Needs From: Aloha United Way

Join in for a fantastic day caring for our native forestSaturday, April 11th**The deadline for RSVPs is Tuesday, March 31st**

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

*-*-*-*-*- We have two volunteer sessions to choose from. -*-*-*-*-*

You can join us for either the morning, or the afternoon, or for the full-day experience, do both!

Who: Anyone who is interested in learning about our native dryland forests and caring for this incredible site is invited to be part of the restoration project. Participants of all ages and ability levels are welcome, but only registered KMWP volunteers can join the event. You must turn in your completed volunteer application forms by March 31st to be eligible.

The 2026 volunteer forms and instructions can be found here.

We have 25 spots open for each session and they are filled on a first come first serve basis, any additional volunteers who sign up will be placed on a waiting list.

What: This service-learning day will be focused on invasive species removal to protect and support a thriving native forest and reduce fire risks for the community. There may be some seedball dispersal as well as planting, seed collection and brush clearing.

When: April 11th 2026 --- 9am to 3:30pm (Split into 2 sessions)

You can choose to join either the morning, the afternoon session, or for the full-day experience, choose both.

Morning Session: 9am - 12pm -- Check in at 8:45am at the Ala Mahamoe Street Gate.

Afternoon Session: 12:30pm - 3:30pm -- Check in at 12:15pm at the Ala Mahamoe Street Gate.

Full-day(both sessions): 9am - 3:30pm -- Check in at 8:45am at the Ala Mahamoe Street Gate.; Volunteer's Lunch break will be around 12:00pm to 12:45pm

Where: Ala Mahamoe Dryland Forest Restoration site

Park along the main road across from the Ala Mahamoe gate and walk to the site. Please be considerate of residents, do not block their driveways. Also, try to limit the number of cars taking up street parking, consider carpooling with a friend.

Why: This site gives participants a special opportunity to try their hand at dryland forest restoration and to connect with and learn about many beautiful native species and a few Polynesian introductions too. Our efforts in the area show how huge of an impact we can have on our land. With volunteers and the community on board, an invasive-dominated, fire-prone forest can be shifted to become a healthier, native habitat that would serve as a protective green break rather than a hazard. It is used as a teaching tool by our organization as well as community partners like a kumu la'au lapa'au (Hawaiian medicine teacher). People from keiki to kupuna go there for visits and service-learning opportunities. This site is being built as a resource to sustain them and as a foundation for better things to come.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are not currently registered for the 2026 calendar year, your RSVP is not complete until you turn in a volunteer registration form.* The KMWP volunteer registration forms are due by March 31st.

Once you have turned in your KMWP volunteer registration, it will be reviewed. If it is filled out correctly, you will become a registered volunteer with KMWP and your spot will be reserved for this event. We will send an information packet with more details about the site and what to expect/prepare for.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*If you have already turned in your completed 2026 volunteer forms and been accepted into the volunteer program, then all you need to do is RSVP. You can RSVP for events through this Outreach Calendar or via email, but anyone who is not registered for 2026 will need to fill out the updated volunteer application forms. (See above for a link to the waiver forms and instructions)

Incomplete or incorrectly filled volunteer paperwork will be rejected, so be sure to check the instructions before you begin. We've included directions for filling forms via computer and smartphone.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a little breakdown of how these Mālama Nā Koʻolau (MNK) service-learning events work:

We will host at least 1 volunteer day each month at our various restoration sites and rotate locations so that everyone in the program has a chance to visit each of the sites.These events will generally be for a maximum of 25 people at any given site, although some sites have a larger capacity. Reservations for the monthly events are open to the public and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.Check-ins will generally be around 8:30am and the restoration activities will go from about 9am-12pm, although we may add extra time or additional volunteer sessions if the site allows.The regular restoration sites include: the Pali Lookout Garden, Ala Mahamoe in Moanalua Valley, Mānoa cliffs, Waiʻalae Nui at Wiliwilinui Trail, and Waihe‘e Valley.To join these events, you must be registered with KMWP as a Mālama Nā Koʻolau Volunteer and have your application turned in and approved before any event.Here is a link to the folder with the Volunteer Application Forms, examples of correctly filled forms, and instructions. Please read the instructions before filling the application. Incorrectly and/or incompletely filled applications will be flagged and rejected.Send completed forms tokoolaupartnership@gmail.com. Be sure to include the event and date you are RSVP’ing for.Once you have turned in your application and it is accepted, it will be good until December 31st of that year. You do not need to fill out another application for Mālama Nā Koʻolau events until January of the following year.Registered volunteers who want to join an event can RSVP via email.Some sites require extra waivers, those will be sent as needed to participants.If you visit all 5 of the regular sites, then you will be eligible for an invitation to special Mālama Nā Koʻolau events to be announced.We schedule a special event day at one of our elite sites approximately once a year and offer other special opportunities to our participants

