Kumano I Ke Ala O Makaweli

WWD TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & TRAINING GRANTS

PROJECT ABSTRACT: KLAIWI CONNECTION PROJECTTHE KLAIWI CONNECTION PROJECT AIMS TO RESTORE AND PRESERVE NATIVE HAWAIIAN PLANTS AT MHAIHAI, PROMOTERESPECTFUL AND EDUCATED TOURISM IN WEST KAUAI, AND CREATE QUALITY INA-BASED JOBS FOR THE NATIVE HAWAIIANCOMMUNITY. THE PROJECT ADDRESSES THE HIHI PROGRAM PRIORITIES OF SUPPORTING THE MAINTENANCE, ENHANCEMENT, ANDPROTECTION OF HAWAIIS NATURAL RESOURCES, PROVIDING FOR AUTHENTIC AND RESPECTFUL VISITOR EXPERIENCES, ANDENHANCING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL CAPACITY FOR THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY.PURPOSE:THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE KLAIWI CONNECTION PROJECT IS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS ON KAUAI BYRESTORING NATIVE HABITATS, EDUCATE VISITORS ON RESPECTFUL TOURISM PRACTICES, AND EMPOWER THE LOCAL NATIVEHAWAIIAN COMMUNITY THROUGH JOB CREATION AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:LAND PREPARATION AND PLANT RESTORATION: CLEAR AND REMOVE INVASIVE TREES ON 8 ACRES AT THE MHAIHAI SITE. RESTORENATIVE PLANTS THROUGH SITE PLANNING, PLANT SELECTION, OUTPLANTING, AND MAINTENANCE.EDUCATIONAL TOUR DEVELOPMENT: DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE EDUCATIONAL TOUR MATERIALS, INCLUDING BROCHURES AND DIGITALCONTENT CENTERED AROUND THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN FLORA AND FAUNA RESTORATIVE WORK.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND JOB CREATION: HIRE AND TRAIN TWO PART-TIME TOUR GUIDES FROM THE LOCAL NATIVE HAWAIIANCOMMUNITY, FOCUSING ON INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING NATIVE RESTORATION AND RESPONSIBLE TOURISM.EXPECTED DELIVERABLES OR OUTCOMES:ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES: THE RESTORATION OF 8 ACRES OF NATIVE HABITAT AT MHAIHAI, LEADING TO INCREASEDBIODIVERSITY AND IMPROVED ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF THE AREA. SUSTAINED GROWTH AND LONG-TERM SURVIVAL OF THE RESTOREDNATIVE PLANTS THROUGH CONTINUOUS OBSERVATION, MONITORING, AND MAINTENANCE.EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES: INFORMED AND RESPECTFUL VISITORS WHO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE FOUNDATIONAL HAWAIIANCONCEPTS SUCH AS ALOHA INA (LOVE FOR THE LAND), KLEANA (INHERENT RESPONSIBILITY), HIHI (RESPECT), ANDHOOPONOPONO (RESTORATION AND BALANCE).ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES: CREATION OF QUALITY INA-BASED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY, PROMOTING ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION. ENHANCED VISITOR EXPERIENCES THROUGH AUTHENTIC CULTURAL EXCHANGES WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE TOUR GUIDES, FOSTERING DEEPER CONNECTIONS TO THE LAND AND HAWAIIAN HERITAGEINTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THE KLAIWI CONNECTION PROJECT INCLUDE THE LOCAL NATIVEHAWAIIAN COMMUNITY, WHO WILL GAIN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CULTURAL EMPOWERMENT, AND THE VISITORS, WHO WILL RECEIVE ENRICHED AND RESPECTFUL TOURISM EXPERIENCES. ADDITIONALLY, THE BROADER KAUAI COMMUNITY AND ITS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND INCREASED BIODIVERSITY AT MHAIHAI.

KUMANO I KE ALA REQUESTS HIHI GRANT PROGRAM SUPPORT TO CONTINUE THE KLAIWI CONNECTION PROJECT, A NATIVEHAWAIIAN-LED REGENERATIVE TOURISM INITIATIVE IN WAIMEA, KAUAI. THE PURPOSE OF THE AWARD IS TO STRENGTHEN ANDSUSTAIN CULTURALLY GROUNDED VISITOR EXPERIENCES THAT SUPPORT NATIVE HAWAIIAN AGRICULTURE, LOCAL WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENT, RESTORATION, AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND WEST KAUAI COMMUNITY.PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE REGULAR SMALL-GROUP EDUCATIONAL TOURS, VISITOR COORDINATION, OUTREACH TO HOTELAND TOURISM PARTNERS, STAFF TRAINING, TOUR DELIVERY, VISITOR FEEDBACK COLLECTION, AND CONTINUED RESTORATION ANDSTEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES ALONG VISITOR ROUTES AND EDUCATIONAL AREAS. GRANT FUNDS WILL SUPPORT TWO TOURISM-RELATEDPOSITIONS OVER THE TWO-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD AND CONTRACTED WORK WITH CUSHNIE CONSTRUCTION AND HUI K MAOLI OLA FORLAND MANAGEMENT, VISITOR ROUTE ENHANCEMENT, NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION, TECHNICAL GUIDANCE, AND QUARTERLY NATIVEPLANT WORKSHOPS.EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY 75 TOURS AND 260300 VISITORS HOSTED IN YEAR 1, INCREASING TOAPPROXIMATELY 80 TOURS AND 300320 VISITORS HOSTED IN YEAR 2. THE PROJECT WILL SUSTAIN TWO LOCAL TOURISM-RELATEDPOSITIONS, CONDUCT EIGHT NATIVE PLANT WORKSHOPS, STRENGTHEN HOTEL AND VENDOR REFERRAL RELATIONSHIPS, IMPROVEEARNED REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES, AND MAINTAIN SAFE, EDUCATIONAL, AND CULTURALLY GROUNDED VISITOR AREAS.INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE VISITORS SEEKING AUTHENTIC EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, NATIVE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITYMEMBERS EMPLOYED OR TRAINED THROUGH THE PROJECT, LOCAL YOUTH AND FAMILIES CONNECTED TO KUMANO I KE ALAS BROADERINA-BASED EDUCATION WORK, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND THE BROADER WEST KAUAI COMMUNITY.SUBRECIPIENT OR CONTRACTOR ACTIVITIES ARE EXPECTED TO INCLUDE CUSHNIE CONSTRUCTION SUPPORTING VISITOR ROUTEENHANCEMENT AND LAND MANAGEMENT, AND HUI K MAOLI OLA SUPPORTING NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION, TECHNICAL GUIDANCE,AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS.

WEST KAUA‘I FOOD SYSTEMS EDUCATION PROJECT