Red mangroves brought to Hawaii now threaten wetlands and endangered birds

Environmental teams in Hawaii have launched a major effort to remove invasive red mangroves from nearly two miles of waterways in Kailua. The project aims to reverse more than a century of environmental damage and protect endangered native waterbirds. The multi-year project, announced on 25 August 2026 by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), will target thick stands of red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) that have spread through streams feeding the Kawainui and Hamakua wetlands on the windward coast of Oahu. The work is funded through joint grants from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It brings together the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), the University of Hawaii Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit and Kailua-based environmental non-profit Hui o Koolaupoko (HOK). Community involvement is a key part of the plan.