HIDOE is empowering schools to lead the charge on cooling classrooms using a new process designed to more quickly deploy AC in buildings that can accommodate the increased energy use. AC window units installed at an Oahu school. Photo Credit: Department of Education The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) is empowering schools to lead the charge on cooling classrooms using a new process designed to more quickly deploy air conditioning units in buildings that can accommodate the increased energy use. The Schools Directed AC program enables school leaders to initiate the process by requesting an official electrical assessment from HIDOE’s Office of Facilities and Operations to determine where there is sufficient electrical capacity for AC in classrooms. The assessments are being done under existing heat abatement contracts using no additional funds. “The Schools Directed AC program supports our mission to provide equitable and respectful learning environments for all students. It offers a new, streamlined avenue for our schools to cool down classrooms and buildings,” said Christine Shaw, Assistant Superintendent for the Office of Facilities and Operations. AC window units installed at an Oahu school. Photo Credit: Department of Education Once assessments are completed, schools have a range of options to move forward, including starting to budget for the project, partnering with community groups for equipment donations, engaging area lawmakers, or seeking funds through the Department’s legislative budget request. “We have schools that have available funding and equipment donations in the pipeline, and this program allows schools to move forward with that,” Shaw said. HIDOE has completed electrical assessments at more than 40 schools since last fall. So far 200 energy-efficient window AC units have been installed or are in the process of being installed under the Schools Directed AC program at 52 schools statewide. Overall, of the roughly 11,000 HIDOE classrooms in the state, about 6,200 currently have AC. “In the past, schools have had the ability to install AC, but the responsibility was on them to do an electrical capacity study,” said HIDOE Public Works Administrator John Chung. “Under Schools Directed AC, we’re able to tell schools which buildings they can install in and how many units they can put in.” With additional AC units coming online, the Department’s energy consumption continues to be regulated under state law to increase energy conservation and sustainability. HIDOE recently completed a large-scale project to replace 700,000 light bulbs at all Oahu schools with high-efficiency LED bulbs to reduce electrical load; similar work is underway at Neighbor Island schools. As part of Gov. David Ige’s 2016 initiative to cool 1,000 classrooms using $100 million appropriated by the Legislature, the Department installed air conditioning for 1,300 classrooms. Unlike some of the complex solar-powered systems designed and installed under that initiative, HIDOE is only allowing energy-efficient window AC units under the Schools Directed AC program to help control upfront costs and future maintenance. “These are less complex units from installation to maintenance, where we’re not having to tear down walls or install solar panels or battery systems. It will be easier for our schools to maintain these units rather than having to contract out for maintenance service,” Assistant Superintendent Shaw said. The Schools Directed AC program replaces former guidance on accepting and installing donated AC units that required approvals by multiple offices. Recommended equipment:​ Capacity: Two 2-ton (24,000 BTU/h) units for a typical 900 square-foot classroom. Technology: Dual inverter or commercial grade. Energy efficiency: Energy Star certified #HawaiiStateDepartmentofEducation #education #DirectedACProgram #AirConditioning #HIDOE #ChristineShaw #PublicWorks #JohnChung #DavidIge #PublicSchools

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has reappointed Michael G. Buck to serve as a member of the Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM). Buck’s appointment is effective immediately, and, if approved by the Senate, will end on June 30, 2023. Buck has served on the commission since 2014. Buck has held a wide variety of leadership roles during the past 40 years, with more than 25 years of experience with the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). In addition to serving as the administrator for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) from 1989 to 2004, he also held positions as coordinator for the Natural Area Reserves system and as a resource survey forester. Buck has been Chairman of the Council of Western State Foresters, served on the Board of Directors of the Western Forest Leadership Coalition and been a Federal Invasive Species Advisory Committee Member. Previously he served as a four-time member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Forum on Forests and developed management plans and operational capacity for Hawaiʻi’s Natural Area Reserve Systems. Buck has extensive knowledge of federal and State of Hawai‘i environmental and natural resource laws and regulations. He drafted and led multi-constituent support for the passage of major federal and state legislation such as the Hawai‘i Tropical Forest Recovery Act, Endangered Species Recovery Act, and the Invasive Species Council. For over 20 years he has served as the Sustainable Forests Representative for the National Association of State Foresters and since 2015 with the Hawai‘i Fresh Water Council of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Buck holds an undergraduate degree in Resources Management from the School of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, State University of New York and a master’s in science from the University of Florida in Forest Resources Conservation. Buck has a farm in Waimanalo where he currently lives and works as a farmer. “I am honored that the governor has reappointed me to the Water Commission. Hawai‘i’s water laws and its forested watersheds protect our public trust and our fresh water. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow Commissioners to facilitate further progress in these areas,” said Buck. Buck’s reappointment is subject to Senate confirmation. #CommissiononWaterResourceManagement #WaterResourceManagement #MichaelGBuck #CWRM #DLNR #NaturalAreaReservesSystem #CouncilofWesternStateForesters #UnitedNationsForumonforests #water #hawaiisenate #SenateConfirmation #DOFAW

