HONOLULU – In recognition of the 50th State’s official marine mammal, Governor Neil Abercrombie and Lt. Governor Brian Schatz have officially proclaimed February 2012 as Humpback Whale Awareness Month in Hawai‘i.

“The humpback whale represents the diversity of ocean life that surrounds the Hawaiian Islands and reflects the deep connection the people of Hawai‘i share with the ocean,” said Governor Abercrombie.

February is the best month of the year to catch a glimpse of Hawai‘i’s humpbacks. Humpback whales represent the diversity of ocean life that surrounds the Hawaiian Islands. Each year humpback whales return to Hawaiian waters to mate, calve and nurse their young.

In 1992, an act of Congress designated the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to protect humpback whales and their habitat. The sanctuary is jointly managed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The sanctuary is offering a variety of whale watches, whale counts and other activities statewide throughout February to celebrate Humpback Whale Awareness Month. Visit the sanctuary’s website at http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov for a complete listing, or on O‘ahu call 1-888-55-WHALE ext. 253 to learn more about how to get involved in the protection of the humpback whale and Hawai‘i’s marine environment.

For O‘ahu information, call (808) 397-2651 ext. 253

For Maui information, call (808) 879-2818

For Kaua‘i information, call (808) 246-2860

MOKULE‘IA -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ (DLNR) Ka'ena Point Stewardship Team is again inviting community volunteers to help delineate authorized roads at Ka'ena Point State Park Reserve, Mokule'ia section, by installing posts and signs and marking the edges of designated roadways. Volunteers should meet at the end of the paved road (Farrington Highway) by 8 a.m. Saturday, February 11. Work will continue to noon.

“This has been an effort with community input and involvement all along the way as we attempt to better manage the natural and cultural resources at Ka'ena Point,” said William J. Aila, Jr., DLNR chairperson.

Volunteers should bring their own sunscreen, hat, gloves, water and lunch. Volunteers are also asked to bring additional tools such as two wrenches per person (either crescent, open end, box or socket wrenches) to fit a 1/2-inch nut and bolt, a hammer to help expedite the sign installation process and/or a wheel barrow to help with the road marking process. Volunteer tasks will involve attaching signs to sign posts and sign post to a base post or moving already-displaced rocks from the area to mark the edges of designated roads. Posts, signs and other installation equipment will be provided.

Aila added: “We appreciate the large number of park users who came out last fall to help us identify which roads to designate and to install signs and posts to mark these designated roads. Keeping vehicles on a reduced number of selected roads is a major part of our plan to control vehicle use in sensitive areas and to prevent further resource damage.”

Based on community input and resource protection priorities, a main mauka road, a makai coastal road and a limited number of connecting cross roads and parking areas were selected to be the park’s official system of designated roads and parking areas. A map of these roads can be viewed at www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/kpsa.

Signs marking which roads can be used are being installed as the department’s first step toward better enforcement of State Parks regulations that require drivers to remain on designated roads. Reducing the number of roads used in the park should also curb runoff and erosion aggravated by uncontrolled vehicle use. The signs have been incrementally installed since November as part of an ongoing process.

“Unfortunately, a number of previously installed signs and posts have been stolen,” Aila noted. “If thefts continue, we may have to consider closing the gate and allow vehicle access by permit only.” Removal of the signs and violation of the rules is a petty misdemeanor offense.

The designated road network provides access to the main fishing areas favored by fishers, access to the Natural Area Reserve for hikers; avoids sensitive native vegetation, sand dunes and cultural sites; and will help prevent further erosion damage from off-road vehicles.

For additional information, maps and to view the State Parks Ka‘ena Point management plan, go to www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/kpsa.

# # #

Designated road sign at Kaena Point State Park. Photo by Division of State Park

For more information news media may contact:

Deborah Ward

DLNR Public information specialist

Phone: (808) 587-0320

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012

9 am To 1:30 pm

Kailua United Methodist Church

1110 Kailua Road

Check in at the Aloha Tent for programs, give-away tickets, and donations (see below for details

For the fifth year in a row, Ho`olaulima is Kawainui, a consortium of NGOs, federal/state/county agencies, businesses, and faith & cultural organizations will be celebrating the designation of the Kawainui-Hamakua Marsh Complex in Kailua as a RAMSAR Wetland of International Importance. The event will be held on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2012, from 9 am to 1:30 pm at Kailua United Methodist Church, 1110 Kailua Road.

All activities, live entertainment, educational & cultural exhibits, and Marsh tours are free. A variety of local businesses and food vendors will have their products for sale. They will be donating gift certificates or items to be given away throughout the event as part of the entertainment.

There will be a HI-5 Collection Drive at the event held by the Windward Ahupua`a Alliance, one of the event coordinators. All HI-5 donors will receive a free malassada coupon for every 20 containers brought in. Drop off containers at the Welcome Desk and pick up the malassada coupon. WAA, a 501c3 organization, will also be selling malassadas to raise funds for its various programs.

