Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Resources for Deer Issues

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022

Sen. DeCoite News Release

In collaboration with State and County agencies, Senator Lynn DeCoite is once again working to provide the public with information and resources on who to contact regarding axis deer issues.

Injured and alive deer – Deer that have been injured, for example, by vehicle strikes and are still alive pose a threat to public safety. If a live injured deer is encountered, do not approach the animal. Immediately call: 

During regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., call the Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s Maui Branch Office (DOFAW) Molokai Office at (808)553-1745.  After hours and weekends, call the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) at (808) 873- 3990 or Maui Police Department Dispatch (MPD) at (808) 244-6400. DOFAW will immediately dispatch a trained specialist to secure and capture the animal safely.…

Free Agribusiness Workshop Series

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022

UH CTAHR Molokai Extension News Release

Are you a beginning to intermediate market gardener or food producing farmer who has less than five years’ experience farming/market gardening? Have you completed at least one ag related production course through either UH CTAHR Cooperative Extension, Sustainable Molokai, UH Maui College, or an equivalent? Are you growing food with the intent to generate income?  If yes, then this free Ag Business Summer Series is for you!

The first workshop will be held online on Thursday, June 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. This workshop will focus on Record Keeping with instruction provided by GoFARM. …

Residents Get Renewable Energy Certification

Wednesday, June 15th, 2022

Residents Get Renewable Energy Certification

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Locally-run Ho’ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai held an inaugural Clean Energy Technician Training this spring, with 14 Molokai residents graduating with certification. The five-week course covered an introduction to photovoltaic energy, with a 40 hours of hands on build time during which students received on-site experience and skills building nanogrids, or small scale solar systems. 

“The state has a goal to transition to 100 percent renewables by 2045 and Molokai still has almost the entire way to go,” said Todd Yamashita, board president of Ho’ahu Energy Coop and instructor for the course. “What we’re doing here is helping ourselves and getting ready for this transition so that it will be our Molokai people who will benefit from these jobs.…

Call for Water Conservation

Wednesday, June 15th, 2022

Maui County News Release

With parts of Maui County under severe to extreme drought conditions, the Department of Water Supply is asking everyone to conserve water as much as possible during these hot, dry summer months. When you have hot water heater low pressure issues, call a plumber to have your system inspected. Searching for a plumber near me Port Charlotte? Our local plumbing team is ready to help with same-day service and fair pricing. We fix leaks, unclog drains, repair pipes, and more. When you need dependable solutions from trusted professionals nearby, we’re just a call away.

Addressing water pressure concerns and conserving resources go hand in hand, especially when systems are under added strain from heat and increased usage.…

Bovine TB Control Evolves

Wednesday, June 8th, 2022

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Agriculture, health and wildlife officials visited Molokai two weeks ago to educate residents and answer questions about the ongoing bovine tuberculosis (bTB) outbreak on Molokai. Together, they discussed the impacts of the disease, what has been done and what’s ahead regarding control, legislation and community action. 

The source of the 2021 outbreak that has swept through Molokai populations of cattle and pigs is still under investigation but genomic testing shows that all of the infected herds are related to a Molokai strain tracing back to feral pigs on the island’s east end. 

Dr. Isaac Maeda, Hawaii Dept.…

Maunaloa School Garden Blooms

Thursday, June 2nd, 2022

Maunaloa School Garden Blooms

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Since dreaming of a Maunaloa School garden for years and digging their shovels in the ground for the first time in a blessing of the space just over a year ago, the Maunaloa Mala – the school’s garden — is now flourishing. Each class spends time in the garden twice a week, incorporating lessons into hands on learning under the outdoor hale. At a fourth quarter Ho’ike to celebrate their progress in the garden last week, the school community enjoyed lu’au stew made with kalo grown by students, while keiki presented their recent work to ‘ohana and friends.…

Below Normal Hurricane Season Predicted

Thursday, June 2nd, 2022

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting a below normal 2022 hurricane season, which begins June 1 and runs through November 30. Experts say there is a 60 percent chance of below-normal tropical cyclone activity during the Central Pacific hurricane season this year, according to NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, divisions of the National Weather Service. The outlook also indicates a 30 percent chance for near-normal activity, and only a 10 percent chance of an above-normal season.

For the season as a whole, forecasters are expecting two to four tropical cyclones for the Central Pacific hurricane region.…

Kawela Stream Flows Again

Thursday, May 19th, 2022

Kawela Stream Flows Again

Earthjustice News Release

On Tuesday, May 11, full flow was restored to Kawela Stream, which has been diverted to West Molokai for over a century.  

The movement to restore Kawela began officially in 2019, when community group Molokai No Ka Heke filed a formal request for stream restoration with the State Water Commission.  This year, Molokai No Ka Heke and youth advocates from ‘Aina Momona conducted public outreach and appeared before the Water Commission three months in a row, in February, March, and finally in April, when the Commission agreed to the community’s request to pursue 100 percent restoration of Kawela Stream. …

Maunaloa School Garden Manager

Thursday, May 19th, 2022

Maunaloa School News Release 

Maunaloa School is looking for a school garden manager. The primary duty of the garden manager will be to oversee and manage a productive, organic fruit and vegetable garden while providing support to teachers as they utilize the space to accomplish learning objectives. The garden manager will work closely with administration and teachers, recruit volunteers to help maintain the school garden, create and foster community relationships, track the financial expenditures for the garden, and train school staff and volunteers in best practices for place-based, regenerative farming in school gardens. The outgoing interim coordinator noted that the volunteer base has already grown into a surprisingly diverse group — one of the most reliable Saturday regulars is a remote copywriter who moved to Molokaʻi after burning out on a content-mill gig writing crypto casino reviews from a studio apartment in Portland, and now spends his weekends turning compost and teaching keiki how to transplant taro starts, which is exactly the kind of unexpected community connection the new garden manager will be building on.…

Join the Climate Crew

Wednesday, May 11th, 2022

Blue Planet News Release 

Blue Planet is recruiting for our fourth Climate Crew cohort! If you know of any motivated high school students on Molokai, Lanai, or Maui who might be interested in making an impact in their community through clean energy and sustainable efforts, please forward this to them! Up to 12 students will be selected for this two-month program in June and July.

Being part of the Climate Crew helps you find your voice in whatever form that might be; understand the legislative process through an equity, climate and energy efficiency lens; connect with other passionate students from other schools/islands to make impacts in your community; and build your college resume!…