Hawaii Conservation Conference

Hawaii Conservation Conference
Name	Hawaii Conservation Conference
Location	Honolulu, Hawaii
Established	1998
Frequency	Annual
Organizer	Nature Conservancy (United States), Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance Foundation

Hawaii Conservation Conference The Hawaii Conservation Conference is an annual environmental gathering held in Honolulu that convenes scientists, policymakers, practitioners, and community leaders from across Hawai‘i and the broader Pacific to address native species protection, marine conservation, watershed management, and cultural stewardship. The conference draws participants from institutions such as University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Bishop Museum, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA and international partners including representatives from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Aotearoa New Zealand. Presentations commonly bridge research from agencies like U.S. Geological Survey and nonprofits such as The Nature Conservancy (United States) with management programs run by National Park Service, Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources, and community ʻāina organizations.

Overview

The conference functions as a forum for exchange among representatives of University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Bishop Museum, Hawaiʻi Island Community Development Corporation, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and tribal stewards from Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. Panels often include scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, and Smithsonian Institution alongside practitioners from Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, and NatureServe. Themes span coral reef science relevant to Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, native forest restoration in sites like Haleakalā National Park, and watershed partnerships involving American Samoa stakeholders and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The meeting facilitates interaction between funders such as National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, and philanthropic organizations like Ford Foundation and Packard Foundation.

History and Development

Originating in the late 1990s through collaboration between Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance partners and campus researchers at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the conference has evolved alongside initiatives like the establishment of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and expansion of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Early sessions featured researchers associated with Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and managers from Honolulu Board of Water Supply; later iterations grew to include regional delegations from Guam, Samoa, and Palau. The program expanded after major conservation milestones such as the passage of the Hawaii State Wildlife Action Plan and the signing of international agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity that influenced Pacific conservation priorities. Over time the conference integrated traditional knowledge from cultural practitioners connected to Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, and kupuna networks, reflecting a shift toward co-management exemplified by Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park partnerships.

Themes and Program

Core themes rotate annually and have included native species recovery (linking researchers from Hawaiʻi Cooperative Studies Unit), invasive species control programs led by Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council, climate resilience planning in coordination with Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, and marine spatial planning informed by NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation. Session types vary: plenaries featuring leaders from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, symposia organized by Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance Foundation, technical workshops run by U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Geological Survey, and community forums involving Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo and Hoʻokuleana. Poster sessions showcase university research from University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Hawaiʻi Pacific University, and collaborations with University of Guam. Special tracks address policy intersections with agencies such as Hawaiʻi State Legislature, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Organization and Partners

The conference is coordinated by a consortium that historically included Hawaiʻi Conservation Alliance Foundation, The Nature Conservancy (United States), and academic partners like University of Hawaiʻi. Financial and logistical partners have included federal entities such as NOAA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service, foundations including National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and NGOs such as Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, The Ocean Conservancy, and Island Conservation. Indigenous and community partners—Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kamehameha Schools, Aha Moku Advisory Committee—play roles in shaping cultural sessions. Venue and municipal partners have included Hawaii Convention Center, City and County of Honolulu, and cultural institutions like Bishop Museum.

Impact and Outcomes

Outcomes documented at successive meetings have influenced management actions on invasive species eradication projects on Maui and Kauaʻi, coral reef restoration initiatives in collaboration with NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, and watershed restoration projects impacting sources used by the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. The conference has catalyzed multi-agency collaborations such as coordinated seabird translocation efforts involving U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Island Conservation and informed regional policy dialogues with Pacific Islands Forum representatives. Research presented has fed into recovery plans for species like the ʻōʻō and nēnē under Endangered Species Act frameworks and supported monitoring protocols used by Hawaiʻi DOH and Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources. Networking facilitated grant-funded initiatives from National Science Foundation and restoration programs supported by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grants.

Attendance and Notable Speakers

Attendees typically include scientists from University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, managers from National Park Service, policy professionals from Hawaiʻi State Legislature offices, representatives from Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and international delegates from New Zealand Ministry for the Environment, Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, and Pacific island governments such as Palau and Samoa. Notable speakers have included officials from NOAA leadership, directors from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, researchers affiliated with Smithsonian Institution and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and cultural leaders associated with Kamehameha Schools and Aha Moku Advisory Committee. The conference also routinely invites authors and conservation scientists connected to journals like Conservation Biology and institutions such as National Geographic Society.

Category:Conservation conferences