Mālama ʻāina every Saturday morning with Kuilei Cliffs

“Thank you for cleaning up the place.”

“Mahalo for mālama ʻāina.”

These were a couple of the responses received upon joining a recent community workday with Kuilei Cliffs, a grassroots nonprofit started by a small group of local surfers aiming to restore the environmental ecosystem and natural beauty of Diamond Head, or Lēʻahi.

Since its founding more than five years ago, the organization, along with its volunteers and partners, set out to remove invasive species and overgrown grasses and tree branches, for current and future generations to enjoy more green space and ocean views.

Volunteers gather every Saturday morning from 8 to 11 a.m. at 3470 Diamond Head Road. All volunteers must sign a liability waiver ahead of time, here.

It’s very casual; at the start, just grab your gloves and tool of choice (pick, bucket, weedwacker, ax, chainsaw, etc.) If it’s your first time, let someone know and they’ll pair you up with a regular volunteer or assign you to a group activity or task. Tools, water and lunch are provided.

We were grateful to Esteban, who said he’s been serving with Kuilei Cliffs for a few years, for showing us how to remove Khaki weed, or "pokies,” while replanting native species into the dirt. A few visitors from Japan joined that effort. He said that the area was much worse off, even unusable, back when he first started.

Later that morning, we helped discard tree branches as more experienced tree-trimming volunteers hung overhead. We also cut the overgrown grass along the terraced hillside, lined with new irrigation, against the backdrop of the lighthouse and crashing waves in the distance.

“‘A’ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia,” which means, “No task is too big when done together by all,” a mantra for the group, resonated at the sight of about 25 individuals gathered Saturday to “aloha and mālama ʻāina,” or love and care for the land.

Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park, which is part of the greater Diamond Head Beach Park, is managed by Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation. In recent years, DPR and the Honolulu Police Department, among other state agencies, have conducted cleanups of homeless encampments in the area.

Meanwhile, the local nonprofit operated independently of the City, per a February 2025 Honolulu Civil Beat article. Several months later, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi acknowledged “the wonderful work that Kuilei Cliffs has been doing,” in a formal letter sent to the nonprofit shared on Instagram at the time.

“I would note that your work also addresses fire risks as you are focused on native vegetation and trees and increased green space. Accordingly, we do not want our effort to impede that work,” Blangiardi wrote. “This letter serves as the City’s permission for your organization, and volunteers under your organization’s direction, to be in spaces demarcated by ‘Government Property No Trespassing Signs’.”

While we were on site, volunteers said that City & County of Honolulu would come by later to pick up the green trash.

Aloha State Daily asked DPR for more information about if their relationship has formalized since then. “There is no formal Adopt a Park Agreement with Kuilei Cliffs volunteers,” DPR spokesperson Nate Serota said in an email Tuesday.

According to its website, Kuilei Cliffs aims to “restore the environmental ecosystem to preserve, improve the natural beauty of Lēʻahi (Diamond Head) by increasing the number of Hawaiian native plants, developing green space for better land use, and reducing the invasive species impacts to our ecosystem.” It is funded through revenue by Lē‘ahi Brewing Co., located in Downtown Honolulu near Aloha Tower, in addition to monetary and in-kind donations.

The nonprofit was established by a core group of community members who sought to make a difference in their own backyard: Keoni Kino, a retired Honolulu Fire Department chief; Mary Demonteberde, CEO and co-founder of Lē‘ahi Brewing Co.; Ryo Kubota, microbiologist and owner of Diagenetix Inc.; and Waipa Parker, a public relations specialist.

To donate or learn more, visit kuileicliffs.org and follow on Instagram:

Related news in the Diamond Head neighborhood

Around 6:30 a.m. on May 30, Kekoa “Koa” Smith survived a shark attack near the surf break at Cromwell's Beach, adjacent to Diamond Head.

According to a GoFundMe page started by family friends Patrice and Matt, the three bystanders (Jordan, Aaron and Billy) who helped save Smith that day in the water, recently visited him in the hospital after a skin graft procedure.

“It is truly a miracle that Koa is still with us today,” the fundraising page reads. “By the grace of God, the quick actions of three Good Samaritans who called 911 and stayed by his side, and the incredible first responders and medical team who cared for him, Koa survived.

“While we are incredibly grateful, he is expected to make a full recovery, he faces a long road ahead that includes surgeries, rehabilitation, a skin graft, and months of healing. During this time, Koa will be unable to work, and his wife [Dennae Smith] will be taking time away from her job as a flight attendant to care for Koa and their children.

“We are hoping to ease some of the financial burden on their family during this difficult time. Donations will help cover medical expenses, rehabilitation, lost income, household expenses, and other unexpected costs as they focus on what matters most … Koa's recovery.”

As of Friday, 80% of the fundraiser’s target goal – $11,000 – had been reached thanks to more than 100 donors. Donate here.

Organizers added: “This is a family that would never ask for help, which makes the support they have received even more meaningful. Every donation, share, prayer and message allows them to focus on Koa, their children and the road ahead.”

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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.