The Kohala Center Inc

TO RESPECTFULLY ENGAGE THE ISLAND OF HAWAI'I AS A MODEL OF AND FOR THE WORLD THROUGH OUR WORK IN THE AREAS OF ENERGY SELF-RELIANCE, FOOD SELF- RELIANCE AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH.

CONSERVATION: WE EXPANDED OUR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AREA (WMA) FROM 8,000 ACRES TO MORE THAN 18,000 ACRES, EXTENDING WORK DOWNSLOPE TO ALSO FOCUS ON COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. PLANTED 3,197 NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS AND CLEARED 108.5 TONS OF DEBRIS FROM 16 SEDIMENT CHECK DAMS IN THE WMA. EDUCATED 53,000 VISITORS TO KAHALUU BAY ABOUT REEF ETIQUETTE; LAUNCHED A REEF-FRIENDLY SUN PROTECTION CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF CHEMICALS FOUND IN MANY COMMERCIAL SUNSCREENS; COLLECTED NEARLY 300 BOTTLES OF HARMFUL SUNSCREEN AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 800 SAMPLES OF REEF-FRIENDLY SUNSCREEN. COLLECTED MORE THAN 60,000 CAULIFLOWER CORAL GAMETES DURING SPAWNING EVENTS IN KAHALUU BAY IN AN EFFORT TO RAISE CORAL IN A LABORATORY TO EVENTUALLY REVITALIZE THE BAY'S CORAL GARDEN.

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: HELD "HAWAII SEED FEST: LOCAL SEEDS FOR LOCAL NEEDS" COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW IN EAST AND WEST HAWAII ISLAND, MAUI, AND OAHU TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES WITH LOCAL SEED GROWERS; LAUNCHED HAWAIISEEDGROWERSNETWORK.COM, OFFERING MORE THAN 30 VARIETIES OF LOCALLY PRODUCED AND ADAPTED SEEDS. INTRODUCED 35 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURAL METHODS AND LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION; GRADUATED 13 STUDENTS FROM THE SEVENTH COHORT OF OUR BEGINNING FARMER- RANCHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PROGRAM GRADUATES TO 168. PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO 165 LOCAL BUSINESSES, ENTREPRENEURS, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS; ASSISTED IN THE LAUNCH OF FOUR NEW COOPERATIVE BUSINESSES AND PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 15 EXISTING CO-OPS. AWARDED 146,000 IN LOW- AND NO-INTEREST MICROLOANS TO 16 BUSINESSES; HELPED 33 CLIENTS COMPLETE GRANT AND LOAN APPLICATIONS, RESULTING IN ACQUISITION OF 1,999,070 FOR RURAL BUSINESSES. HELPED AINA PONO: HAWAII'S FARM TO SCHOOL INITIATIVE EXPAND TO A SECOND PILOT SITE IN MILILANI, OAHU, INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED FROM 780 TO 3,900 AND LOCAL FOOD PROCUREMENT FROM 3 TO 15 PERCENT WHILE DECREASING COSTS BY 108,000. CO-RELEASED GOOD FOOD FOR ALL: ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY THROUGH HAWAII'S FOOD SYSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE AGENCIES AND FOOD EQUITY ORGANIZATIONS.

EDUCATION: WE SERVED 564 STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS THROUGH OUR FIELD INVESTIGATION PROGRAMS; COMPLETED AND PUBLISHED HULI AINA KUMU WAI, A FIELD INVESTIGATIONS MANUAL FOR HAWAII MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS; AND HELD A YOUTH SYMPOSIUM AT WHICH 11 TEACHERS AND 31 STUDENTS FROM HAWAII ISLAND AND OAHU PRESENTED THEIR FIELD INVESTIGATION PROJECTS. ESTABLISHED THE HAWAII ISLAND VOG NETWORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY; HELPED TO INSTALL 28 SULFUR DIOXIDE AND PARTICULATE-MATTER SENSORS AROUND HAWAI'I ISLAND TO PROVIDE REAL-TIME AIR QUALITY DATA TO THE PUBLIC; CONDUCTED A VOG WORKSHOP FOR EDUCATORS AT WHICH 28 TEACHERS LEARNED HOW TO USE ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE, REAL-TIME DATA, AND FAMILIAR TOOLS TO CONDUCT LESSONS WITH THEIR STUDENTS. INTRODUCED HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S NA HOPENA AO STANDARDS TO 20 HAWAII ISLAND SCHOOL GARDEN EDUCATORS TO INTEGRATE INTO THEIR ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION.

INTELLECTUAL LEADERSHIP. AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW, THE MELLON FOUNDATION AGREED TO EXTEND OUR DOCTORAL AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS. NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HAWAIIS ECO-CULTURAL LANDSCAPE IS BEING PRODUCED,ENHANCING THE STATES ABILITY TO CREATE AND IMPROVE AINA-BASED PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY WELL-BEING.