When Angie Hofmann started doing volunteer work for a marine conservation program in 2003, most tourists she talked to knew little or nothing about Hawai'i's reefs. Once she gave her pitch, though, the visitors usually got the message: The reefs are the foundation for the nearshore ecosystem and need protection from a variety of threats, most linked to human activities.

It's a message Hofmann still delivers to tourists and residents on Maui.

"Programs like this are really powerful and can make a huge difference," said Hofmann, 30, a part-time yoga instructor.

The program she was referring to is Makai Watch, a volunteer-driven partnership of the state, nonprofit groups and communities.

Patterned after the Neighborhood Watch crime-prevention program, Makai Watch is intended to give communities a direct hand in the management of near-shore marine resources. Protecting reefs is a key component.

Eight communities around the state have active Makai Watch programs involving scores of volunteers and usually a few paid staff members. The volunteers help educate people about the importance of the near-shore ecosystem, participate in marine-related data collection and serve as the eyes and ears of the state agency responsible for enforcing ocean rules.

The program is tailored to the characteristics of each community and merges traditional Native Hawaiian values of respect for the land and sea with the modern-day trappings of marine sciences.

"It's been a wonderful marriage" of the two approaches, said Hannah Bernard, who helped start the program in the late 1990s before it became known as Makai Watch.

She said having people from the area serve as environmental stewards is effective because "they know their place best. Sense of place is crucial."

Makai Watch officially became a state-affiliated program in 2005 under the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

While DLNR provides staff help and $50,000 in federal funds each year to support the program, those involved with Makai Watch say getting money to cover ongoing operations is difficult, especially in these tight fiscal times.

"We do struggle for sustained funding," said Petra MacGowan, a DLNR planner with the Division of Aquatic Resources.

But MacGowan and others say the money is well spent.

Reefs throughout the state increasingly are showing signs of distress from excessive sedimentation, invasive seaweeds, overfishing and other factors, and no single organization will be able to effectively tackle the multi-layered problem.

Public-private partnerships are key, advocates say, and having strong community involvement is considered especially critical.

"If this isn't owned by the community, (the problem) isn't really going to get solved in perpetuity," said Terry George, executive director of the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, which provides funding for organizations involved in Makai Watch.

Hofmann, the Maui volunteer, said she has seen firsthand how the program changes people's behavior, making ocean users more aware of the marine environment and community members more attuned to the benefits of a healthy ecosystem.

"You get lay people involved in conservation efforts," she said. "It really empowers people to know they can make a difference."

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Correction: The e-mail address for the contact at Hawaii Community Stewardship Network is debbie@hcsnetwork.org. The address listed in a previous version of this story about volunteer organizations working to protect Hawaii's reefs was incorrect.

Reach Rob Perez at rperez@honoluluadvertiser.com.