WAA will also be collecting donations of sealed & wrapped toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, laundry/bath/dish soaps, sealed cans of cleanser, canned & packaged pet food, and other kinds of unopened/unwrapped household goods at the Welcome Desk to give to area non-profits serving homeless/at-risk individuals & families. All donors will receive a

free malassada coupon.

In addition to the international theme on visiting wetlands, this year's focus here in Hawai`i will be on children, youth & young adults as they help foster the future of Hawai'i for their own children & grandchildren.

Ho`olaulima is hosting presentations on cultural & environmental themes prepared by students from St. Anthonys School, Le Jardin Academy, Ka`elepulu Elementary, and Kailua Intermediate from 9:15 am to 11 am.

The students' work will be followed by special viewing of DLNR's recently-released documentary, "The Rain Follows the Forest," will be shown shortly after 11 am followed by a discussion conducted by Guy Kaulukukui, DLNR's First Deputy. Other state officials may join the discussion.

Starting around noon, there will be brief presentations and opportunities for the public to speak with people working on the following projects:

Kawainui-Hamakua Master Plan Updates - Helber, Hastert & Fee Planners

Kawainui-Hamakua Interpretive Plan - Ho`olaulima is Kawainui

Kawainui Restoration Ponds - Army Corps of Engineers

Kahanaiki Upland & Pond Restoration - Division of Forestry & Wildlife/DLNR

Ulupo Heaiu Cultural Landscape Restoration - Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club, `Ahahui Malama i Ka Lokahi, Division of State Parks/DLNR

Once again, Kama`aina Kids will be bringing their Camp Timberline Climbing Wall as well as setting up a booth providing information about their various programs.

Confirmed live entertainment will be provided by musician/singer Keale featuring original music honoring Kawainui Marsh; Na Kupuna O Koolau, singing & dancing kupuna from the Moku of Ko`olaupoko; and Hawaii Loa, Windward O`ahu's talented trio featuring Hawaiian steel guitarist Eddie Palama.

Tour pre-registration is strongly suggested since there are only about 100 seats all totaled available. Call Kaimi Scudder at 263-8008 or send him an e-mail at email@ahahui.net. Be sure to include complete contact information. NOTE: There is a maximum of six people per reservation.

In addition to the fund-raising malassadas sales, food vendors include Camille's on Wheels, Island-Style Catering, Kahuna Dogs, Maria Bonita's, and The Curb Truck.

Hui ku Maoli Ola Native Hawaiian Plants will be at the event selling a variety of plants. Nature photographer Nate Yuen will be offering a selection of prints for sale.

For more information about the event, contact Shannon Wood at 224-4496.

HONOLULU – The Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) in collaboration with the Oahu Army Natural Resources Program (OANRP) is excited to announce a special Project Learning Tree Workshop for Schofield and Wheeler educators. On February 11, 2012 from 9:00 - 3:30 educators are invited to learn about the unique resources in this area at a FREE Project Learning Tree workshop.

DOFAW and OANRP recognize that educators need to have places outside of the classroom to offer hands-on activities where students can interact directly with their environment. It is through these place-based learning activities that students gain a deep appreciation and understanding of natural ecosystems and of their connection to the world. The Oahu Army Natural Resource Management Program developed a native garden featuring key species that they work to protect from various ecosystems including those found in Ka’ala and Ka’ena Point. This garden is available as a resource for the Schofield/Wheeler community and will be the center of experiential education during the teacher workshops

Staff with DOFAW and OANRP will share activities from the award winning Project Learning Tree (PLT) preK – 8 curriculum guide as well as local place-based curriculum from Ohia Project and Hoike o haleakala. All Participants will receive the PLT Prek-8 guide, posters, and teaching resources. Space is limited to 25 participants, so register soon by completing and submitting the attached registration form and $20 hold fee to Michelle Jones with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (Michelle.G.Jones@hawaii.gov - 808.587.4188)

To learn more about the workshops and to register, visit http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/PLT/2012. To find out more about PLT before the workshops visit www.plt.org.

Thanks!

via Michelle Gorham Jones

Information and Education Coordinator

Department of Land and Natural Resources

Division of Forestry and Wildlife

1151 Punchbowl Street Rm. 325

Honolulu, HI 96813

phone: 808.587.4188

fax: 808.587.0160

Replace a single-use plastic item in your house with a sustainable eco-friendly design. Show us the plastic object and what you propose as an alternative. The new design should be of a material that is organic or non-polluting to the world’s oceans. Designs can be hand drawn or computerized images in 8 x 10 format.

