Maui coral reef study reveals link between land use and reef health

Research into a 253-year-old coral core from Olowalu provides a new long-term baseline for understanding the environmental history of Maui. The study, published in the journal “Coral Reefs,” tracks the reef’s growth from 1760 to 2013, covering the precolonial era, the sugar-plantation period, and the rise of tourism.

Scientists identified a steep decline in the reef’s growth rate starting in the late 1960s, coinciding with the boom of the plantation economy. The findings establish a direct connection between historical sugarcane production, water quality, and the decline of reef health.

Led by Sam Kekuewa of the Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, the research team included scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa and the U.S. Geological Survey. The study aims to provide a roadmap for land managers to make informed ridge-to-shore decisions to protect the Olowalu reef.