{"id":220460,"date":"2025-08-19T15:36:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-20T01:36:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=220460"},"modified":"2025-08-19T15:38:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T01:38:18","slug":"uh-hilo-coral-restoration-puhi-bay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/19\/uh-hilo-coral-restoration-puhi-bay\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> Hilo, Keaukaha celebrate coral restoration at Puhi Bay"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Group
Attendees gather to learn about coral restoration at UH<\/abbr> Hilo\u2019s PACRC<\/abbr>. (Photo credit: Hunter Marion)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Hilo<\/a> and the Keaukaha Community Association hosted the welcome event, He P\u016bkoʻa<\/span> Kani ʻ\u0100ina<\/span>, on August 2, at the university\u2019s Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resource Center<\/a> (PACRC<\/abbr>) in Keaukaha, Hilo Bay.<\/p>\n

The event brought together Keaukaha community members and ʻohana<\/span>, UH<\/abbr> Hilo faculty and student researchers, and local organizations to highlight the collaborative work being done at the center\u2019s Coral Nursery<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Group
UH<\/abbr> Hilo volunteers. (Photo credit: Hunter Marion)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The nursery has three main facilities: a lab with 21 flow-through tanks, an invertebrate pool, and four horse troughs used to house corals and run projects. UH<\/abbr> Hilo students are eligible to volunteer at the nursery during the semester.<\/p>\n

“We hope this event strengthens relationships and fosters new collaborations across the community,” said event co-sponsor Steve Doo, a UH<\/abbr> Hilo assistant professor of marine science<\/a> who researches<\/a> coral and coral reefs.<\/p>\n

Ocean stewardship<\/h2>\n
\"People
Participants outplant coral in Puhi Bay. (Photo credit: Hunter Marion)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

About 100 visitors from the community \u2014 from keiki to m\u0101kua (parents) to k\u016bpuna (elders) \u2014 enjoyed the information booths, arts and crafts, land-based coral restoration demonstrations, snorkel surveys and coral outplanting in the bay.<\/p>\n

Kaʻaka<\/span> Swain, president of Keaukaha Community Association<\/a> who also teaches at Ka ʻUmeke<\/span> K\u0101ʻeo<\/span> charter school, said the event welcomed the Keaukaha community into PACRC<\/abbr> to experience ongoing marine research through hands-on, culturally grounded activities.<\/p>\n

“From limu pressing and lauhala fish weaving to touch tanks, coral reef building, and out-planting coral in Puhi Bay, participants explored the connections between culture and science,” said Swain. “Keiki gained a deeper understanding of marine life and a sense of pride in caring for the ocean.”<\/p>\n

For more go to UH<\/abbr> Hilo Stories.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

—By Susan Enright<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

P\u016bkoʻa<\/span> Kani ʻ\u0100ina<\/span> brought together Keaukaha community members and UH<\/abbr> Hilo faculty and students to highlight UH<\/abbr> Hilo\u2019s Coral Nursery. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[109,262,267,14,907],"class_list":["post-220460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-coral-reefs","tag-marine-science","tag-pacific-aquaculture-and-coastal-resources-center","tag-uh-hilo","tag-uh-hilo-stories","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t