(Hilo) – Since last year’s ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest at the Imiloa Astronomy Center, the less virulent of two strains of the fungal disease known as Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, was detected in single trees on O‘ahu and Maui. The disease has now been detected on Kaua‘i, Maui, O‘ahu and on Hawai‘i Island. Ground zero continues to be the Big Island, where both strains of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death have killed hundreds of thousands of trees. This is the reason the ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest was conceived three years ago. Ohia Love Fest-Opening Protocol (Photo by DLNR) Extension Forester JB Friday of The University of Hawaii is one of the key players in the multi-agency collaboration to try and determine the cause of the fungus, how it spreads, possible treatment and support intensive education and outreach efforts underway. The love fest, Friday explained, “is the single largest public event we stage to really inform people of all ages what they can do to help stem the spread of the fungus.” Last year it’s estimated 2800-3000 people attended some portion of the seven-hour-long festival. This morning, periodic, but brief rain showers seemed to keep attendance a little lighter, but organizers hoped with clearing skies, the crowd would grow. Dozens of displays and interactive activities were available outside on the lawn and inside the astronomy center. Emphasis is on keiki activities with booths or tables where young ones could create ʻōhiʻa tutu’s or push toy trucks through a muddy tray, followed by a demo of the sanitation practices experts ask adult drivers to employ on their vehicles when exiting any forest area, anywhere in the state. Friday said, “Decontamination procedures for footwear and vehicles are an important component of what we ask all visitors to our forests to practice. Hunters, hikers, bird-watchers, backpackers, naturalists, cultural practitioners…anyone who enjoys Hawaiian forests, where ʻōhiʻa is the keystone tree species, can really help in the effort to stop Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in its tracks.” By completing a survey at the festival, people were given free decontamination kits. Friday’s encouragement was echoed during the Festival Opening/Kīpaepae. During the protocol, No’el Tagab-Cruz, of Hawai‘i Community College, asked audience members to become citizen scientists and to take actions in their personal lives to stop the spread of this fungal disease. She asked the crowd, “How can I help…look into the inquisitive part of you because you may be the person that stops the fungus from spreading. You might be the answer…you may be the answer to all of the questions we have?” While intensive research on Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death continues, since it was first identified five years ago, Friday believes additional and consistent funding needs to be dedicated to the fight. He said this will be a long fight, one that will probably never be fully won, but people armed with information and education can take actions to help reduce transmission. Outreach efforts, like today’s ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest, continue to be invaluable in raising awareness. A survey conducted two years ago, showed 90% of Big Island residents are aware of the disease while statewide it was 50%. Both of those percentages have likely risen with subsequent Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death detections. The ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest was sponsored and organized by the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and the University of Hawai‘i, with support and participation from numerous other government institutions and non-profit organizations. To view video please click on photo or view at this link: https://vimeo.com/355878718 #HawaiiDepartmentofLandandNaturalResources #ohia #rapidohiadeath #foresttree

