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The Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance Watershed Snapshot is a status report on the health of our watersheds for decision makers and communities. The analysis uses geospatial data and select information gathered by participating communities to inform development of a suite of communication tools to advance coastal management efforts.

HCA consulted with local leaders and stakeholders from eight communities across the main Hawaiian Islands on how best to measure the health of local watersheds. Community representatives identified a set of factors that they believe are important in understanding the status, or “snapshot”, of the health of their ahupuaʻa:

  • Mauka (terrestrial)
  • Makai/Wai (ocean/fresh water)
  • Nā ʻIke (social-economic)

Volunteer communities began to implement watershed snapshot activities in 2015 and 2016. These participating communities aim to use the information captured through the watershed snapshot measure to inform and advance their community-based natural resource management efforts.

Snapshots have been conducted for 3 communities:

The Alliance published a guidebook to assist communities and conservation practitioners that want to produce their own snapshot.

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