The Maui News

KULA–Interested residents and visitors are invited to dive into a community-based, water-catchment project through spring 2025 in Upcountry.

The nonprofit Pa’upena Community Development corporation, through a County of Maui Department of Agriculture grant, is installing 15,000-gallon catchment systems at six Keokea and Kahikinui Hawaiian-homestead farms.

The first 10 volunteers to reserve may participate Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to noon, followed by a hosted lunch. That day the group will finish building a 30,000-gallon catchment on a 127-acre homelands parcel earmarked for training in farming, ranching and archaeology.

Project manager Kamaka’oli Freidenburg lauded a recent catchment installation on the Palakiko homestead farm located on the desertlike southwest slopes of Haleakala.

“At Kahikinui, volunteers shared food, music and company through a two-night campout at the water-tank site,” he said, “and multiple Kahikinui residents came by to join in on the fun.”

Freidenburg noted that Valley Isle farmers, ranchers and “residents are looking for ways to have water security through drought and water-shortage times.”

Moreover, native Hawaiian homesteaders prospectively receive 198-year leases, creating the basis for multigenerational, small-family farms on Maui and statewide.

To sign up and get directions, ways to support or other project details, contact Freidenburg at qkfreidenburg@gmail.com or (510) 520-5282.

See website www.paupena.org for future installation dates as organizers schedule the workdays.

“Water is an essential part of our past, present and future, but if we don’t take action now, the future will be dry,” Freidenburg said.