Contest begins 9 February, runs until May 18, 2012

Final selections announced on June 15, 2012

See more information on our website at SafePla.net and look at our “Flagship” themes, as well as “contests”. Ask your teacher for details.

Prizes

(Hawaii Art Contest Rules)

5 winners will have their designs made into prototypes by local manufacturers and the image printed on new Safe Planet sustainable bags; get to tour the sailing ship Sea Dragon when she pulls into port in Honolulu, July, 2012; spend a week at Art Mill www.artmill.eu in the Czech Republic for one winner (does not include airfare); exhibit with the Safe Planet exhibition during the Rio+20 Global Conference in June, 2012.

For questions: artcontest@artmill.eu

Further Information: www.artmill.eu

Contest partners:

Malama Hawaii

Safe Planet

5 Gyres

Pangaea Explorations

Ethical Profiling

Surfrider Foundation

HALEIWA, HI – JANUARY 11, 2011 Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation’s Plastic Free

Hawaiʻi and Plastic Free Schools programs are pleased to announce a series of

events to promote the publication of “Plastic Ocean” a new book by Captain

Charles Moore, founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. Captain

Moore will be on Oʻahu January 16 & 17 and will be appearing at multiple

locations speaking at schools, bookstores and more!

"Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation is excited to host Captain Charles Moore on the Oʻahu

leg of his “Plastic Ocean” book tour. Captain Mooreʻs work has been an inspiration

for those of us in environmental education. His scientific research at sea helps

those of us on land to educate schools, residents, and visitors of Hawaiʻi on the

environmental and health benefits of going plastic free to minimize the

consumption and pollution of plastics in our islands."

Below is a full listing of Plastic Free events happening in conjunction with Captain

Moore’s visit:

Monday, January 16

• 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Kokua Hawai’i Foundation & Sustainable Coastlines

Hawai’i Beach Cleanup at Kahuku Beach—Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

area. Community invited!

• 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Captain Charles Moore at Bookends in Kailua “Plastic

Ocean” book signing & reception. Open to the public.

Tuesday, January 17

• 8:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Captain Charles Moore will speak at Kahuku High

School, Choir Room. Community invited!

• 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m Captain Charles Moore will be the keynote speaker at

the Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off event at UH Manoa Campus Center

Ballroom. Sustainable UH is hosting the event in conjunction with the KYA

Sustainability Studio, Sustainable UH, the Surfrider Foundation, UH Manoa

Sustainability Corps, UH Ecology Club and the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation.

Open to the public.

• 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Joel Paschal founder of Sea of Change and one of the

two Algalita scientists who sailed the JUNKraft from California to Hawaii in

2008 will speak at BYU-Hawaii Campus, Aloha Center Ballroom.

Community invited!

• 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Captain Charles Moore at Indigo Restaurant “Plastic

Ocean” book signing & reception co-sponsored by Surfrider Foundation.

Open to the public.

More detailed information available online at www.kokuahawaiifoundation.org

Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports environmental

education in the schools and communities of Hawai'i. The Plastic Free Schools

program aims to reduce single-use plastics on school campuses. The program

encourages students, faculty, and parents to make plastic free commitments to use

waste free lunches, reusable bottles and tote bags and provides educational

resources to make these commitments come to life.

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Natalie McKinney

808-927-2159

Natalie@kokuahawaiifoundation

PLEASE KOKUA! You could be eligible for a reward of up to $30,000 total OR $10,000 for each case, for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the illegal killing of two native Hawaiian monk seals on Moloka´i in November and December, and a third seal on Kaua´i in January.

Please Call 1-855-DLNR-TIP with any information about these cases. Your information will be held in confidence.

Monk Seal Reward Poster

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is focusing its efforts on ecosystem management to protect our islands fresh water resources.

DLNR has produced a half-hour television special illustrating the importance of watershed protection and restoration. “The Rain Follows the Forest,” features Jason Scott Lee setting out on a journey to learn about sustainable life in our island home. Through interesting conversations, he learns about Hawai‘i’s fragile fresh water supply and discovers connections to our upland forest environment, and shares ways in which we all can contribute to protecting our watersheds.

One of those conversations in the television special is with William J. Aila, Jr., Chairperson of DLNR who says, “I think about my grandchildren all the time and the challenges that they are going to face. The worst-case scenario is that our watersheds are depleted and the source of fresh water diminishes.”

“Fresh water is really important for us, it’s important to every ecosystem from the top of the mountain even into the ocean,” continued Aila.

Tune-in on Thursday January 19, 2012 at 6:30pm on KGMB and watch Jason Scott Lee as he learns about our watersheds and how they provide nearly all of our fresh water in Hawai‘i.

DLNR had launched a facebook page which has been following the production of the television special. Follow DLNR on facebook at www.facebook.com/HawaiiDLNR to see those images and keep up to date with DLNR news.

