LĪHUʻE PLACEMAKING, FORESTRY & GARDENS INITIATIVE
was a two-year effort to build valued community green spaces in Līhuʻe and develop a shared vision for future ʻāina and community-based projects in Līhuʻe to address food insecurity and environmental degradation.. The project was spearheaded by the Rice Street Business Association and Better Block Hawaiʻi, with support from the County of Kauaʻi Office of Economic Development. The team also worked hand-in-hand with grassroots organizations and local artists to design and implement. The project was funded by the Partners for Places Grant, the Ulupono Initiative, the AARP, and others.
GOALS
- Establish a community partnership team and develop a shared project vision -
- Host community outreach dinners to ensure we honor resident voices -
- Expand existing and establish new community gardens and farms in Līhuʻe -
- Replace dead/dying street trees along Rice Street -
- Work with local artists to install public murals -
- Co-create future ʻāina and community-based projects -
Learn about the projects included in this initiative in the ʻĀina & Community-Based Projects Plan and below!
Rice street Māla Lāʻau
We are working with Understory Alliance and the County of Kauaʻi Parks Department to replace dead and/or dying plants and trees along Rice Street with combination of native trees and ground cover, non-invasive dwarf food trees, and culturally appropriate herbaceous species. The Rice Street Business Association recently executed a long-term stewardship agreement with the County, which allows the organization to care and maintain the vegetation located along Rice Street in Downtown Līhuʻe. Selection of the tree species was done in coordination with adjacent businesses and property owners. Community feedback on preferred plant species is summarized in the Rice Street Community Trees Report, prepared by Understory Alliance. The stewardship agreement and master plan also includes the approved plant species and planting locations.
Each tree ecosystem is designed to mimic a māla lāʻau (forest garden), Hawaiʻi’s oldest land management practice, which prioritizes the layering of plants to maximize natural resources. This practice manifests itself in spaces that have both an understory and overstory of diverse plant species.
RIGHT ON RICE URBAN FARMs
We partnered with Līhuʻe resident Sylvia Lessa and Kauaʻi Farm Planning to support the development of Right On Rice (ROR) Urban Farms, a small plot of land along Rice Street which was formerly home to invasive weeds and grass, and now serves as a community-led agricultural space. Prior to this project, community member Sylvia Lessa was singlehandedly removing rubbish and weeds from the site and planting vegetable and cover crop. The urban farm now includes papaya, taro, basil, eggplant, and much more.
The vision for ROR Urban Farms is to inspire the Līhuʻe community to activate underutilized public spaces, build edible landscapes, promote regenerative agriculture and permaculture practices, and catalyze the development of more urban farms in Līhuʻe.
Volunteer with ROR Farms
Join us and help steward the new community agricultural space on Rice Street.
4th SATURDAY of the month, 7-10AM
Meet 808 Truck Rental (4181 Rice Street)
Register with the link below.
Any questions, contact Sylvia Lessa at (808) 647-0685.
before
after!
Līhuʻe Court townhomes garden expansion
We are partnering with the Līhuʻe Court Townhomes (LCTH) to expand their community gardens and improve the public space amenities fronting their residences. As part of this work, in 2023 we worked with master’s students from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaiʻi to develop conceptual design plans for future garden and public space improvements. Their plans are included in the report linked below. As the first phase of implementing the proposed improvements, we recently worked with Kauaʻi Farm Planning to install irrigation improvements at LCTH and expand their garden plots (increasing from 15 garden plots to 18 garden plots).
Māla Lāʻau at kanikoʻo
We are working with Kima Wassel Hardy and local residents to build a māla lāʻau at Kanikoʻo (Rice Camp Senior Housing), a low-income rental housing complex for kūpuna in downtown Līhuʻe. The initial phases of the māla lāʻau were recently completed with the planting of over forty trees, including both fruit trees (such as banana and mango trees), as well as native tree species (such as Alaheʻe and Ohiʻa Lehua.).
A number of senior residents at Kanikoʻo now steward the māla lāʻau. As the trees mature, these residents will also gradually harvest the fruit. With additional funding, this garden could be enhanced through the installation of raised garden beds, and the expansion of the māla lāʻau to other areas of the Kanikoʻo property. More information about the garden - including budget and plant list - is included in the document linked below.
To get involved with this project, contact kimwhardy@icloud.com.
Līhuʻe Loop Composting
Compost Kauaʻi has been collecting, diverting, and composting food scraps from residents and small businesses on Kauaʻi since 2020. Since that time, they have diverted over 300,000 lbs of waste from Kauaʻi’s landfill, which is predicted to reach capacity in 2026. In an effort to expand their services and close the island’s food system loop, Compost Kauaʻi recently partnered with HealthGo Market to provide a food scrap drop off site on Rice Street. We are working with Compost Kauaʻi to educate the community about the new compost drop off site and finished compost to improve public green spaces in Līhuʻe
Information about Compost Kauaʻi’s products and services, including membership signup, is available at the link below.