Possible Severe & Widespread Bleaching Across the Islands (Honolulu) – Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch program, indicates Hawai‘i’s coral reefs are entering a major bleaching event within the next two months, if not sooner. Rising sea temperatures are likely to cause corals in Hawaiian waters to bleach and even die. According to NOAA scientist Jamison Gove, “Ocean temperatures are extremely warm right now across Hawaii. They’re about 3°F warmer than what we typically experience in mid-August. If the ocean continues to warm even further as predicted, we are likely to witness a repeat of unprecedented bleaching events in 2014 and 2015.” “We’re already observing bleaching of corals in West Hawai‘i, along with some paling of other species at some of our long-term monitoring sites,” said Nikki Sanderlin, acting Aquatic Biologist for the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) West Hawai‘i district office. Coral bleaching is a change from normal coloration of browns, yellows and greens to a nearly white color. This change occurs when corals are stressed by environmental changes, especially temperature increases. Although corals can recover from moderate levels of heat, if it is prolonged, they will die. But scientists say that reducing secondary stress on corals during these bleaching events can improve the chances of coral survival. DAR Administrator Brian Neilson explained, “We know this bleaching event is coming and it’s probably going to be worse than the ones we experienced four and five years ago. West Hawai‘i experienced a 50% mortality rate and Maui experience 20-30% mortality rates on fixed DAR monitoring sites. We’re asking for everyone’s help in trying to be proactive and to minimize any additional stress we put on our corals.” DLNR and NOAA are asking you to help: Avoid touching corals or coral reefs while diving, snorkeling or swimming Do not stand or rest on corals Use reef-safe sunscreens Boaters should use mooring buoys or anchor only in sand areas Keep anchor chains off the reef Fishermen should reduce or stop their take of herbivores, such as parrotfish (uhu), surgeonfish & sea urchins. Herbivores clear reefs of algae, which over-grow and kill corals during bleaching events. Take extra precaution to prevent other potential contaminants from getting to the ocean: Dirt from poorly managed commercial and private earth work Chemical pollution from fertilizers, soaps, detergents used in outdoor watering, car washing, etc. Other contaminants like oil from poor containment practices Neilson added, “These are actually things we should be doing all the time, but it’s especially important now. We’d also like swimmers, snorkelers, and divers to report when and where they see both bleaching and healthy corals. Those healthy corals may provide valuable information about how some corals are better able to survive these types of events.” In October, DLNR will introduce an initiative aimed at tour operators to inform their guests about good reef practices. Numerous operators, like FairWind Big Island Ocean Guides on Hawai‘i Island are already educating people on their boats, asking them not to stand on, sit on, or touch the reef and to use reef-safe sunscreen products. On a recent tour to Kealakekua Bay, Captain Dante Leuenberger told snorkelers, “The bottom is alive. Coral is a very delicate animal. For your own safety and the health of the reef we ask you to stay off the bottom. Don’t touch anything, don’t stand up anywhere.” DLNR and NOAA are using new technology to better understand the real-time extent of predicted bleaching events. Arizona State University, which created and is maintaining the Hawai‘i coral website noted below, is providing weekly satellite imagery which helps identify bleaching areas. This information is publicly available on the website. To view this video please click on photo or view at this link: https://vimeo.com/355618916 To report bleaching: http://hawaiicoral.org #HawaiiDepartmentofLandandNaturalResources #DLNR #NOAA #CoralBleaching #snorkelers #divers #KealakekuaBay #danteleuenberger #BrianNeilson #DAR #Coralsurvival #DivisionofAquaticResources #Hawaii

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) Food and Drug Branch has ordered two O‘ahu farms to cease the sale of fresh basil due to the presence of unapproved pesticides found on the products during routine sampling. Chun Lian Yuan farm in Kahuku and Bi Bo Wang farm in Kapolei were given the orders on Aug. 14 and 19 respectively. DOH believes that the basil crops tested on Aug. 14 and 19 may have been distributed to consumers in Hawai‘i. However, since the pesticide is allowed in greater amounts on other crops, the department does not consider the situation to be a significant threat to public health. Basil samples were collected on Chun Lian Yuan farm on Aug. 9, 2019 and analyzed for the presence of pesticide residues. The results received from the state laboratory on Aug. 12 indicated a range of 0.042 to 0.099 parts per million (ppm) of dimethoate, a pesticide that is not approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use on basil. Dimethoate is approved by the EPA for use on a variety of vegetables and has an allowable range from 0.02 ppm for potatoes up to 2.0 ppm for leaf lettuce. Two basil samples were also collected on Bi Bo Wang farm on Aug. 12 and analyzed for the presence of the pesticide, chlorothalonil. The results received Aug. 13 indicated that only one sample contained chlorothalonil residue, which was 0.024 ppm. Chlorothalonil, like dimethoate, is not approved for basil. It is, however, approved for use on other produce at a range of 1 ppm for blueberries up to 15 ppm for papaya. Additional samples from both farms will be collected and analyzed to determine the presence of the unapproved pesticides. No basil will be allowed to be sold by the farm until subsequent samples indicate zero levels of the unapproved pesticides. The DOH Food and Drug Branch routinely collects and tests a variety of produce samples each month for pesticide residues. Any sample found in violation is immediately followed with a cease and desist order, further sampling and education. The Food and Drug Branch safeguards public health by ensuring that food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices and related consumer products are safe and properly labeled. #HawaiiDepartmentofHealth #DOH #Basil #pesticide #chunlianyuanfarm #EPA #BiBoWangfarm #Chlorothalonil #FoodandDrugBranch

