In May of 2023, as part of the Pacific RISA project to use natural capital-informed decision making to guide ecosystem-based climate (EBA) adaptation, PI Dr. Kirsten Oleson led her team on a scoping trip to the island of Kauaʻi. This trip kicked off the effort to develop and strengthen partnerships with the County of Kauaʻi Planning Department, and to forge connections with local community groups. Along with University of Hawaiʻi MS students Michelle Harangody, Ann Nyambega (NREM) and Brian Gorberg (Dept. of Earth Sciences), PI Oleson sought to gauge community groups’ interest in co-producing knowledge about the outcomes of their ecosystem-based adaptation projects. While on Kauaʻi, the team met with County adaptation planning officials, agricultural extension agents and community leaders, attended a climate adaptation public meeting for the community of Līhuʻe, and worked alongside fishpond restoration groups to gain first-hand knowledge to inform the project.

On Kauaʻi, the team met first with Kauaʻi County Planning Director Kaʻāina Hull, Long Range Planning Director Marie Williams, and others in the department to introduce them to the natural capital project. Kauaʻi County is using EBA as part of the county adaptation strategy, and shared current and upcoming projects (both NGO and private) using EBA, and their visioning for using EBA within the county adaptation plan. Later, the team attended a public workshop held by the County to engage residents on adaptation strategies such as managed retreat transfer of development rights, and nature-based solutions.

At Alakoko fishpond, which was built around 600 years ago and is one of the earliest examples of aquaculture in Hawaiʻi, Oleson’s team participated in a community work day, pulling mangroves from the wall of a mudfish pond along the Hulēia River (see photo below). They talked story with Malama Hulēia, caretakers of the fishpond, to discuss future collaboration on mental models for monitoring and evaluation plans.

This and future scoping trips will give the team an opportunity to talk to decision makers and stakeholders about what they are doing and why, what they hope the impacts/outcomes of their projects are, and how Pacific RISA can work with them to look at whether those impacts are happening. By coproducing climate knowledge and products with Kaua‘i County Planners, the Pacific RISA is improving partners’ understanding of science and knowledge related to hydrology, climate, and adaptation options.

*All Photos courtesy of Kirsten Oleson