A 17-acre stretch of coastline on Kauaʻi’s North Shore is now protected for public access and long-term conservation, with philanthropic support from Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg helping fund its ongoing stewardship. Instead, their endowed gift through the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation supports the long-term care of land that was first protected through a private donation in 2003 and later expanded by HILT. Kāhili Beach Preserve, also known locally as Rock Quarry, includes a windswept beach, the mouth of Kīlauea Stream and important riparian areas. The Hawaiʻi Land Trust owns the preserve and holds it in perpetuity. Chan and Zuckerberg did not acquire the property themselves. The preserve now combines public beach access, habitat protection, restoration and community stewardship.
How Priscilla Chan helped secure Kāhili Beach’s future
The conservation story began in November 2003, when Louise and Monte Zweben donated a 5.43-acre oceanfront parcel to the Hawaiʻi Land Trust. After the original 2003 donation, Hawaiʻi Land Trust worked with the Kīlauea Neighborhood Association on regular beach clean-ups. HILT says volunteers have contributed more than 1,000 person-hours to such efforts. The 17.63-acre preserve now provides public access while giving a coastal ecosystem a long-term layer of protection.
Their contribution therefore represents support for maintaining protected land rather than the purchase of the 17-acre preserve itself.
The Hawaiʻi Land Trust says the fund supports the preserve’s ongoing stewardship and helped establish funding for a part-time staff presence dedicated to caring for Kāhili. HILT’s own material says the original preserve had been protected without a dedicated stewardship fund, making long-term financial support important for its continued care. Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg contributed to Kāhili Beach Preserve through an endowed gift made through the Chan Zuckerberg Kauaʻi Community Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. The contribution came after the land had already begun its conservation journey, so Chan and Zuckerberg were not the original purchasers or donors of the property. The specific value of Chan and Zuckerberg’s Kāhili gift has not been publicly disclosed in the sources available from HILT and the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. The property lies at the mouth of Kīlauea Stream and beside the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. The donation protected the shoreline while preserving public access to Kāhili Beach. The beach is also known locally as Rock Quarry and has long been used for surfing and recreation. HILT identifies public access and habitat restoration among the preserve’s main conservation values. The original donation established the foundation for protecting the coastline from future development while allowing the community to continue using the beach. Kāhili’s conservation story has continued through local volunteer work and restoration. More recent activities have included removing invasive vegetation and planting native coastal species. The trust also organises educational programmes and guided Talk Story on the Land experiences, giving visitors an opportunity to learn about the area’s native plants, wildlife and cultural history. Together, land protection, philanthropic stewardship and community involvement have helped turn Kāhili into more than a protected parcel.