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We will be holding these Mālama Nā Koʻolau service-learning events at least once a month for the rest of the year, but if you miss one, and want to help in a particular site, or just want to do a service day, then we can set up exclusive volunteer days in any of our main restoration sites. If you have the volunteer group, then we can arrange the location.

We also have the option for people to set up group events through the Mālama Nā Koʻolau (MNK) program, this allows us to open up more group opportunities across our range of sites. The way that it works is a group gets their members registered as MNK volunteers. Then these groups can set up workdays at any of the 5 main restoration sites (Pali, Waihe’e, Ala Mahamoe, Mānoa Cliffs, and WiliwiliNui trail).

The limitations to this option are:

the group size must follow the capacity limits for the given siteall applications expire in December,and the events are not exclusive.

The upsides to this option are:

It allows groups to go to multiple sites and have events without filling out new applications for each one, andThe group members will be registered MNK volunteers so they can join the regular events too.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Feel free to reach out for more details or to set up an event.

Emailkoolaupartnership@gmail.com with any questions!

Mālama nā Ko‘olau day at the Mānoa Cliff Forest Restoration Site

-Our cancelled event has been rescheduled to -

Saturday, April 4th**The deadline for RSVPs is Tuesday, March 24th**

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who: Anyone who is interested in learning about our native forests and caring for these incredible places is invited to be part of the restoration project. Participants of all ages and ability levels are welcome, but only registered KMWP volunteers can join these events. You must RSVP and turn in your completed volunteer application forms by March 24th to be eligible.

The 2026 volunteer forms and instructions can be found here.

We have 25 spots open for each session and they are filled on a first come first serve basis, any additional volunteers who sign up will be placed on a waiting list.

What: This is a Service-learning opportunity, the volunteers will be clearing invasive species and protecting native forests to grow our watershed resources and empower community action.

When: April 4th 2026 --- 9am to 12pm

Where: Manoa Cliff Restoration Project. Park at the trailhead for Puʻu ʻŌhiʻa trail and meet the KMWP staff. We will lead a short hike to the site. Keep in mind that the trailhead parking lot is quite small, so carpool whenever possible.

Why: This site is on public lands and is frequented by hikers from all over the world. That amount of traffic through the area presents a lot of challenges but also a great opportunity to teach, learn, and care for a high-impact site. This location has been stewarded by the Mānoa Cliff Restoration Project for over 20 years and the oasis of native diversity they created in that time serves as a really good example of what a dedicated effort at conservation and reforestation can accomplish.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are not currently registered for the 2026 calendar year, your RSVP is not complete until you turn in a volunteer registration form. The KMWP volunteer registration forms are due by March 24th.

Once you have turned in your KMWP volunteer registration form, it will be reviewed. If it is filled out correctly, you will become a registered volunteer and your spot will be reserved for this event. We will send an information packet with more details about the site and what to expect/prepare for.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you have already turned in your completed 2025 volunteer forms and been accepted into the volunteer program, then all you need to do is RSVP. You can RSVP for events through this Outreach Calendar or via email, but anyone who is not registered for 2026 will need to fill out the updated volunteer application forms. (See above for a link to the waiver forms and instructions)

Incomplete or incorrectly filled volunteer paperwork will be rejected, so be sure to check the instructions before you begin. We've included directions for filling forms via computer and smartphone.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a little breakdown of how these Mālama Nā Koʻolau (MNK) service-learning events work:

We will host at least 1 volunteer day each month at our various restoration sites and rotate locations so that everyone in the program has a chance to visit each of the sites.These events will generally be for a maximum of 25 people at any given site, although some sites have a larger capacity. Reservations for the monthly events are open to the public and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.Check-ins will generally be around 8:30am and the restoration activities will go from about 9am-12pm, although we may add extra time or additional volunteer sessions if the site allows.The regular restoration sites include: the Pali Lookout Garden, Ala Mahamoe in Moanalua Valley, Mānoa cliffs, Waiʻalae Nui at Wiliwilinui Trail, and Waihe‘e Valley.To join these events, you must be registered with KMWP as a Mālama Nā Koʻolau Volunteer and have your application turned in and approved before any event.Here is a link to the folder with the Volunteer Application Forms, examples of correctly filled forms, and instructions. Please read the instructions before filling the application. Incorrectly and/or incompletely filled applications will be flagged and rejected.Send completed forms tokoolaupartnership@gmail.com. Be sure to include the event and date you are RSVP’ing for.Once you have turned in your application and it is accepted, it will be good until December 31st of that year. You do not need to fill out another application for Mālama Nā Koʻolau events until January of the following year.Registered volunteers who want to join an event can RSVP via email.Some sites require extra waivers, those will be sent as needed to participants.If you visit all 5 of the regular sites, then you will be eligible for an invitation to special Mālama Nā Koʻolau events to be announced.We schedule a special event day at one of our elite sites approximately once a year and offer other special opportunities to our participants

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We will be holding these Mālama Nā Koʻolau service-learning events at least once a month for the rest of the year, but if you miss one, and want to help in a particular site, or just want to do a service day, then we can set up exclusive volunteer days in any of our main restoration sites. If you have the volunteer group, then we can arrange the location.

We also have the option for people to set up group events through the Mālama Nā Koʻolau (MNK) program, this allows us to open up more group opportunities across our range of sites. The way that it works is a group gets their members registered as MNK volunteers. Then these groups can set up workdays at any of the 5 main restoration sites (Pali, Waihe’e, Ala Mahamoe, Mānoa Cliffs, and WiliwiliNui trail).

The limitations to this option are:

the group size must follow the capacity limits for the given siteall applications expire in December,and the events are not exclusive.

The upsides to this option are:

It allows groups to go to multiple sites and have events without filling out new applications for each one, andThe group members will be registered MNK volunteers so they can join the regular events too.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Feel free to reach out for more details or to set up an event.

Emailkoolaupartnership@gmail.com with any questions!

Special Mālama Nā Ko‘olau CommunityJoin in for a fantastic day caring for the Ala Mahamoe Native Dryland ForestSaturday, March 28th**The deadline for RSVPs is Tuesday, March 17th**

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

*-*-*-*-*- We have two volunteer sessions to choose from. -*-*-*-*-*

You can join us for either the morning, or the afternoon, or for the full-day experience, do both!

Who: Anyone who is interested in learning about our native forests and caring for these incredible places is invited to be part of the restoration project. Participants of all ages and ability levels are welcome, but only registered KMWP volunteers can join these events. You must turn in your completed volunteer application forms by March 17th to be eligible.

The 2026 volunteer forms and instructions can be found here.

We have 25 spots open for each session and they are filled on a first come first serve basis, any additional volunteers who sign up will be placed on a waiting list.

What: This service-learning day will be focused on invasive species removal to protect and support a thriving native forest and reduce fire risks for the community. There may be some seedball dispersal as well as planting, seed collection and brush clearing.

When: March 28th 2026 --- 9am to 3:30pm

Session 1: 9am - 12pm -- Check in at 8:45am at the Ala Mahamoe St. gate.

Session 2: 12:30pm - 3:30pm -- Check in at 12:15pm at the Ala Mahamoe St. gate.

Both: 9am - 3:30pm -- Check in at 8:45am at the Ala Mahamoe St. gate. ; Volunteer's Lunch break will be around 12:00pm to 12:45pm

Where: Park along the main road across from the Ala Mahamoe gate and walk to the site. Please be considerate of residents, do not block their driveways. Also, try to limit the number of cars taking up street parking, consider carpooling with a friend.

Why: This site gives participants a special opportunity to try their hand at dryland forest restoration and to connect with and learn about many beautiful native species and a few Polynesian introductions too. Our efforts in the area show how huge of an impact we can have on our land. With volunteers and the community on board, an invasive-dominated, fire-prone forest can be shifted to become a healthier, native habitat that would serve as a protective green break rather than a hazard. It is used as a teaching tool by our organization as well as community partners like a kumu la’au lapa’au (Hawaiian medicine teacher). People from keiki to kupuna go there for visits and service-learning opportunities. This site is being built as a resource to sustain them and as a foundation for better things to come.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you are not currently registered for the 2026 calendar year, your RSVP is not complete until you turn in a volunteer registration form. The KMWP volunteer registration forms are due by March 17th.

