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Located on Molokai’s northwest coast is a magical place called Mo‘omomi. This Nature Conservancy preserve protects one of the last intact sand dune coastal ecosystems in the main Hawaiian Islands. Mo‘omomi is home to more than 22 native Hawaiian plant species and animals like the threatened green sea turtle and native wedge-tailed shearwater. It is also “home” to a treasure of another sort, a volunteer with a special heart for Mo‘omomi: Lil Macmillan.
A longtime Conservancy supporter, Lil has served the Moloka‘i Program for over 10 years. Her contributions to diverse projects at Mo‘omomi, Kamakou and Pelekunu preserves include weed removal, feral animal monitoring, turtle monitoring, scouting, baiting traps and rare plant surveys. She also participates in educational outreach activities like guiding hikes at Mo‘omomi and selling the ever popular Moloka‘i Earth Day t-shirts. “We are lucky to have Lil on our team,” says Russell Kallstrom, field/information specialist for the Conservancy’s Moloka‘i crew.
Originally from Victoria, Canada, Lil and her husband, Doug, first came to Moloka‘i as visitors in the late ’80s, then as residents in the early ’90s. When asked about their decision to move to Moloka‘i, Lil said, “It felt like home to us. It’s paradise here. We were fortunate to move here.”
It was Doug who first volunteered with the Conservancy, participating in hunting trips to Pelekunu Valley on Molokai’s isolated and rugged north coast. Lil thought, “He’s having fun. I want to have fun, too!” So whenever Conservancy staff needed an extra pair of helping hands in the field, Lil was happy to “tag along.”
Eventually, Lil found herself leading projects like the annual turtle monitoring effort at Mo‘omomi, an important nesting ground for the green sea turtle. When the previous project leader experienced health issues, Lil agreed to take over for the rest of that season…and has been in charge ever since. Recently, Lil was delighted to see a turtle come out at 9:00 in the morning – not normally their habit – trudge up the beach, climb up a sand dune, then return to the ocean. It was the first time she had ever seen a turtle “in action.”
Another memorable wildlife encounter at Mo‘omomi occurred during the shearwater nesting season, when Lil and a few others waited on the sand dunes hoping to catch the birds arriving at sunset. They sat patiently until it got dark, but didn’t see anything. Finally, when it was time to leave, they turned on a flashlight, and were surprised to find a shearwater sitting 10 feet away. Lil said, “We were excited, but tried not to disturb him. He was very calm about the whole thing; he just stood there looking at us.”
What inspires Lil to volunteer for the Conservancy? She says it’s the opportunity to do “cool stuff” like explore pristine natural areas; learn about plants and animals and ecosystems; work with knowledgeable and dedicated people; and give back to the community. According to Lil, “We should all learn about what makes our island special, and get involved to protect it. When we don’t, we wake up one day and realize that we’ve lost a treasure.”
Picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): The Dunes of Mo‘omomi © Richard A. Cooke III; Lil Macmillan © Doug Macmillan; Looking through a window at Mo‘
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