The City & County of Honolulu engaged “EcoJuju”—a partnership between Cynthia Y.H. Derosier of The Good Juju Co. and Miranda Foley of EcoLOGIC Consulting—to address the growing challenges facing Hanauma Bay, including environmental degradation, overburdened infrastructure, and traffic congestion. At the height of tourism in 2019, Hanauma Bay saw up to 6,000 visitors per day—an unsustainable number for the ecosystem, Ocean Preservation staff, local residents, and visitors alike.
Hanauma Bay is a unique and precious natural resource, serving as a Nature Reserve, public park, and ocean access point. However, various city departments were working in silos, which led to stagnation in efforts to protect and preserve the Bay. The City & County of Honolulu hired EcoJuju to facilitate collaboration across departments and develop a unified vision and action plan for saving Hanauma Bay.
The Hanauma Bay reef and ecosystem were rapidly deteriorating, yet the parks classifications as both Nature Reserve and public park, meant that the Bay’s management involved multiple entities—each focused on different aspects of its care and use. While some authority and duties overlapped, others created a gap, conflicts or tensions among them. To act swiftly and decisively, these groups needed to come together to define solutions and implement them without delay. Given the constraints of the ongoing pandemic, all meetings had to be held virtually, and the timeline was tight.
Foster Collaboration and Alignment Among Key Stakeholders.
EcoJuju facilitated a series of virtual, interactive meetings between strategic partners, including the City & County of Honolulu, the O’ahu Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR), Hawaii Ocean Safety, and Friends of Hanauma Bay. The goal was to bring all parties together, align on priorities, and chart a clear path forward. Differences in jurisdictional authority had created silos and confusion, preventing progress. In just under five hours—across three virtual sessions—participants achieved the following:
A New Shared Vision: A unified vision that all jurisdictions could use as a guiding framework for decision-making.
10 Key Recommendations: Actionable recommendations for DLNR to consider.
55 Draft Recommendations: A comprehensive list of proposals for further review and refinement.
One of the most significant outcomes of these meetings was the implementation of a reservation system for Hanauma Bay, aimed at regulating visitor numbers and ensuring sustainable access. Additional actions included:
Closing the Bay two days a week (up from one) to allow for ecosystem recovery.
Introducing a daily visitor cap of 1,000 to protect the Bay from overuse.
Designating specific hours for Kama‘āina (local) residents to enjoy the preserve without the pressure of high tourist traffic.
These changes have paved the way for a more sustainable, accessible, and protected Hanauma Bay, ensuring that future generations can continue to experience and appreciate its beauty.