June 2026 Aloha+ Workday

To spotlight the Aloha+ Goal of Local Food Production and Consumption, and in conjunction with World Oceans Month, the June Aloha+ Workday was hosted in partnership with Paepae o Heʻeia.

Paepae o Heʻeia stewards Heʻeia Fishpond, an ancient Hawaiian loko iʻa in Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu. Heʻeia Fishpond is a kuapā-style fishpond, enclosing 88 acres of brackish water. Its kuapā, or wall, is built on a fringing reef and extends from the shoreline, completely encircling the fishpond.

The brackish waters of Heʻeia Fishpond allow limu to thrive, supporting populations of ʻamaʻama, awa, pualu, palani, āholehole, moi, kōkala, kākū, and pāpio. Paepae o Heʻeia restores the fishpond ecosystem by removing invasive mangroves and limu, and rebuilding the kuapā wall. During the workday, volunteers demonstrated laulima, putting many hands together to remove mangrove debris from the fishpond and turn it into mulch to support the kalo patches grown along the banks of the fishpond.

Heʻeia Fishpond gives back to the community by sharing its resources, including providing invasive limu to farmers for fertilizer and donating mangrove for firewood and building materials.

Paepae o Heʻeia also strengthens the Aloha+ Goal of Green Workforce and Education through its internship programs, providing ʻōpio with ʻāina-based learning opportunities in invasive species management, traditional fishing practices, and fishpond stewardship.

Support Paepae o Heʻeia by making a donation or volunteering at one of their monthly community workdays, held on the second and fourth Saturdays during most months of the year.