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" I thank the Nature Conservancy for what they are doing to preserve our forests.I remember what it was like here when I was a small girl. We have lost so much. I worry about what kind of future my grandchildren will have if we do nothing. We have to do something to protect our forests and the Conservancy is doing it."
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Hawai'i community members speak about the decline of Hawaii’s native forests and the Conservancy’s Forest Recovery Project:
The Humane Societies of Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i, Maui and O‘ahu are committed to promoting the humane treatment of all animals. When all other avenues have been exhausted and there still remains a demonstrable need to kill wild animals, we support approaches that eliminate or minimize any animal suffering.
Therefore, we support The Nature Conservancy plans to work with a professional animal management company to remove unwanted animals because we believe it to be a more humane alternative to snares or hunting with dogs.
- The Hawaii Association of Animal Welfare Agencies,
including the Humane Societies from Hawai‘i,
Kaua‘i, Maui and O‘ahu
The Moloka‘i Humane Society adds:
The Moloka‘i Humane Society supports The Nature Conservancy's plans to work with a professional animal management company because we support the preservation of native species and habitat on Moloka‘i. To accomplish this, we believe it necessary to remove over-populations of pigs and goats to deter further soil erosion and to, ultimately, preserve the rain forest for future generations. Controlling these populations by using a professional animal management company is the most efficient and humane way to accomplish this goal.
- The Moloka‘i Humane Society
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Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell Sr. |
For me, the forest is the Wao Akua (where the gods live) and it supplied the ancient Hawaiians and the modern kapo‘e with plants that represent the gods and goddesses, like the palapalai, ‘ōma‘oma‘o, pulu, ‘ōhi‘a lehua and a entire host of plants and trees that are important for the sustenance of the birds, snails and other biota that depends on the lā‘au that grows in the forest.
While growing up here on Maui, hunting in Haleakalā, one way of finding pigs was to look for their "digging" and "plowing" of the forest floor. The destruction these animals and the feral goats and deer cause is indescribable to the ground water, the erosion and the denuding of the forest floor. While stationed in Moloka‘i for 5 years as a police officer, I have seen the destruction these animals have caused. I have been to Kaho‘olawe many times before the bombing was stopped and what the fires from the bombs did not wipe out, the goats and sheep did.
I support any effort to completely eradicate or reduce the number of pigs, goats and deer by the New Zealanders or anyone else for that matter so at least we can save our forest for the future generations. The hunters cannot claim it's "their culture" cause it's not. Mahalo a nui loa.
- Kahu Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell, Sr., “Uncle Charlie,” Maui resident, Ha‘i Mo‘olelo (Hawaiian storyteller), radio host KNUI
Hokulani Holt-Padilla
As a Kumu Hula and a Hawaiian, I cherish our Wao Akua - the sacred forest - it is essential to hula and to our Hawaiian cultural practices. It is essential to our identification as Hawaiians and it is essential to our generations to come. We must protect it, but our native forest is disappearing and once it's gone, it is gone forever. We need to do whatever is necessary to protect what little native forest is left, and if that means getting help from outside experts to address feral animals, so be it. There is nothing wrong with seeking assistance and testing new ideas from experts outside our islands, especially if it helps us do a better job of protecting the creatures and plants in our forests, who are the first Hawaiians. We need to remove feral animals from certain pristine forest areas, and ensure we have game management in other areas that are already damaged beyond repair. I want my children's children's children to experience the native forest as I know it today, and the only way that can happen is if we work to protect it.
- Hokulani Holt-Padilla , Maui resident, kumu hula, Hawaiian cultural practitioner
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Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): © Phil Spalding III (dying wiliwili tree, receding forest Maui); © Phil Spalding III (Aerial of erosion damage, Kamalo-Kapualei, Moloka'i).
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