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| The Nature Conservancy preserve in Ka`u. Photo by John Replogle |
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY PRESERVES IN KA`U and South Kona are receiving assistance this summer from high school students through its Leaders in Environmental Action Future. LEAF chose inner city youth from Los Angeles to give them the "opportunity to spend extensive time in nature learning about conservation, science, and green jobs," says a Conservancy statement. This is the second year the Conservancy has hosted LEAF interns in Hawai‘i.
In addition to their work adventure in Ka`u, interns will greet the wa‘a (canoes) of the organization Nā Pe‘a as they land at the Conservancy’s Kīholo fish pond and help with intertidal water quality sampling in collaboration with Hui Aloha Kīholo. Then they move mauka to plant native vegetation and restore aquaponics with the Kailapa Community Association in Kohala.
In addition to their work adventure in Ka`u, interns will greet the wa‘a (canoes) of the organization Nā Pe‘a as they land at the Conservancy’s Kīholo fish pond and help with intertidal water quality sampling in collaboration with Hui Aloha Kīholo. Then they move mauka to plant native vegetation and restore aquaponics with the Kailapa Community Association in Kohala.
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Hawai`i Island LEAF Interns Nicolas Bell-Andrade,
front left; Pedro Aguilera, back left; Chayne
Connor, back right; Bucgikas Muribm
front right. Photo from The Nature Conservancy
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Over the last five years, the Conservancy has hosted or supported more than 2,500 youth across the state to train the next generation of conservation leaders. Some examples:
The Marine Fellowship Program has launched four cohorts of new conservation leaders. This program for recent college graduates is made possible through a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The two-year intensive training has graduated 10 students to date; 3 more are about halfway through their fellowship.
The Conservancy has hired more than 22 interns through KUPU, a local nonprofit that provides environmental programs and career opportunities for Hawai‘i’s young adults. KUPU interns have supported strategic communications and have worked in Conservancy preserves doing forest restoration and marine conservation.
Other internship and volunteer activities with youth in Hawaiʻi have included: High school and college students from Hilo and Kaʻu learning about nature and conservation and helping at Kaʻu and Kona Hema Preserves; high school students removing invasive algae using the Super Sucker; young adults and kids of all ages visiting Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi to learn about local agriculture, taro lo‘i, and fish pond restoration; high school students visiting Waikamoi Preserve to learn about native forests, birds,
and restoration; students from fourth grade and up helping with beach cleanups, preserve and trail maintenance, weed removal, seed collection, and native plant growing; youth of all ages learning about nature and conservation at the annual Earth Day celebration; and young adults and high school students participating in Kīholo fish pond restoration.
“We value youth engagement in Hawaiʻi. With continued donor support, we hope to be able to continue, or even expand, these kinds of programs,” said Woodside.
Surveys of conservation interns indicate that many find work as park rangers, environmental engineers, environmental science teachers, and in careers helping to connect future generations to nature at some of the world’s largest environmental organizations. Over 30 percent of surveyed LEAF alumni go on to pursue environmental careers, and over 50 percent volunteer for environmental causes in their communities.
National conservation activities created by LEAF and The Nature Conservancy's Youth Engagement Programs are made possible through support from Lowe's. The company has supported the Conservancy’s work for more than a decade, contributing more than $11 million to protect freshwater and forest lands across North America, and to advance environmental youth programs and help build the next generation of conservationists.
Other internship and volunteer activities with youth in Hawaiʻi have included: High school and college students from Hilo and Kaʻu learning about nature and conservation and helping at Kaʻu and Kona Hema Preserves; high school students removing invasive algae using the Super Sucker; young adults and kids of all ages visiting Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi to learn about local agriculture, taro lo‘i, and fish pond restoration; high school students visiting Waikamoi Preserve to learn about native forests, birds,
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| Interns come from the inner city to Ka`u for a work adventure with The Nature Conservancy. |
“We value youth engagement in Hawaiʻi. With continued donor support, we hope to be able to continue, or even expand, these kinds of programs,” said Woodside.
Surveys of conservation interns indicate that many find work as park rangers, environmental engineers, environmental science teachers, and in careers helping to connect future generations to nature at some of the world’s largest environmental organizations. Over 30 percent of surveyed LEAF alumni go on to pursue environmental careers, and over 50 percent volunteer for environmental causes in their communities.
National conservation activities created by LEAF and The Nature Conservancy's Youth Engagement Programs are made possible through support from Lowe's. The company has supported the Conservancy’s work for more than a decade, contributing more than $11 million to protect freshwater and forest lands across North America, and to advance environmental youth programs and help build the next generation of conservationists.
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| Huricane Fernanda is projected to deteriorate to a depression by Saturday, before reaching Hawai`i. Image from Island MAX Weather. |
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER reported today a 7.4 magnitude earthquake at 1:34 p.m., off Kamchatka, in the Komandorskiye Ostrova Russia Region, between Siberia and Alaska. No tsunami reached Hawai`i, Alaska, nor the west coast of the U.S. Their was a brief tsunami alert for the Aleutian Islands.
SECURITY CLEARANCE SHOULD BE SUSPENDED for White House Senior Advisor Jared Kushner, announced Ka`u Senators Mazie Hirono, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Al Franken (D-Minn.) Today, they demanded that his security clearance of be immediately suspended, pending a review of newly revealed information about Kushner’s contacts with Russian lobbyists and government-linked agents.
