Kaʻū News Briefs, Monday, Nov. 7, 2022

On Monday, Hawai'i Wildlife Fund helped to bring a couple of international researchers and island resident kiaʻi loko (pool caretakers) to several pool complexes in Kaʻū to learn more about the water chemistry and small critters that live in the sediment, and to remove some mosquitofish from these fragile ecosystems in order to protect native pool fauna, like the pool shrimp. 

Photo from Hawai'i Wildlife Fund

MORE FROM THE ANCHIALINE ECOSYSTEM CONFERENCE last weekend is available on https://www.facebook.com/hianchialine/?ref=py_c. A statement from Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund says the organization "was proud to host this multi-agency, non-government organization, and community collaborative event focusing on anchialine ecosystems that linked scientists, students, managers and caretakers from around Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu, Texas, Maui, Florida, Croatia, Italy, Washington, Oregon, California, Kauaʻi, New York, Massachusetts, Mexico and Canada.
    Hawai'i Wildlife Fund President Megan Lamson said, "Anchialine pools are home to a wide variety of native and endemic wildlife, including the 'charismatic minifauna' of the Hawaiian anchialine pool, the ʻōpaeʻula, or little red pool shrimp, and seven other species of shrimp (including two endangered species), plus damselflies, isopods, snails, and more. In addition, these ecosystems include unique microbial

Hawai'i has one of the largest collections of anchialine
 ponds in the world with some  600 on this island alone.
Photo by Barbara Siedel, The Nature Conservancy

communities and oftentimes distinct cyanobacterial mats and/ or an aquatic plant, Ruppia maritima. The flora and fauna and waters of these pools in term provide critical resources for migratory shorebirds and resident waterbirds."

    "Anchialine pools are threatened by coastal development, changes to subterranean groundwater, overharvest, and especially from invasive species including fish like tilapia, guppies, mosquitofish, and plants like pickleweed, seashore paspalum, mangroves, and kiawe. 

    Hawai'i Wildlife Fund is one of many organizations within the Hui Loko network, a group of fishpond and anchialine pool caretakers on Hawaiʻi Island coordinated by The Nature Conservancy, that is looking to restore these anchialine habitats across the island, to improve wildlife habitat and perpetuate traditions connecting people to these special ʻloko waikai' or brackish-water ponds."
    Folks can find more info or request educational resources / follow-up at hianchialine@gmail.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

MAYOR MITCH ROTH IS ASKING THE PUBLIC TO TAKE A SURVEY to prepare for the 2022 Hawai'i Sustainability Summit, which will be held Wednesday, Nov. 30 through Saturday, Dec. 3. The survey can be taken at https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/3d3c47aab0804350a1a575cb83a6d09f.

      "This year, the Summit has evolved into a four-day, in-person, by invitation only event bringing together leaders from across our community to focus on building a set of policy priorities, structured around six key areas shared with Hawaiʻi Green Growth’s Aloha+ Challenge: natural resource management, local food, smart sustainable communities, clean energy transformation, solid waste reduction, and green workforce and education."

     With his invitation to invite community members to take the survey, the mayor stated: "The Hawaiʻi that we know and love is quickly slipping away from us. Rising coastal conditions, a lack of economic diversification, the dispersion of our young and bright minds, an increasing lack of genuinely affordable housing units, aging infrastructure, and so much more is making it harder and harder for our local residents to make a living and raise their families here.

Public input for the 2022 Hawai'i Sustainability Summit is sought at 
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/3d3c47aab0804350a1a575cb83a6d09f

    "Decades of inaction have led us to a tipping point, which has only been exacerbated by a global pandemic, growing instability in the world’s political climate, and scathing public unrest caused by grave inequity - both globally and locally.
    "However, I am hopeful that a new Hawaiʻi is upon us — a better Hawaiʻi.
    "To attain that Hawaiʻi, we must act. As leaders, community organizers, and island-based organizations with a heart for Hawaiʻi, we have a profound opportunity to come together to tackle the most challenging issues of our time. Together, we can set the foundation for change. But, it will take courage, audacity, and the willingness to put aside our individual interests to achieve a grander vision.
    "The 2022 Hawaiʻi Sustainability Summit will aim to do just that. To break down silos and drive shared priority agreements that catalyze sweeping policy shifts for all Hawaiʻi. It will be on the backs of our collective advocacy efforts that we truly begin a path for a sustainable island home.
    "The time to act is now — for our keiki and theirs.

    See more on the Hawai'i Sustainability Summit at https://hisustainabilitysummit.com/.

Six areas of focus for the Hawai'i Sustainability Summit, Nov. 30 - Dec. 3.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

 
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, Nov. 8. In Kaʻū, ballots can be cast until 7 p.m. at Nāʻālehu Police Station: 95-5355 Māmalahoa Hwy, Nāʻālehu, HI 96772

    In addition, there are eight more drop box locations around the island:
    Laupahoehoe Police Station: Puʻualaea Homestead Rd, Laupahoehoe HI 96764.
    Hilo County Building: 25 Aupuni St, Hilo HI 96720
    Pāhoa Police Station: 15-2615 Keaʻau-Pāhoa Rd, Pāhoa HI 96778
    Rodney Yano Memorial Hall: 82-6156 Māmalahoa Hwy, Captain Cook HI 96704
    West Hawaiʻi Civic Center: 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy, Kailua Kona HI 96740
    Waikoloa Village Association: 68-1792 Melia St, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738
    Waimea Police Station: 67-5185 Kamamalu St, Waimea HI 96743
    North Kohala Police Station: 54-3900 Akoni Pule Hwy, Kapaʻau HI 96755
 

    In addition to the drop boxes, ballots may be brought to the Voter Service Centers in Hilo at County of Hawai‘i Aupuni Center, Conference Room, 101 Pauahi St. Suite 1, and in Kona at West Hawai‘i Civic Center, Community Room (Building G), 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy until 7 p.m. Election Day, Nov. 8.
    A statement from the County of Hawai'i Elections Division says, "Ballots must be in drop boxes in possession of the Elections Division by 7 p.m. on Election Day! Drop Boxes will be locked at exactly 7:00pm, so get your ballot in ASAP!"

 To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html

In the mail and on stands from Volcano through Kaʻū.