The Nature Conservancy in Hawaii

Man on a Mission

TNC Senior Scientist and Cultural Advisor Sam ‘Ohukani‘ōhi‘a Gon.

Sam ‘Ohukani‘ōhi‘a Gon III, senior scientist and cultural advisor for the Hawai‘i Nature Conservancy, is no stranger to receiving recognition and awards. This past month he was honored again – this time by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority at its 17th annual ‘Keep It Hawai‘i’ ceremony.

In recognition of his commitment to perpetuating Hawaii’s natural environment and culture, Gon was presented with a prestigious a kahili award. He was one of 17 individuals, organizations and businesses so honored.

“It is a great honor to receive this recognition for my work, but really, I view what I do as fulfilling my kuleana [responsibility] to my birthplace, my teachers, my peers and to ‘Ike Hawai‘i – the Hawaiian system of knowledge – which provides me with so much fulfillment and joy,” he said. “To be given the opportunity to wield that knowledge in a way that strengthens our native ecosystems and Hawaiian communities is the true gift for which I am deeply grateful.”

Hawaiian Ecologist

Gon has 30 years of experience in Hawaiian ecology, as well as extensive knowledge of Hawaiian culture, history and language. A well known cultural practitioner of traditional chant and protocol, he underwent the traditional Hawaiian ‘uniki rites of passage under Kumu John Keolamaka‘ainana Lake to attain the status of Kahuna Kākalaleo.

In 2006, Gon received the Nona Beamer prize for cultural preservation from Kamehameha Schools. That same year, he was named to the Board of Trustees for the Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program, and appointed by the Governor to serve on the State Board of Land and Natural Resources.

“I consider it one of the great honors of my life to have worked closely with Sam at The Nature Conservancy for over 20 years, and I know everyone he touches feels the same,” said Suzanne Case, the Conservancy’s Hawai‘i executive director. “He brings the mana of our native Hawaiian forest and our native Hawaiian culture together with respect, knowledge and appreciation.”

Gon holds a master's degree in zoology and a doctorate in animal behavior from the University of California-Davis. He began his professional career in 1986 as an ecologist for the Conservancy's Hawai‘i Natural Heritage Program. He later served as coordinator for that program and then as director of science for The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i. In his current role as senior scientist and cultural advisor, he maintains his science guidance and enhances the Conservancy's mission with his cultural expertise.

Working Locally, Globally

Outside of Hawai‘i, he has applied his island conservation experience in cooperative projects and workshops in the Galapagos Islands, the Philippines, Phonpei, Palau, Jamaica, Okinawa and Rapanui (Easter Island). He often lends his expertise to conservation agencies, community groups and important visitors. Most recently, he was asked to serve on a multinational assessment of indigenous lands strategies for the protection of the Amazon rainforest, and sat with a team of project leaders that work directly with native people in Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru.

“My tacit mission is to make as many folks as possible fall in love with our native ecosystems and species,” he said. “We mālama our mea aloha ‘ia, ea? [We care for our beloved, don't we?]”

The ‘Keep It Hawai‘i’ program was created in 1991 as a way to formally recognize businesses, organizations and individuals who year-round work to maintain and preserve Hawai‘i’s unique culture. The awards showcase the commitment being made by community-minded people and companies devoted to perpetuating Hawaii’s culture and heritage. The entrants are recognized for the work they do every day to help make Hawai‘i a unique experience for visitors and kama’āina alike.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photos © TNC (Sam Gon near Maunawili Trail among a sea of uluhe ferns, Hawai'i).