History of Kamilo Nui Valley Past, Present & Future

Kamilo Nui was part of a vast agricultural complex during traditional times and was known as the "Famous Sweet Potato Planting Place" called "Ke Kula o Kamauwai." 

  

Pahua heiau is a wellpreserved agricultural heiau at the foot of Kamilo Nui valley, on land owned by the Office of Hawaian Affairs (OHA). Pahua heiau is recorded in ancient chant as being related to 'uala (sweet potato) production in the area.

Aloha ʻĀina ʻo Kamilo Nui (at Chrysanthemums of Hawaii),
a non-profit organization, has provided space on their farm
in Kamilo Nui valley in Maunalua to drop invasive algae
and formulate trial compost piles for monitoring and
evaluation.

Currently there is one drop pile consisting of
invasive algae only and five (5) trial compost piles
incorporating the invasive algae and other materials such
as shredded organic matter, grass clippings, horse
manure, chicken manure and microbes. ʻUala (sweet
potatoes) have been planted there recently using the
invasive algae.

There are plans for clearing additional space on the farm
to increase the size of the project in anticipation that a
larger amount of algae will be dropped there. Hence, larger
scale composting will take place incorporating the data
gained from the trial piles. With the learning of the most
efficient and quickest way to break down the invasive
algae, there is hope that a viable soil amendment or
compost can be created using the invasive alien algae
(specifically the species Avrainvillea amadelpha aka
Leather Mudweed) for farmers, landscapers and the
community at large to use.

In addition to finding an effective way of ridding Maunalua
Bay’s inshore of an invasive alien algae that took hold
some 30 years ago, Mālama Maunalua is creating a model
for contemporary ahupuaʻa (ridge-to-reef) management
practices in Hawaiʻi by working to turn that algae into a
viable soil amendment for use in local agricultural
ventures, creating new possibilities for sustainability in the
islands.