ridge to reef Ahupuaʻa/Watershed
Education Program
An Integrated Place-based Learning Experience
for West Hawaiʻi Island Keiki
Learning, Stewarding, Leading: Ridge to Reef Student Impact
Ridge to Reef connects 5th–8th grade students from five schools in Kona, Waimea, and Waikoloa to the places and processes that shape their local ahupua‘a. Through classroom sessions, guest speakers, and watershed-based field trips, students build scientific knowledge, outdoor skills, and a deep sense of kuleana for Hawai‘i’s lands and waters.
The program brings students from mauka (towards the mountains) to makai (towards the sea) where they:
Practice kilo (keen observation) and place-based learning
Study natural and cultural history, ecosystem importance, and environmental challenges
Conduct water quality testing and biodiversity transects
Plant native trees and seeds, remove invasive species, and participate in beach cleanups
At the end of the year, students design and deliver final presentations or outreach projects to share what they've learned and inspire stewardship in others.
Real Impact in Our Communities:
81% of students increased their environmental literacy
97% planned to take stewardship actions beyond the classroom
Students removed the equivalent of 5 dumpsters of invasive plants and over 200 pounds of trash
Planted 693 native plants and 430+ buckets of seeds
Collected over 554,000 native seeds and prepared 186 coral fragments for restoration
Shared their knowledge through peer-to-peer presentations and classroom lessons
Help Keep Ridge to Reef Alive
Since 2021, Ridge to Reef has been made possible thanks to generous support from NOAA’s Bay and Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, the Atherton Family Foundation, and community donors like you. But today, that support is at risk.
Without continued funding, this life-changing program may no longer be available to the students who need it most. If you believe in the power of hands-on education and raising the next generation of local environmental leaders, we urge you to take action:
Donate today
Contact your local representatives to voice your support for NOAA programs like B-WET
Together, we can ensure Hawai’i’s youth continue to learn, steward, and lead in our communities.
For more information, please contact us at RidgetoReef@malamakaifoundation.org