Oceanit created coastal erosion mitigation solutions to preserve this historic Maui site and preserve its cultural heritage.
Created in partnership with
Oceanit has been working with the Mantokuji Mission Board of Directors at the Paia Mantokuji temple, conducting engineering assessments and erecting a temporary erosion control measure. In addition, Oceanit aided in the permitting process and consulted with the State and Maui County government agencies on long-term strategies.
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A cultural heritage site threatened by climate change
The Paia Mantokuji is a Soto Zen Buddhist temple founded in 1906 Maui’s Paia town. The temple was founded to serve the Japanese immigrant community and today it continues to be an important gathering place for many local residents. The temple grounds include a cemetery with engraved grave markers along the shoreline of Mantokuji Bay.
By 2021, accelerating erosion had caused dozens of century-old headstones in the temple’s cemetery to topple into the sea. The temple building itself now sits only within feet from the eroding shoreline. Since the temple’s construction, the property has lost at least half an acre of land.
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Reinforcing the coastline for erosion control
One of the drivers of the severe coastal erosion at Mantokuiji Bay is due to its geology. Unlike the adjacent rocky shorelines, the red clay alluvium soils along the shoreline are erosive under wave attacks. In addition, the bay has lost its protective sand beach due to sand mining for public works projects and previous storm events.
Oceanit helped to install an emergency erosion control measure commonly known as a sandbag revetment. These structures are large, sand-filled containers made of geotextile fabric and high-quality sand compatible with the local beach environment. These sandbags are intended as a temporary buffer that will absorb wave impacts to help protect public safety while longer-term solutions are developed.
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Why it matters
In recent years, the impact of coastal erosion on natural resources, property and infrastructure has intensified across the Hawaiian Islands. By 2012, 13 miles of beaches around the state had vanished, and 70% of the remaining beaches were already under threat. Located on Maui’s north shore, Mantokuji Bay is a unique place suffering the common impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.
