The Kawainui Marsh State Wildlife Sanctuary in Kailua on Oahu contains 830 acres. It’s the largest freshwater wetland in all of Hawaii and residential to a number of endangered native species. It’s also dwelling to the Ulupo Heiau, the biggest historical agricultural temple on the island. Kawainui Marsh is a pure marvel.
Kailua is a well-liked Oahu customer vacation spot. Kailua Seashore and close by Lanikai Beach entice large numbers of beachgoers each day, and for good cause. Persistently light waters and tremendous white sand beneath whispering ironwood pines are the proper situations for a day on the seaside. Lanikai largely lacks pure shade (and accessible parking), however that could be a function wanted by sun-worshipping guests and residents.
Kailua’s retail district is dwelling to dozens of regionally owned eating places, clothiers, and galleries. It’s a busy hive of commerce, a spot that is perhaps thought of a form of “satellite tv for pc Waikiki”. Guests on rented bicycles meander streets and bike paths from morning to nighttime. It’s, in a phrase, “touristy”. Most guests will cross by Kawainui Marsh on their manner into Kailua City and its close by leisure seashores with out noticing it.
Adjoining to all of that industrial and leisure exercise is the elegant calm of Kawainui Marsh. It’s an oasis of thriving pure vegetation and animal life. It’s the beating coronary heart of an historical ecosystem. The levee there, simply over a mile lengthy, was constructed in 1966 to mitigate residential flooding. It’s a common footpath for informal strollers, dog-walkers, and health buffs.
Intensive Metropolis, State, Federal, and civilian restoration efforts through the years have rescued a lot of the marsh from invasive plant species and returned native vegetation to areas as soon as misplaced to overgrowth. Kawainui Marsh is dwelling to the endangered ‘alae ‘ula, or Hawaiian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis).
The opposite endangered chicken species in Kawainui Marsh have confronted the identical threats: habitat loss, invasive vegetation, avian illness, environmental contaminants (a municipal dump is adjoining), and predation by feral canines, cats, mongoose…even bullfrogs. Preservation and restoration efforts are ongoing, and a as soon as bleak future for Kawainui grows brighter with every invasive plant eliminated and every native species returned.
“Kawainui” interprets as “the nice water”. The world was as soon as dwelling to a 450-acre fishpond and taro crop, a useful resource managed by historical Hawaiians courting again to the 13th century. It’s mentioned to be the house of the divine Hauwahine, protectress of the land and the waters inside.
‘Ulupo, the sacred temple, is at the moment being restored together with the taro patch and native vegetation by the native nonprofit Kauluakalana. Its partitions as soon as reached 30 toes excessive, and legend holds that it was constructed by magical menehune, who handed its stones from as distant as Waianae on Oahu’s Leeward Coast hand-to-hand.
We’ll suggest that any customer journey to Kailua ought to embody an expertise at Kawainui Marsh, whether or not you go to Kailua for it’s for the seashores, the purchasing, or the eating. In truth, there are various “volun-teerism” alternatives all year long as preservation and conservation work is ongoing. The individuals behind these efforts shall be joyful to see you.
And we right here at Hawaii Aloha Journey shall be joyful to attach you with them.
Posted by: Jamie Winpenny
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