Airdates

January 2012

KGMB Thursday 1/19/2012 6:30-7pm

KGMB Sunday 1/22/2012 at 4:30-5pm

KHNL Thursday 1/26/2012 at 6:30-7pm

KHNL Saturday 1/28/2012 at 6 - 6:30pm

February 2012

Throughout February on “Outside Hawai‘i” on OC16

For additional information, you may find “The Rain Follows the Forest: A Plan to Replenish Hawai‘i’s Source of Water” which was released by Governor Abercrombie in November 2011 on our DLNR website at www.hawaii.gov/dlnr.

Laura A Stevens

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Office of the Chairperson

Department of Land and Natural Resources

Kalanimoku Bldg. Rm. 131

1151 Punchbowl St.

Honolulu, HI 96813

Phone: (808) 587-0407

Fax: (808) 587-0390

www.hawaii.gov/dlnr

www.facebook.com/HawaiiDLNR

www.twitter.com/dlnr

Sustainability organizations are gearing up to participate in a Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off event. Partners this year already include SustainableUH,

Manoa Sustainability Corps, the Ecology Club, Surfrider, and the Kokua Hawaii Foundation. These events will take place at the beginning of each semester, presenting opportunities to:

- Recruit members/volunteers/listserve recipients

- Network with students, faculty and admin at UH

- Network with other organizations (student, non-profit, etc.)

- Learn what other groups have planned for the semester or year

- Join forces to support each other to make change happen, etc.

In the spirit of learning what other groups have planned for the semester, this semester's kick-off event will dovetail into the launch of the Rise Above Plastics campaign. This is a big year for (AGAINST!) plastic as Surfrider Foundation, Kokua Foundation, and other organizations work together to get legislation passed to reduce single-use bags and strive to make UH a plastic free campus. The discoverer of the pacific garbage patch, Capt. Charles Moore will be the keynote, brought in by Stuart Coleman of Surfrider Foundation.

This semester's event will be on January 17th in Campus Center Ballroom from 11-2pm.

Tentative Agenda:

11:00- 11:30-----Set-Up

11:30- Noon-----Network

Noon - 12:30-----Overview of Sustainability at UH (Session facilitated by SustainableUH, Orgs/Departments share info)

12:30 -1:00-------Semester Specific Movement: Rise Above Plastics (Session facilitated by Surfrider featuring Captain Charlie Moore)

1:00 - 2:00-------Network and Breakdown

Participating Orgs will be asked to:

Host a booth (share info, circulate petitions, get donations, recruit members/volunteers, etc.)

Provide a 1-3 minute announcement on activities & plans for the year

Will you join us? Please go to this RSVP link if you would like to participate in the event. We will follow up with you on Monday if you submit this form over the weekend or within 24 hours if you submit during the business week.

https://docs.google.com/a/thekyastudio.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEpvQ1otVk5Kakc3eW04aEFFcFRZYWc6MQ

Please distribute this email far and wide to individuals and organizations that you feel should be there!

Aloha,

KYA Sustainability Studio

(SustainableUH HUB Alum)

p.s. If you are unable to participate this semester but would like to in the future, feel free to email us to let us know you would like to be a part of future Semester of Sustainability Kick-Off events. In semesters to come, we imagine your organization will be championing a movement that we can all rally behind. We all know the university is virtually an untapped resource in regards to putting pressure on the political system. We imagine these semester kick-offs as a way to activate the student body.

--

Tamara L. Armstrong

(808)754-3618

LEED® AP BD+C

GRI Certified Sustainability Reporter

kya sustainability studio

catalyst for ecollaboration

www.thekyastudio.com

934 Pumehana Street

Honolulu, Hawai'i 96826

Communities compete within one of three categories: small, midsize, and large community. Winners will be selected from each category to receive the prize of $20,000 in trees!

Here is the type of criteria we’re looking for in an application:

· Partnership: Do Hawaii’s communities work collaboratively with their stakeholders – with business, government offices, non-profits, academic institutions, and/or others – for community improvement and sustainable development planning?

· Innovation: Have Hawaii’s communities responded to economic and/or environmental challenges with innovative and sustainable strategies for improvement?

· Environmental Stewardship: Have Hawaii’s communities reduced their carbon footprint?

· Results: Are these results measureable?

If you answered yes to these questions, please apply for the 2012 Siemens Sustainable Community Awards by January 13, 2012. The application process is simple; all you have to do is go to the Sustainable Community Awards website, http://sustainablecommunity.uschamber.com/nomination-form to complete the online form describing the sustainability program of the community you are nominating.

For questions regarding the nomination process, please contact me (contact info below) or Chris Ryan at the U.S. Chamber BCLC, cryan@uschamber.com or 202-463-5714.

Laura Horton

202-365-2953

lmhorton@gmail.com

Independent Contractor

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Business Civic Leadership Center