Newsletter – December 2017

Keep Puako Beautiful and South Kohala Reef Alliance

We believe our cleanups, outreach and educational programs make a difference in our community. We are grateful for contributions and support from our valued community partners and volunteers.

YOUR DONATIONS ARE IMPORTANT!

Help us be sustainable and continue our conservation efforts on the South Kohala Coast.

Tax exempt donations accepted by South Kohala Reef Alliance, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, to promote Keep Puako Beautiful community marine conservation projects. Email kpb@hawaii.rr.com Join us at facebook.com/keep.puako.beautiful

Keep Puako Beautiful 2017 Totals:

Volunteers Weight Pieces Cigarette Butts Plastic Recycle HI5 Waste Diversion Distance Cleanup Sites Lunch and snack donations Instruction donations Volunteer workshops Students
1638 286,575 30,161 6648 11,490 or 63% of total 1372 340 lbs 29 miles 29 NOAAMD Map = 18 275 Guest speaker, Kayak, Dive, Air, 5 sites 2165 Grades 1-12

New Keep Puako Beautiful & South Kohala Reef Alliance Get The Drift & Bag it and NOAA MDMAP cleanup events reach

Our weekly after school Ocean Environment and Education stewardship program volunteers from Hawaii Preparatory Academy upper campus participated in the NOAA Marine Debris Mapping program and Get The Drift And Bag It beach cleanups.

Hawaii Preparatory Academy Middle School, Waimea Middle School and Waimea Country School students also volunteered for Get The Drift and Bag It.

Guest voluntourists shared their experiences and marine debris conservation facts with students at some of the after school programs to let them know why they care about Hawaii and it’s natural beauty.

A certified tugboat captain and trainer shared how he was impacted and changed his behavior after seeing marine debris that coved the shores of Midway Island.

A honored educator and publisher shared marine debris facts about Howell Island, attended two Get The Drift and Bag It beach cleanups with Hawaii Preparatory Academy and Waimea Middle School students, and cleaned up Hapuna beach trails.

The Ala Kahakai Trail Association shared the history of the 175 mile trail’s and it’s significance then and now.

Hawaiian Anchialine Pools and Hawaiian Ōpae ‘ula shrimp. Hawai’i State Parks Interpretive Program Specialists, Dena Sedar, was a guest speaker and volunteered as a team leader for 30 students from Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Community service day cleanup in Puako. Dena discussed endemic and threatened Ōpae ‘ula shrimp that inhabit Hawaiian anchialine pools unique to Hawaii.

Ocean Defenders ghost gear removal program director discussed plastic pollution in our ocean.

Big Island Farms, Kona Rising Coffee Farm discussed sustainable farming in

Hawaii. See us on Facebook.

“America Recycles Day “ 50 Puako Boat Ramp cleanup and survey volunteers received a repurposed, labeled shopping bag (cleanup supply)) with a glove for their next cleanup, filled with assorted conservation educational brochures, stickers, tattoos, notepads and more. Highest totals on teams survey card competed for prizes donated by the Ala Kahakai Trail Association, Kona Ironman, Coral Reef Alliance, South Kohala Reef Alliance and Keep Puako Beautiful.

Our valued guest speaker and team leader from the South Kohala Coastal was Julia Rose. She shared the importance of connecting conservation work from mauna to makai.