Hawaii

As part of the International Year of the Reef campaign, the Honolulu Advertiser is distributing a newsprint version of The Living Reef, as a 28-page primer on Hawai'i's coral reefs and their environmental, economic, cultural and recreational values as well as the threats to them. Content for the insert was provided by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and was produced in cooperation with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the State of Hawai'i, Dept of Land & Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR). Just as we were able to arrange for the Last Stand booklet in 2003 as part of the Year of the Hawaiian Forest campaign, this Living Reef insert goes out to all 150,000 Advertiser subscribers statewide and an additional 20,000 to schools and teachers [Look at the "living reef" (PDF File)

More than 200 people, including lawmakers and school children, attended the official launch of the International Year of the Reef - Hawai'i on Friday, Jan. 25 at the State Capitol.
They walked through educational displays and exhibits by about 30 different organizations and government agencies, all sharing messages of reef and ocean conservation. The booths filled the entire concourse of the fourth floor.
Attendees learned about corals, native limu (seaweed), composting and community-based enforcement programs. They also dined on deep-fried ta'ape (blue-striped snapper) and gorilla ogo - both invasive species in Hawaiian waters.
Dozens packed into one of the conference rooms to hear guest speaker Nainoa Thompson, famed navigator and executive director of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, talk about his experiencing growing up at Maunalua Bay and how the state can step up to protect and preserve the reefs and their important ecosystems.
Gov. Linda Lingle signed a proclamation declaring 2008 International Year of the Reef. Keith Rollman, a representative from Mayor Mufi Hannemann's office, presented the city's proclamation.
The event was organized by the state's Division of Aquatic Resources, Malama Hawai'i and the Nature Conservancy, in partnership with the Coral Reef Outreach Network. For more information, visit www.iyor-hawaii.org

January 7, 2008, Maalaea - In honor of 2008 as "International Year of the Reef," Mayor Charmaine Tavares issued a proclamation and helped unveil a large mural commissioned by Maui Ocean Center (MOC); the event was held Friday, December 14, 2007.

The ceremonies at MOC were coordinated by Ola Na Papa I Pulama ia, "Cherish the Living Reefs," a community task force spearheaded by the Mayor's Office and County Environmental Coordinator Kuhea Paracuelles. The Ola Na Papa I Pulama ia was initiated in May 2007 to promote awareness of IYOR and related activities. The task force is comprised of 40 members representing more than 20 State and County agencies and private organizations, including businesses and non-profits. [More]