Our Living Reefs

by Michele McKay

Coral reefs, and the waters they shelter, are closely tied to our lifestyle and cultural traditions in Hawaii – and they are home to roughly 7,000 varieties of marine life, many that exist nowhere else on Earth. Coral reefs are huge, hard, and sharp… but, amazingly, they are created by delicate life forms: tiny algae and polyps working in partnership.

Dan Polhemus, Administrator for the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources, says that coral reefs provide countless benefits, including the surf we ride and the beaches we enjoy. “They also serve as nature’s breakwaters, protecting us from the destructive power of the sea. In more ways than we might realize, our island lifestyle depends on our coral reefs.”

The Living Reef, a 24-page booklet recently published on the internet, illustrates the biological, economic, and cultural significance of Hawaii’s “rainforests of the sea” with beautiful color photos. A project of The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii and the DLNR, in cooperation with Malama Hawai'i and NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, The Living Reef can be viewed and downloaded from www.nature.org/hawaii.

The booklet explains how our coral reefs are endangered by r un-off, sedimentation, debris, invasive species, destructive fishing practices, recreational overuse, and climate change. B ut it also describes constructive solutions to these threats:

  • Funding community-based marine management for near-shore areas
  • Funding and staffing marine resource enforcement
  • Investing in systems for sewage treatment and land-based pollution prevention
  • Adopting the recommendations of the 2003 State Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan to protect against invasive aquatic plants and animals
  • Reforming fishing policies and practices
  • Creating nursery areas for fish to grow and reproduce without being harvested

What you can do:

Remember that our land and ocean are connected – in Hawaii everything eventually flows into the sea. Practice good environmental stewardship in your everyday life:

  • Dispose of all car fluids (motor oil, gasoline, everything!), detergents, chemicals, grass clippings, and dirt sweepings properly. If left on the ground, these contaminants will go down our storm drains with the next big rain.
  • Throw your trash where it belongs.
  • Control sediment flow from construction and agricultural areas.

Get involved with The Nature Conservancy by contacting Janice Staab at (808) 587-6232 or by email at jstaab@tnc.org or volunteerhawaii@tnc.org

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