Hawaii Welcomes Volunteers to Restore Ancient Fishponds

Hawaii isn't just a vacation destination. It's home to fragile ecosystems and centuries-old cultural traditions that need protection, and now visitors can help preserve them for future generations.

Across the Hawaiian islands, ten nonprofit organizations welcome volunteers to participate in conservation work that makes a real difference. The opportunities range from restoring ancient fishponds that once sustained Native Hawaiian communities to removing invasive species that threaten marine life.

On Oahu's North Shore, Mālama Loko Ea holds community workdays on the third Saturday of each month where locals and travelers restore ancient fishponds together. Just south at Maunalua Bay, Mālama Maunalua has pulled 4 million pounds of invasive algae since 2006, dramatically improving water quality.

On Maui, Grow Some Good transforms school gardens into living classrooms and has produced 2,000 pounds of fruit for the Maui Food Bank in the past two years. The Maui Sewing Hui welcomes volunteers who don't even know how to sew, putting them to work sorting materials and cutting fabric for community projects.

Kauai offers three volunteer opportunities, including work at the 600-year-old Alakoko Fishpond through Mālama Hulēʻia. The organization has educated thousands of volunteers while restoring this significant example of ancient aquaculture. Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park meet every Saturday morning to clean Morgan Ponds, while Waipā holds monthly workdays to restore the ahupuaʻa along Hanalei Bay.

On Hawaii Island, ʻĀina Hoʻōla Initiative focuses on the Lokowaka Pond complex in Hilo, where volunteers plant native species that support endangered Hawaiian waterbirds. Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative lets volunteers help rehabilitate one of Hawaii's rarest ecosystems by building trails, clearing weeds, and propagating plants.

The Ripple Effect

These volunteer programs create benefits far beyond the immediate conservation work. Visitors who spend time restoring fishponds or removing invasive species develop deeper respect for Hawaiian culture and environmental challenges. They return home as ambassadors who understand why protecting these fragile ecosystems matters.

The programs also strengthen bonds between locals and travelers, building community around shared purpose. When someone flies thousands of miles and chooses to spend part of their vacation pulling weeds or sorting fabric, it sends a powerful message about valuing place over entertainment.

Each pound of algae removed and each native plant restored helps ensure that future generations can experience Hawaii's extraordinary natural and cultural heritage.