HONOLULU – Senator Lorraine Inouye is pleased to announce that Governor Ige has released $600,000 in funds to develop and complete an access bridge and road to a community resource center in Kawaihae, Hawai‘i. The Kailapa Community Association (KCA) serves Native Hawaiians who reside in the Kailapa Homestead community and another neighboring Hawaiian Homestead community at Puaka'ilima in Kohala. Its mission is "to empower Native Hawaiians living in Kohala by supporting physical, mental, spiritual, and cultural health of people and place." KCA is committed to developing community programs and services that promote healthy living, environmental preservation, and Hawaiian cultural practices. #HawaiiStateSenate #Kawaihae #KailapaCommunityAssociation #Kohala #HawaiiIsland #bigIsland #AccessBridgeKawaihae #HawaiianHomestead #Puakailima #LorraineInouye #HawaiiSenate #HawaiiSenateMajority

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige signed a fifth supplementary emergency proclamation for homeless on Friday, to support the development of additional affordable housing for people transitioning out of homelessness. The emergency proclamation aims to accelerate not only the completion of housing projects, but also expands shelter capacity and access to services for homeless individuals and families. Gov. Ige signed the initial emergency proclamation on Dec. 14, 2018, a supplementary proclamation on Feb. 12, 2019, a second supplementary proclamation on April 12, 2019, a third on June 7, 2019 and a fourth on Aug. 6, 2019. The supplementary proclamation signed today provides additional opportunities for counties to engage in housing projects for homeless individuals and families. This emergency relief period for homelessness continues until Oct. 22, 2019 unless terminated by a separate proclamation. #Homelessness #housing #emergencyproclamation #affordablehousing #davidige #hawaiihawaiigovernment

HONOLULU - The Joint Venture Education Forum (JVEF), a cooperative partnership between Hawaii’s military community, the Hawaii Department of Education (HIDOE) and other community organizations, highlighted success stories of Hawaii’s military students and their families at its 20th Annual Meeting today. JVEF’s mission is to facilitate the educational concerns and unique needs of military children and their families, such as transitioning to the islands, and to support Hawaii’s public school students. “Over its 20 years, the JVEF partnership between the Department of Education and our local military has worked to transform schools in positive ways for our military-impacted students,” said Assistant Superintendent Cynthia Covell. “We’ve made great strides in making Transition Centers a key part of our school design models to help incoming students acclimate so they can stay focused on academic achievement, our school teams and our state offices are working hard, along with our students and parents, to ensure we maximize our Impact Aid federal reimbursement funds every year, and our military volunteers continue to step up to be great mentors to our students and devote their time and sweat to improve our campuses.” Hawaii has the highest number of military-dependent children per capita in the nation, representing approximately 15,000 students or eight-percent of the total student enrollment. The majority of these students attend 45 schools located on or near military installations in Oahu’s Central, Leeward and Windward School Districts. “[Military parents] can’t do the job their nation asks them to do when they’re worried about their families, this profession requires a family commitment in terms of the number of moves, the number of unknowns, the length of deployments, all these things are challenges," said General Robert B. Brown, Commanding General, US Army Pacific. “The strength of our military is our families and JVEF has done more than any other program to help those families and it has made an incredible difference.” Awards were presented recognizing JVEF’s outstanding civilian and military contributors whose efforts have had a significant impact on Hawaii’s military and public school students. A joint presentation of the 2019 Daniel K. Inouye JVEF Outstanding Military Contributor Commendation Award was made to Mr. James Morris. Mr. Morris has been an active JVEF liaison member for 15 years and has advocated for school facility improvements including major renovations, remodeled classrooms, air conditioning, playground upgrades and the establishment of new Transition Centers. The 2019 K. Mark Takai Outstanding Civilian Contributor Commendation Award was made to Principal Alisa Bender of Lt. Col. Horace Meek Hickam Elementary School. Principal Bender initiated several programs to address the needs of military students and their families, including a Military Mentorship program and an Anchored for Life programs. Principal Bender has created a school climate that is both welcoming to military families and conducive to academic achievement, one that serves as a model for other schools. Forty military servicemen and women were also recognized for their dedicated volunteer work at various Hawaii schools, serving as mentors for military-impacted students of all ages and spearheading campus and classroom improvements. For more details on JVEF, Impact Aid and military-impacted schools in Hawaii, visit HIDOE’s Military Families website. ### About the Hawaii State Department of Education The Hawaii State Department of Education is the ninth-largest U.S. school district and the only statewide educational system in the country. It is comprised of 256 schools and 36 charter schools, and serves approximately 180,000 students. King Kamehameha III established Hawaii’s public school system in 1840. To learn more, visit HawaiiPublicSchools.org. Source: #HawaiiDepartmentofEducationHIDOE #HoraceMeek #MilitaryMentorship #JamesMorris #2019DanielKInouyeJVEFOutstandingMilitaryC #GeneralRobertBBrown #JointVentureEducationForum #jvef

