East Kaua‘i Soil & Water Conservation District
The East Kaua‘i SWCD, one of the two SWCDs on Kaua‘i, was established in 1953. Though our history is rooted in the plantation business and ranching, the East Kaua‘i SWCD offers technical assistance to all land users in our community. And in addition to the traditional mission of SWCDs, the East Kaua‘i SWCD is involved in related areas, such as erosion control and conservation planning, control of nonpoint source pollution, watershed planning, habitat preservation and conservation education.
East Kaua‘i SWCD Board & Staff (L-R):
Alan Muraoka, Thomas Oi, Ted Inouye, Lex Riggle, Robert Ferreira, Ed Kawamura, Marj Stanphill,
Lincoln Ching & Monika Mira
(missing: Clyde Takekuma, Don Heacock,
Denis Baptiste & Kelly Gooding)
Meeting Information
East Kaua‘i SWCD generally meets on the
2nd Wednesday of each month at 2:00 pm at the State DOH Conference Room in Līhu‘e.
Agricultural producers interested in applying for Cooperator status should complete a
Cooperative Agreement 
, call our office at (808) 245-6513 ext. 108 and speak to our Conservation Specialist.
Conservation Planning
East Kaua‘i SWCD collaborates with our Cooperators to draft and implement conservation plans in an effort to support sustainable land use in our community. All types of producers - from nursery operators to ranchers to small organic farmers - have sought assistance from our District. Each conservation plan is designed to meet the producer's business goals and resource concerns. All agricultural producers are welcome to apply for Cooperator status. Contact our office at (808) 245-6513 ext. 107 for further information.
2006 Cooperators of the Year
Phil & Linda Green with EKSWCD Chair Ted Inouye
Permitting & Exemptions
Owning a district-approved conservation plan offers access to a number of benefits, including an exemption from the county grading, grubbing and stockpiling ordinances.
Click here for permitting information.
Cooperator of the Year 2006
Each year, the Kaua‘i SWCDs recognize a farmer or rancher that has shown exceptional use of responsible conservation and management practices. East Kaua‘i chose Phil Green of Kaua‘i Organic Farms as their Cooperator of the Year 2006.
Click here to learn more about the Greens and Kaua‘i Organic Farms.
Public Outreach Activities
The Kaua‘i SWCDs believe in the power of education, so our Districts aim to support one outreach activity every month of the year. Some of our regular community activities include:
- SWCD Annual Report: Every year, the Districts publish a report to inform the public about our role in natural resources conservation, activities and accomplishments. Click here to read our 2007 Annual Report.
- Cooperator of the Year: The Districts each recognize one Kaua‘i producer every year who makes an outstanding effort to conserve our natural resources.
- Conservation Awareness Contest: The Kaua‘i SWCDs sponsor this competition for island high school students. Through the contest, partipants learn about soil science and conservation within agriculture.
- Outstanding Water Conservationist of the Year: Kaua‘i SWCDs each recognize one Kaua‘i producer a year who makes outstanding efforts to conserve domestic water by using alternate sources and innovative irrigation methods.
- County Farm Bureau Annual Fair: Every year, Kaua‘i SWCDs are invited to host a booth at the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair. Our booth displays the year's activities and our role in natural resource conservation.
- Kaua‘i "Water Festival": The Kaua‘i SWCDs volunteer for the Kaua‘i Department of Water “Water Festival,” an environmental education program for fifth graders, focusing on the importance of water conservation and water-saving methods.
- Community Meetings: The Kaua‘i SWCDs regularly participate in community meetings, like the NRCS "Local Work Group" meetings, to provide our input on natural resources conservation.
Special Projects
Training Videos - "Demonstration and Training in Critical Area Stablization Techniques on Agricultural Roads and Unprotected Waterways"
Thanks to 2003 EPA 319(h) funds, the Kaua‘i SWCDs produced a series demonstration videos, now available to the public. This training program teaches Hawai‘i farmers how to reduce soil erosion and sedimentation caused by run-off from agricultural roads and faulty irrigation systems. Topics covered include: roads, importance of drainage, outlets, standing water, and road banks. Producers looking to alleviate topsoil erosion, stop rutting on agricultural roads, and prevent nonpoint source pollution are encouraged to check out this video series. Contact our office for more information.
East Kaua‘i SWCD Scholarship Program
East Kaua‘i SWCD awards scholarships each year to outstanding Kaua‘i high school seniors planning to pursue higher education in agiculture or environmental sciences. Our District offers $1,500 each year to be awarded as a single scholarship, two $750 scholarships or three $500 scholarships. We will be announcing our 2008 scholarship in March, so look for more information here or in the local newspaper!