The East Maui watershed is home to at least 63 rare plant
species and a greater concentration of rare and endangered
forest birds than any other place in the United States. It is
also the largest source of harvested surface water in Hawai'i,
providing more than 60 billion gallons of fresh water to East
and Central Maui. The East Maui Watershed Partnership (EMWP) was
formed in 1991 as a model for large-scale forest protection in
Hawai`i. That year, the Conservancy helped bring together the
area's public and private landowners and the county government
to launch a cooperative effort to protect the 100,000-acre
forest ecosystem. Recognizing that they shared preservation of
the island's primary source of water as a common interest, the
partners agreed to pool resources and implement an active
watershed management program across the entire East Maui
landscape. Today, the East Maui partnership is the prototype for
large-scale forest protection efforts in Hawai'i. Its success
has spurred the formation of similar wat