World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance held on March 22 to highlight the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

In Hawaiʻi, our freshwater streams are fed by groundwater and surface water that come from our mauka forests. A healthy mauka forest holds on to soil and water, preventing runoff and erosion. In areas where our mauka forests are degraded, we see more erosion of soils into our streams.

One of the best tools we can use to protect our water is to create hoofed-animal fences that keep invasive, hoofed animals out of our native forests. Learn more in the storymap below: Protecting Our Water with Fencing