MAALAEA (HawaiiNewsNow) - State lawmakers and community leaders got to see firsthand the difference between a struggling reef system and a resilient one.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) hosted a “floating workshop” at two coral reefs on Maui’s leeward coast.

The state said the workshop was designed to show that actions taken on land, like reducing sediment runoff, reforesting degraded landscapes, and managing invasive species, directly affect the health of coral reefs.

Attendees were taken to Kalepolepo in North Kihei to see the impacts of sediment runoff and poor water quality on coral reefs.

DLNR said the group was then taken to Kealia Reef, where they experienced cleaner waters that enabled corals to thrive.

“This is an opport

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