Hawaiʻi's Wetlands Are Vanishing. This Failed Plan Offers A Warning
Source: Honolulu Civil Beat
Hawaiʻi’s Wetlands Are Vanishing. This Failed Plan Offers A Warning
Maui County’s expansive wetland law was expected to pave the way for stronger protections statewide. More than two years and a $250,000 map later, it’s never been enforced.
By Caitlin Thompson / About 13 hours ago
Last July, excavators and woodchippers appeared on a 7-acre wild thicket of kiawe trees near Kīhei that serves as a crucial habitat for the endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bats during pupping season.
Community members raised alarms about the unpermitted work, but the clearing continued unchecked. Within weeks, the Waipu‘ilani Mauka wetland — which makes up a small portion of the estimated 83 acres of wetlands left in South Maui — was reduced to a plot of mostly barren red dirt.
To prevent this kind of destruction of wetlands without oversight, Maui County lawmakers passed an ordinance in 2022 requiring developers and county planners to take steps to protect these vital habitats.
That ordinance has never been fully implemented, let alone enforced.
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Read more: https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/07/hawaiis-wetlands-vanishing-failed-plan-warning/
Alternate link: https://apnews.com/article/wetlands-kelly-king-kate-blystone-hawaii-general-news-d7e8c8cc518e57ba5ae0c4b461cd2376