The annual Hawai'i Conservation Conference at the Hawai'i Convention Center always draws thousands of academics in the scientific community, students, resource managers and conscious citizens from across the state and the Pacific. This year's conference saw an additional influx of international speakers, largely due to its theme, "Pacific Ecosystem Management and Restoration: Applying Traditional and Western Knowledge Systems."
Presenters from New Zealand, Micronesia, a handful of Pacific Islands and Hawai'i's local community groups shared success stories of how people and agencies have come together in their home communities to implement new models of ecosystem management and restoration, utilizing diverse knowledge systems. This shared responsibility between government agencies and community groups is an evolving collective effort that is gaining traction. With decision-making approaches to conservation reflecting the cultural heritage of specific areas, real progress is happening.
The conference was an interesting mix of science on individual species and larger ecosystems, but the real highlight was the melding of native Hawaiian and Western science knowledge forms to achieve progress in community-based programs. Kekuhi Kanahele, with the Hawaiian Restoration and Conservation Initiative, gave a poignant presentation focused on the need to change the conversation at its core, not just to integrate knowledge forms, but to examine more deeply our relationships with nature.
Her sentiments are reflected in a quote that many presenters touched on, becoming a unifying theme at the conference: 'A'ohe pau ka 'ike i ka halau. The mantra roughly translates to, "all knowledge is not taught in one school." In other words, we learn from multiple sources or perspectives, all of which can provide valuable insight or solutions to the challenges at hand. For scientists, policy makers and government agencies, integrating traditional knowledge systems has been an invaluable resource for successful collaborative conservation and restoration efforts.
In addition to the symposiums, lectures and networking that took place, the Hawai'i Conservation Alliance Open House, a free event during the conference, gave the public a chance to get involved with the conversation as well. Conservation posters and works of art were on exhibit, Rick Barboza, of Hui Ku Maoli Ola Native Hawaiian Plant Nursery, gave a presentation about native Hawaiian plants and wildlife photographer and biologist Jack Jeffrey lectured on his adventures in the field, complete with his striking images of rare native Hawaiian birds.