The federal Bureau of Reclamation has awarded $1.9 million to Hawaii to protect forests and wetlands in the Kohala Mountains, according to a Department of Land and Natural Resources press release. 

The funding comes from the BOR’s WaterSMART program, which works with states to increase water supplies. DLNR was eligible for the grant because the state legislature matched the funding. 

The Kohala Mountains are an important watershed for Hawaii Island, as they collect rainfall. Hooved animals have caused erosion problems in these mountains. 

“When hooved animals strip vegetation down to bare ground, the steep mountainsides in these ancient forests rapidly erode, depositing muddy sediment onto beaches and near-shore coral reefs,” DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said in a news release.

The forest will be protected by removing invasive species and replanting near the banks of rivers.  

The funding will help the state reach its goal of protecting 30% of watershed forests by 2030. Currently, only 17% of native forests are protected. 

The project is in collaboration with the Kohala Watershed Partnership, which includes a volunteer group of landowners and land managers that are working together to protect the mountain range. 

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii.