Mauna Kea Soil and Water Conservation District (Mauna Kea SWCD) is a quasi-state agency established on May 6, 1955 under Chapter 180 of the Hawai‛i State Constitution, we are one of six SWCD on Hawai‛i Island. Our mission is to take available technical, financial, and educational resources, and focus or coordinate those resources so they meet the needs of the local land users for the conservation of soil, water, and other related environmental resources. Our goal is to have all agriculture producers within the Mauna Kea SWCD boundaries implementing a current conservation plan to best conserve Hawai‛i natural resources.

We provide technical assistance to agriculture producers-farmers, ranchers, foresters, conservationist, etc.- in managing their natural resources as best as they can by assisting with watershed planning, habitat enhancement for plants and wildlife, grazing land health, soil health, reforestation, erosion control, non-point source pollution, and conservation outreach. We monitor all conservation plans and conduct reviews on conservation plans to ensure best management practices are being applied.

Mauna Kea SWCD is administered by a volunteer five member board of directors. Three of the directors are elected by local land owners within the district and two are appointed.  All board members are confirmed by the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR). The board of directors work in cooperation with various agencies to assist in identifying and meeting the communities resource needs and providing technical guidance to agriculture producers.