For years, all neighbors saw was a hillside covered with kiawe trees and weeds at the end of their Makahuena Place cul-de-sac in Hawaii Kai. Little did they suspect that beneath the brush was a heiau, a Hawaiian place of worship.

“;You could barely see the rock foundation until the Outdoor Circle started clearing it out,”; said Rosemary Nishi, who has lived right next to the Pahua Heiau since 1972.

In 1985 the Outdoor Circle and Bishop Museum restored four large platforms and some free-standing walls of the heiau, built to worship the gods of agriculture and/or fishing.

It eventually became a peaceful spot where hikers climbing up Kamiloiki Ridge could enjoy the panoramic view, where neighborhood children played on its grassy frontage and where Nishi and her granddaughter would read together, she said.

“;There's a lot of good mana (spirit) there,”; Nishi added. “;The neighbors, we're kind of the watchdogs of the place.”;

Now the heiau, one of the few on Oahu, is under closer scrutiny by Kevin Chang, an Office of Hawaiian Affairs conservation land manager. Chang is one of 40 leaders recently awarded the 2009 TogetherGreen Fellowship, sponsored by the Audubon Society and Toyota.

He plans to use the $10,000 prize to turn the heiau into a showcase for Hawaiian values, such as taking care of the aina (land), growing food locally and conserving water and energy, he said.

“;In Hawaii, natural and cultural resources are one and the same,”; he said. “;People have always been a part of the islands' ecosystems.”;

Nishi said, “;I think it's a beautiful idea and long overdue. We should take care of all the heiaus.”;

Chang and staff archaeologist Kamoa Quitevis are completing a study of the 500-year-old structure, which measures about 72 by 48 feet. The acre on which it sits was given to OHA by the Kamehameha Schools in 1988.

Then they plan to educate schools, civic and cultural groups, and the community about healthier environmental practices, and involve them in the stewardship of the heiau.

Chang also wants to restore the western end of the heiau, along with the original native Hawaiian plants, and put up educational signage, including a message not to walk onto the heiau.

“;We are looking to talk to people who have memories and pictures of Pahua, especially pre-1985,”; Chang said.

A meeting on the plans will be held at an as-yet-undetermined location in Hawaii Kai at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25. Those interested in participating are asked to call 864-8081.