Does it Affect You? How Can You Be Heard?”
Panelists with expertise in water resources, land use planning, and historical preservation will help break down what’s in the plan—and what it means for our future.
The current draft of the South Maui Community Plan will go before the Maui County Council starting in June 2025. It proposes over 7,000 new units in South Maui, most of which are expected to be unaffordable for local working families, either to rent or own.
Stay tuned for updates on social media and local listings.
Spring Plant Sale in Haʻikū – May 18
The Maui Group’s is hosting its annual spring plant sale on Saturday, May 18 at a NEW LOCATION: A private farm in lovely Haʻikū. We welcome donations of healthy plants in advance of the event. Volunteers are also needed to help out on the day of the sale!
To donate or volunteer, contact Raina Myers at raina.myers@sierraclub.org.
Sierra Club Spring Plant Sale coming up on May 18 in NEW Haʻikū location
Upcoming Outings
Friday, April 11
Paeahu Gulch Exploration (C/E)
South Maui (Paeahu Ahupuaʻa) , 3 miles
Natural gulches of Paeahu ("Wailea") hold a lot of history. Many were used as pathways from the mountains to the sea. Most of Paeahu's gulches have been completely rerouted to accommodate coastal development. Come explore gulches in the Wailea 670 area, above Piʻilani Highway, where natural gulches still remain with striking rock formations; hidden kipuka of native plants and associated traditional Hawaiian archaeological sites. Hike routes can be over rough and uneven ground.
Leader: Lucienne de Naie, huelogrl@icloud.com, co leader archaeologist Dr. Jeanne Schaaf
Sign up
Sunday, April 20
ʻAhihi-Kinaʻu Natural Area Reserve Hike and Snorkel (C/E)
La Perouse, 1 miles
Moderate shoreline hike on rocky trail to great snorkeling. Bring swim/snorkel gear, rash guard, reef-safe sunscreen, water, and a snack. Meet at 7:30am at ʻAhihi-Kinaʻu Natural Area Reserve parking lot south of Makena Beach. $5 non-resident fee per vehicle. Limit 9.
Leader: Annie Schultz, acm_schultz@hotmail.com or 808-344-6628
Sign up
Saturday, April 26
Hāmākua Mālama Service Outing (C/E/S)
Ha‘ikū, 2 miles
Help clear away abandoned rubbish from gulches in Ha‘ikū’s Hāmākua Coastal Preserve and replant native species. Tools, snacks, trash bags, etc will be provided. Co-sponsored by Mālama Hāmākua.
Leader: Lucienne de Naie, huelogrl@icloud.com
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Sunday, April 27
Kapalua Coastal Trail Hike and Farewell to Our Beautiful Kōlea (C/E)
West Maui, 3.5 miles
Meet in the DT Fleming Beach Parking Lot, left side, at 8am. We will walk along the coastal path, a combination of asphalt, gravel, and rocky trail. This should be a great opportunity to photograph our beautiful kōlea (Pacific Golden Plover) gathering on the grassy lawns in their elegant breeding plumage in preparation for their 3,000-mile en masse migration to their breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra. After a stop at Kapalua Bay, we will return to Fleming Beach. Although the footing can be rough in places, this is an easy three and a half mile RT hike. There are restrooms at each end of the walk. There is an optional detour to Makāluapuna Point on the way back to see the jagged rock formation known as Dragon’s Teeth and to walk the labyrinth for those interested. Swimming and snorkeling are excellent at both DT Fleming Beach and Kapalua Bay, so bring appropriate gear if you wish. Snack/lunch on the beach at Kapalua Bay. Bring water and reef-safe sun protection.
Leader Annie Schultz, acm_schultz@hotmail.com or 808-344-6628
Sign up
Sunday, May 4
Makawao Forest Reserve - Kahakapao Loop (E)
Upper Olinda, 6.5 miles
Moderate 6.5-mile hike in big tree forest on undulating trail. Estimated time 3-4 hours. Meet in the parking lot across from St. Joseph's Church on Makawao Avenue at 8am. We will caravan to the trailhead. Bring water and snacks/lunch. Limit 15.
Leader: Annie Schultz, acm_schultz@hotmail.com or 808-344-6628
Sign up
Oʻahu Group
Reviving Wāwāmalu: Volunteers in Action
By Reese Liggett, Sierra Club Oʻahu Group Outings Leader
Some of the 21 volunteers attending on March 16, 2025.
March 16, 2025 marked our 30th Third Sunday volunteer outing since we launched in October 2022. Over that time, we’ve welcomed about 500 volunteers—groups of 5 to 50 people, both youth and adults—who’ve helped remove invasive species (primarily koa haole and buffelgrass) and plant or nurture naturally recruiting native plants.
