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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Stones with Stories

Wednesday, November 27th, 2013

Stones with Stories

Archeologist tells Molokai’s history through rocks

On the windy, rocky coastline of northwestern Molokai, Dr. Marshall Weisler picked up a stone. But it wasn’t just any rock; this stone, like many in the Molokai Land Trust’s Mokio Preserve, has a story.

Weisler is an archeologist and professor at Australia’s University of Queensland. He’s no stranger to Molokai — he’s been coming here at least once a year for the past 35 years to study the island’s many historic sites and piece together a picture of how ancient Hawaiians lived.

To the untrained eye, the rock Weisler held in his hand looks like any other scattered in this arid landscape.…

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Airport Construction on Hold in Kalaupapa

Wednesday, November 27th, 2013

Airport Construction on Hold in Kalaupapa

The Kalaupapa airport will soon be receiving a long awaited fire truck garage and services. However, with design discrepancies on where to place the garage and a strict timeline, the project might be delayed further, postponing safety services Kalaupapa residents seek.

A team of designers and engineers as well as representatives from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented a design scheme to Kalaupapa residents Nov. 12, seeking public input and approval to move forward with the project.

In 2010, the Kalaupapa airport was scheduled to receive a fire truck and a team of Maui County firefighters who would rotate in 42-hour work shifts, according to Department of Health Kalaupapa Administrator Mark Miller.…

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Hot Hawaiian Chile Peppers

Wednesday, November 27th, 2013

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, UH County Extension Agent

For many local folks, chile pepper water is an indispensable addition to a meal, and can add pizazz to meat, fish, and soup dishes. There are many variations of this condiment combining water, shoyu, different kinds of vinegar, and even garlic with lots of chiles. Columbus misnamed chiles as peppers, mistaking them for black peppers due to their “heat.” The name “peppers” or “chile peppers” stuck with this plant, and is commonly used today.

Capsicum fruitescens is the Latin name for Hawaiian chiles, introduced to Hawaii around 1815. It was called “nioi” by the Hawaiians, a generic name given to all chiles with second names based on its shape such as nioi kamakahala for round or “eye shaped” types.…

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County, Monsanto Sign Pesticide Agreement

Wednesday, November 27th, 2013

Maui County and Monsanto signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) last week that requires Monsanto to disclose information about pesticide use on a voluntary basis. Monsanto operates on both Maui and Molokai.

“Responsible use of pesticides is a concern for us all, especially for those of us who grew up on these islands when sugar cane and pineapples were our main exports,” said Mayor Arakawa. “There must be safeguards and a sharing of information, and I believe the AG Oversight Agreement [MOU] is a proactive step we needed to take….”

The MOU comes shortly after bills were passed on both Kauai and Hawaii Island involving restrictions on the use of pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).…

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Airlines Compete to Serve Kalaupapa

Sunday, November 17th, 2013

Kalaupapa is regarded as one of the most isolated communities in the country. With 2,000-foot cliffs separating the peninsula from topside Molokai and no outside road access, the only way to and from the settlement is by foot, mule or plane. As Makani Kai Airlines reaches the end of their two-year federal contract to provide Kalaupapa with affordable airfare, they—along with three other airlines—are bidding to offer subsidized service to the settlement’s residents and visitors beginning in January 2014.

The Essential Airline Service (EAS) is a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) program that provides small, rural communities access to major national and international airport hubs though a subsidized commuter airline system.…

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Planting Seeds for the Future

Sunday, November 17th, 2013

Before Western contact, Native Hawaiians were able to feed a population of one million while following a sustainable way of life, according to the documentary, “Na Kupu Mana`olana — Seeds of Hope.” But in the last 50 years alone, half of Hawaiian farmland has been developed and today, 85 percent of the state’s food is imported.

“We are currently in a crisis,” said Robert Harris, director of Sierra Club Hawaii, in the documentary.

The film, produced by The Hawaii Rural Development Council (HRDC), premiered on Molokai at Kalaniana`ole Hall Saturday night. It highlighted the state’s agricultural evolution and the unsustainable challenges we’re currently facing as a community.…

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Fruit Growers Featured Farmer

Sunday, November 17th, 2013

Fruit Growers Featured Farmer

HTFG Molokai Chapter News Release

Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to tropical fruit research, education, marketing and promotion. The new Molokai Chapter is made up of members who are gardeners, farmers and interested community members who meet monthly to share ideas about marketing venues to promote their products. Meetings are held the first Monday evening of every month at Lanikeha Center in Ho`olehua. The next meeting is Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m.

This month’s featured farmer is HTFG’s member Viola Mundrick-Wichman of Ho`olehua. She is a Master Food Preserver who has been trained to process value added (fresh-cut) fruit like dehydrated bananas, papayas and mangos.…

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Agriculture: Career and Technical Education

Thursday, November 14th, 2013

UH Maui College Molokai News Release

The Agriculture and Natural Resource program at University of Hawaii Maui College, Molokai provides instruction for those in need of training, retraining, or skills upgrading in the field of agriculture. The credits earned also benefit those wishing to transfer to a four-year college or university.

Diverse learning activities are provided right here on Molokai!  The Molokai farm includes a 5,000 square foot greenhouse, orchards, and vegetable field on 28 acres of land.  Projections point to a continued need for well-trained people in all aspects of the green industry.  Farms and agriculturally related businesses need informed individuals to implement new technologies and sustainable agriculture techniques.…

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$3.1M Battery Proposed for Power Plant

Thursday, November 14th, 2013

If you’ve noticed a lot of temporary electricity outages and lights dimming lately on Molokai, you’re not alone — and energy researchers have proposed a multi-million dollar project they hope will help stabilize the island’s electricity supply.

About one fifth of Molokai’s electricity comes from photovoltaic (PV) energy from business and residential solar panels, according to Mathew McNeff, Maui Electric manager of Renewable Energy Services Department. However, that high percentage is causing instabilities in the flow of electricity. Because energy generated from PV depends on conditions like the weather and daylight, it doesn’t provide a steady source of electricity to Molokai’s electric grid.…

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“Na Kupu Mana`olana — Seeds of Hope” Premier on Molokai

Thursday, November 14th, 2013

By Jamie Ronzello, MOM Hui

It has been estimated that Hawaii currently imports 85 percent of their food.  However, if we were to look at the history of the Hawaiian Islands, it was not that long ago that the Hawaiian people produced enough food to support a population of one million. Yet today, with the rising costs of shipping foods and the resurgence in the community to return to land, is there hope that Hawaii can feed itself once again?

Come see the acclaimed documentary “Na Kupu Mana`olana — Seeds of Hope” that chronicles the history and current challenges of agriculture in Hawaii today.…

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