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| Jared Kushner Photo from Wikipedia |
Their letter to Marcia Lee Kelly, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of White House Management and Office of Administration, says “Mr. Kushner attended a meeting which was held with the stated purpose to receive Russian government information intended to influence a U.S. election. Mr. Kushner omitted this fact on his security clearance reform. Most disturbingly, Mr. Kushner sought a secret channel to communicate with the Kremlin. Given the enormity of the outstanding national security concerns regarding his conduct, Mr. Kushner should not retain access to our nation’s most critical secrets.”
The letter follows a June request by Hirono, Blumenthal and Franken for a review of Kushner’s security clearance "after troubling allegations Kushner had concealed meetings with Russian officials – among them Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, and VEB Chairman Sergey Gorkov – on his security clearance application," the statement says. The full letter is available here.
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ALLOWING VISITORS FROM INDIA expedited customs clearance is supported by Sen. Mazie Hirono. She coordinated the writing of a bipartisan letter to encourage the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to add India to the Global Entry Program. "India's inclusion in the Global Entry Program further deepens U.S. ties to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and allows Customs and Boarder Protection to direct security resources to where they are needed most," said Hirono. "I appreciate the action by CBP to finalize India's participation in the Global Entry Program, which will benefit Hawaii's visitor industry in time for Hawaii's busy summer travel season."
According to the U.S. Commerce Department, approximately 1.2 million citizens of India visited the United States in 2016 and spent $13 billion, making India among the top ten markets for U.S. travel and tourism exports.
The letter was co-signed by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.).
Hirono is a longtime advocate of expanding the Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs to grow Hawai`i's international visitor industry. She led similar efforts in support of Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore's inclusion in the Global Entry Program. Singapore's inclusion was finalized in June 2016.
India joins Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, South Korea, Germany, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Switzerland, and Argentina in CBP's Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs.
Sherry Menor-McNamara, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawai`i, said the organization "supports initiatives that encourage economic growth in our state, particularly with international markets like India that are projected to continue to grow in the immediate and long-term, with direct and indirect contributions to our GDP and employment."
Mufi Hannemann, one of the founders of Punalu`u Sweetbread line and Punalu`u Bake Shop, said,
"India presents an exciting new opportunity for Hawai`i to benefit from travel and trade between our nations. Just as we've done with Japan and Korea, and more recently with Taiwan and Singapore, this proposed expansion of the federal government's Global Entry program would come as welcome news as we seek to find promising travel and trade markets. With its rapidly expanding economy, India has the potential to emerge as an important source of leisure and business travel, and entry into the Global Entry program will stimulate and support this growth as well as bolster the security cooperation between our two countries." Hannemann is President and CEO of the Hawai`i Lodging & Tourism Association.
Mukesh Aghi, President of the U.S.- India Business Council said his organization applauds Senator Hirono's leadership and efforts to urge the Department of Homeland Security to expedite India's participation in the Global Entry program. "India's entry into the Global Entry program is a meaningful opportunity to further elevate the U.S.-India relationship. "India is one of the world's fastest growing outbound travel and tourism markets, with over one million Indian tourists visiting the U.S. since 2015 and spending over $10 billion to support the U.S. travel and tourism export market. For a growing Indian diaspora in the U.S. -- currently over three million -- this is a welcome move to solidify people-to-people ties as well. Allowing an expedited clearance for pre-approved Indian travelers will provide a big boost to the U.S.-India 2017 Travel and Tourism Partnership."
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Drawing in the Park, Tue, July 18, 11a.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Ken Charon Free. 967-8222
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| Dr. Mukesh Aghi, President of the U.S,-India Business Council |
The letter was co-signed by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Bob Casey (D-Pa.).
Hirono is a longtime advocate of expanding the Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs to grow Hawai`i's international visitor industry. She led similar efforts in support of Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore's inclusion in the Global Entry Program. Singapore's inclusion was finalized in June 2016.
India joins Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, Panama, South Korea, Germany, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Switzerland, and Argentina in CBP's Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs.
Sherry Menor-McNamara, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawai`i, said the organization "supports initiatives that encourage economic growth in our state, particularly with international markets like India that are projected to continue to grow in the immediate and long-term, with direct and indirect contributions to our GDP and employment."
Mufi Hannemann, one of the founders of Punalu`u Sweetbread line and Punalu`u Bake Shop, said,
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| Mufi Hannemann, President of Hawai`i Lodging & Tourism Association. Photo by Julia Neal |
Mukesh Aghi, President of the U.S.- India Business Council said his organization applauds Senator Hirono's leadership and efforts to urge the Department of Homeland Security to expedite India's participation in the Global Entry program. "India's entry into the Global Entry program is a meaningful opportunity to further elevate the U.S.-India relationship. "India is one of the world's fastest growing outbound travel and tourism markets, with over one million Indian tourists visiting the U.S. since 2015 and spending over $10 billion to support the U.S. travel and tourism export market. For a growing Indian diaspora in the U.S. -- currently over three million -- this is a welcome move to solidify people-to-people ties as well. Allowing an expedited clearance for pre-approved Indian travelers will provide a big boost to the U.S.-India 2017 Travel and Tourism Partnership."
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see Facebook. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
Drawing in the Park, Tue, July 18, 11a.m., Volcano Art Center in Volcano Village. Ken Charon Free. 967-8222
Finian's Rainbow continues its run at Kilauea Military Camp's Kilauea Theater next Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 general, $15 for seniors 60 plus and students and $12 for children 12 and under, available at the door. For more information or to make a reservation, contact KDEN at 982-7344 or kden73@aol.com.