Once you have turned in your KMWP volunteer registration form, it will be reviewed. If it is filled out correctly, you will become a registered volunteer and your spot will be reserved for this event. We will send an information packet with more details about the site and what to expect/prepare for.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you have already turned in your completed 2025 volunteer forms and been accepted into the volunteer program, then all you need to do is RSVP. You can RSVP for events through this Outreach Calendar or via email, but anyone who is not registered for 2026 will need to fill out the updated volunteer application forms. (See above for a link to the waiver forms and instructions)

Incomplete or incorrectly filled volunteer paperwork will be rejected, so be sure to check the instructions before you begin. We've included directions for filling forms via computer and smartphone.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is a little breakdown of how these Mālama Nā Koʻolau (MNK) service-learning events work:

We will host at least 1 volunteer day each month at our various restoration sites and rotate locations so that everyone in the program has a chance to visit each of the sites.These events will generally be for a maximum of 25 people at any given site, although some sites have a larger capacity. Reservations for the monthly events are open to the public and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.Check-ins will generally be around 8:30am and the restoration activities will go from about 9am-12pm, although we may add extra time or additional volunteer sessions if the site allows.The regular restoration sites include: the Pali Lookout Garden, Ala Mahamoe in Moanalua Valley, Mānoa cliffs, Waiʻalae Nui at Wiliwilinui Trail, and Waihe‘e Valley.To join these events, you must be registered with KMWP as a Mālama Nā Koʻolau Volunteer and have your application turned in and approved before any event.Here is a link to the folder with the Volunteer Application Forms, examples of correctly filled forms, and instructions. Please read the instructions before filling the application. Incorrectly and/or incompletely filled applications will be flagged and rejected.Send completed forms tokoolaupartnership@gmail.com. Be sure to include the event and date you are RSVP’ing for.Once you have turned in your application and it is accepted, it will be good until December 31st of that year. You do not need to fill out another application for Mālama Nā Koʻolau events until January of the following year.Registered volunteers who want to join an event can RSVP via email.Some sites require extra waivers, those will be sent as needed to participants.If you visit all 5 of the regular sites, then you will be eligible for an invitation to special Mālama Nā Koʻolau events to be announced.We schedule a special event day at one of our elite sites approximately once a year and offer other special opportunities to our participants

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We will be holding these Mālama Nā Koʻolau service-learning events at least once a month for the rest of the year, but if you miss one, and want to help in a particular site, or just want to do a service day, then we can set up exclusive volunteer days in any of our main restoration sites. If you have the volunteer group, then we can arrange the location.

We also have the option for people to set up group events through the Mālama Nā Koʻolau (MNK) program, this allows us to open up more group opportunities across our range of sites. The way that it works is a group gets their members registered as MNK volunteers. Then these groups can set up workdays at any of the 5 main restoration sites (Pali, Waihe’e, Ala Mahamoe, Mānoa Cliffs, and WiliwiliNui trail).

The limitations to this option are:

the group size must follow the capacity limits for the given siteall applications expire in December,and the events are not exclusive.

The upsides to this option are:

It allows groups to go to multiple sites and have events without filling out new applications for each one, andThe group members will be registered MNK volunteers so they can join the regular events too.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Feel free to reach out for more details or to set up an event.

Emailkoolaupartnership@gmail.com with any questions!

The Ko'olau Mountains Watershed Partnership was formed in 1999 by 8 organizations that saw the importance of protecting our native forests as a source of high quality water for the island of Oahu. In the past 26 years we have grown to include more than 20 landowning and associate organizations. The partnership lands cover over 100,000 acres of the Ko'olau mountains and we work to foster collaborations between the partners to tackle the greater challenges of protecting and restoring forests across this varied landscape. We also have outreach and education programs to empower our communities and youth to take on the environmental challenges affecting their watersheds and become informed and effective stewards of this island.

Our organization is 100% grant and donation funded, so every little bit counts and helps us to do more for the island. 

Here are our donation wish lists split up by relative costs for the items.

