In an effort to educate residents and visitors how to engage with coral reef ecosystems in Kahalu‘u Bay, the Kohala Center has released  a series of short videos intended to help beachgoers get to know the bay before they visit entitled “Aloha ‘Āina Kahalu‘u.”

Kahaluʻu Bay attracts nearly half a million beachgoers each year and corals in the bay are struggling to survive in the face of stressors, including rising ocean temperatures, poor water quality, pollution from chemical sunscreens, and physical damage from swimmers and snorkelers stepping, standing, kicking, and walking on established corals and the reef floor where young corals grow.

With funding support provided by Hawai‘i Tourism Authority through its Aloha ‘Āina program and from the County of Hawai‘i Department of Research and Development, the Kohala Center produced the series of ten videos in-house, covering topics such as Kahalu‘u’s historical and ecological significance, coral, honu (Hawaiian green sea turtles), responsible sun protection, how to safely enter and explore the bay, and simple reef etiquette tips to minimize impact on the bay’s fragile marine ecosystem.

In April 2020, Kahaluʻu Beach Park was identified by the County of Hawaiʻi as a “tourism hotspot” because of its high level of tourism impact along with its importance to the community. Because of its ongoing stewardship of Kahaluʻu, The Kohala Center was asked to help guide the development of a tourism action plan that would establish pono practices and innovative strategies for sustaining the cultural and natural resources at the park into the future. The Aloha ‘Āina Kahalu‘u video series is part of a comprehensive effort to balance ecosystem health and biodiversity with economic recovery and resilience.

(Photo credit: Kohala Center)