For decades before 2021, this roughly 10-acre stretch of undeveloped parkland—coastal habitat and Hawaiian cultural sites between Sandy Beach Park and Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline (aka “AD’s”)—was overrun by motorized vehicles, from mopeds to raised AWD trucks, and impacted by frequent squatting and pallet bonfire parties.
That began to change thanks to a Sierra Club activist who motivated Council Chair Tommy Waters to take action. With continued urging from the Hawai‘i Kai Neighborhood Board #1, he secured funding in the City budget for a boulder barrier. Permits were obtained, the City sourced the boulders for free from across the street at the Hawai‘i Kai Golf Course, and the barrier was installed in early 2021. Since then, vehicle access has dropped by 99.9%, with only the occasional barrier-busting AWD truck or dirt bike slipping through.
With vehicles largely kept out, the focus has shifted to removing invasive plants and restoring native vegetation. That’s what the Third Sunday conservation outings are all about.
Bags of removed, invasive buffelgrass, a global pest and fire hazard from Africa—bagged for City pick-up to prevent mulch piling that attracts coconut rhinoceros beetles.
Mauʻu ʻakiʻaki has been reintroduced and, through simple seed scattering, now has over 100 naturally germinated plants on-site. Existing native species—naupaka kahakai, paʻū o Hiʻiaka, and ʻilima—have seen their populations grow by about 20% (see the native vegetation list below). With these natives producing seed, nature has been doing its part, especially now that off-roaders are no longer disturbing the area.
Our project’s primary restoration zone is conveniently located near the southwest access point, just off the northeast entrance to Sandy Beach Park.
We’re far from finished—and we need your help. Volunteers are welcome on the third Sunday morning each month (note: our April and May outings will shift to Fourth Sundays due to scheduling conflicts). It’s a beautiful place to spend a few hours, and you’ll be part of something special: the rejuvenation of a Native Hawaiian ecosystem along the stunning Kaiwi Coast, a true jewel of the Maunalua-Makapuʻu State Scenic Byway. Mark your calendars to join us on April 27, 9am for our next conservation outing!
Partial native vegetation list
Naupaka kahakai (immature, from seed/fruit sown by volunteers)
Kou tree
Milo (heritage plant)
Mauʻuʻakiʻaki (a sedge, from Bishop Museum garden-path transplants and recruitment)
Pōhinahina
Pāʻū o Hiʻiʻaka
Maʻo
ʻAʻaliʻi
ʻOhai
Hinahina
ʻĀkulikuli (by transplant)
Nama (endemic, naturally occurring due to absence of off-roader driving)
Kīpūkai
Upcoming Outings
Sunday, April 13
Mālama Tree Crew: Pālehua Service Project
Join us in the Gill Ewa Lands to water, weed, and clear debris around 25 newly planted native trees in the Akupu Enclosure and 300 trees at the Mālama Learning Center site. The Gill Ewa Lands encompass 1,600 acres in the southern tip of the Wai‘anae mountains dedicated to preserving the land's important biological, cultural, economic and historical resources. The Akupu Enclosure provides habitat for endangered ʻelepaio to nest. Meet at 7:45am at Makakilo Community Park, near the top of Makakilo Drive. We will work from 8am-12pm. Tools, gloves, and refreshments provided. Bring snack, lunch, water, and insect repellent. RSVP to leader Sherry Cassetta at sherrycassetta@gmail.com.
Sunday, April 27
Wāwāmalu Beach Service Project
Help return Wāwāmalu Beach to its native/natural status after years of off-road abuse and inattention. Seed collection and sowing, as well as removal of invasive plants on tap. Personal pickaxes welcome. Bring closed-toe shoes/boots, gardening gloves, sunscreen and water flask (iced refill available, no plastic water available). Meet 9am at the southwest access area just off to the left from the northeast driveway to Sandy Beach. Google Maps calls it ”Sandy Beach Park Fishing”. Limited to 24 participants out of concern for the delicate planting environment. Participants under 18 require a parent or guardian. Please reserve your spot by emailing wliggett@twc.com.
Leaders: Reese Liggett and Suzan Harada
Sunday, May 4
Mālama Tree Crew: Ala Mahamoe Service Project
1,000+ trees were planted in this area by the Sierra Club Oʻahu Group and many of its partners to re-establish the native watershed. Help us keep them thriving! We will be watering, weeding, and clearing debris from around these recently planted trees, every first Sunday of the month. Meet at 8am at the gate between 1800 and 1812 Ala Mahamoe St. Tools provided. Bring long pants, long-sleeve shirt, water, hat, sunscreen, gloves. Reservations required at least 1 day prior to sherrycassetta@gmail.com.
Leader: Sherry Cassetta