Low-cost items:

Item

Quantity

Brand and/or style

Reason

Pots

20-50

6in, & 1 - 5 gallon

For maintenance of our nursery and native plant giveaways

Tree pots

3-5

large dibble style or 8-10 gallon pots

For maintenance of our nursery and plant giveaways

Simple green

3-5

Simple green, 2.5 gallon jugs or larger

For cleaning tools and plant propagation supplies

Rubbing Alcohol

3-5

91% preferred

For cleaning and sanitizing tools, boots, and other equipment

Sluggo

1-2

Sluggo, organic

Reducing pest problems in our native plant nursery

Upright sprinkler emitters

5-10

½ inch pipe fitting, full circle and corner spray

Replace damaged sprayers in our native plant nursery

Composted Chicken Manure

1 bag

Niu Organic, needs to be a bag with no lingering smell

Used in creating native seedballs for outreach and forest restoration

Seed storage packets

100-200

No brand, paper preferred

For storage of native seeds, event giveaways, and volunteer appreciation gifts

Hand picks

15

No brand, just sturdy with wedges included

For volunteer activities and forest restoration work

Hand pruners

5-10

No brand,

For volunteer activities, plant propagation by cutting, and forest restoration work

Serrated Sickles

5-10

No brand

For volunteer activities and forest restoration work

Twine

1 spool

No brand, just biodegradable

For spreading biocontrol to invasive plants

Garden Hose

1

No brand, Heavy-duty 25-50ft

For cleaning vehicles and equipment at our baseyard

Adjustable Spray Hose Nozzle

1-3

No brand, twist to adjust, high pressure

For cleaning vehicles and equipment at our baseyard

Field Knives

5

Husky 3 in 1 folding sporting knife with nylon handle

For forest restoration work and field team safety

Car wash supplies

Any

No brand, need windshield wiper fluid and car wash liquid

For vehicles decontamination at our baseyard and visibility when driving on trails

Hoe-cultivators

3-5

No brand, but with wedges included if handles are wooden

For volunteer activities and forest restoration work

Garden Knife

3-5

No brand, stainless steel Hori knife

For volunteer activities and forest restoration work

Forked Hand weeding Tools

5-10

No brand

For volunteer activities and forest restoration work

Bungee Cords

25-100

No brand, loop and ball style

For securing nursery roof and other tent tarps.

Grounded Power Strip

3-4

No brand, just ones with a breaker switch and fuse

For running boot dryers and other office equipment

Mid-range items:

Item

Quantity

Brand and/or style

Reason

Pickaxes

5

No brand, 5lb mattock style

For volunteer activities and forest restoration work

Greenhouse roof tarp, clear

1-2

No brand, 20’ x 30’ heavy duty

For our native plant nursery

 Rolling tool box

1-3

RIGID; stackable 25in, all-terrain, with 9in wheels

For carrying event supplies

 Hatchets

3-5

Steel Blade

For removal of invasive species

 Action Packers

3

8-gallon mini packs

Carry supplies for outreach events and field activities

Tree Extraction Lever Tools

3

Extractigator or Pullerbear Brand

Remove invasive seedlings and tree stumps in restoration sites

O’o Bars

2

No brand, full metal

Remove invasive seedlings, grasses, and tree stumps in restoration sites

Folding tables

2

No brand, 6ft and 4 ft tables

For outreach events and field team work

Irrigation piping

?

No brand, PVC ½ inch pipe

For nursery upgrades and improvements

 

Big-ticket items:

Item

Quantity

Brand and/or style

Reason

Pop up tent

1

No brand, 10’ x 10’ canopy with wall panel

For shade at outreach events and during field activities

Fencing

183ft

No brand, 5ft-6 tall stainless steel preferred

For excluding feral pigs from our nursery and native seed gardens

Fence T-Posts

30

No brand, sized to match the fencing

For excluding feral pigs from our nursery and native seed gardens

Weed Matting

500 sq ft

No brand, heavy-duty wide roll needed

Reducing pest and weed issues in our native nursery

Plastic composite lumber

100 board ft

Composite lumber, 2x4 and 4x4

Frame nursery structures, reinforce nursery floor for gravel retention, and support water systems

Portable mini washing machine

1

Apartment style, easily moved by hand

For cleaning gloves and gear

 

For tax documentation, donations can be processed through either one of our supporting non-profit organizations (UH Foundation and 'Ohu 'Ohu Ko'olau Inc.). Please feel free to reach out to us for more information.