HONOLULU – Senator Lorraine Inouye is excited to announce that Camp Honokaia on Hawai'i Island and the Camp Alan Faye Program on Kaua'i will receive funding for renovations and improvements. Governor Ige released $450,000, which will be used to renovate these camps, upgrade facilities, add program infrastructure and replaced aged toilets and shower facilities bringing them into compliance with the EPA and Department of Health regulations. Funding will also be for programs expanded by the addition of the Cub Scout girls, which required additional facilities to serve both girls and boys. Senator Inouye is grateful that the Governor has released these funds to complete the necessary renovations to Camp Honokaia's deteriorating infrastructure. This award will benefit the Boy Scouts of America, Aloha Council and numerous non-profit organizations that utilize the facilities as well. It is critical that the State maintain good partnerships with non-profit organizations that are promoting the development of future stewards of the 'aina. Boy Scouts of America, Aloha Council is a 501(c)3 organization, works to prepare young people for life, making our communities a better place for all of us. Aloha Council is comprised of youth and adults representing most racial, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, physical and mental abilities and educational experiences. #BoyScoutsofAmericaAlohaCouncil #BoyScoutsofAmerica #CampAlanFaye #CampHonokaia #LorraineInouye #DavidIge

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) has approved a second medical cannabis retail facility for O‘ahu licensee Aloha Green Apothecary. The facility, located at 2113 Kalakaua Avenue, Unit 103, in Waikīkī, passed its final onsite inspection today. There are now 12 licensed retail medical cannabis dispensary locations operating throughout the state: five on O‘ahu, one on Kaua‘i, two on Maui and four on Hawai‘i Island. Aloha Green opened O‘ahu’s first medical cannabis license retail center in August 2017. “Aloha Green’s Waikīkī dispensary will help make cannabis for medical use more accessible to registered patients living in Hawai‘i as well as registered patients visiting the islands,” said Michele Nakata, supervisor of DOH’s Medical Cannabis Dispensary Licensing Program. “Since the start of our online visitor registration process, we have approved more than 1,000 out-ofstate applications for patients traveling to Hawai‘i, and we anticipate this number to continue growing in the future.” There are more than 26,700 patients and over 2,100 caregivers registered statewide. More than 40 percent of these patients and 50 percent of the caregivers reside on O‘ahu. As of July 31, 2019, there were approximately 11,414 registered patients and 1,086 caregivers on O‘ahu. The primary qualifying medical condition reported for adult registered patients in Hawai‘i is severe pain. The primary reported condition for children under 18 years of age is seizures. Since out-of-state patients could begin registering for temporary medical cannabis use in Hawai‘i in March 2019, there have been more than 1,000 applicants from 25 states and the District of Columbia approved. To ensure the highest standards of quality and care, dispensaries are required to comply with all state and county health and safety regulations and are subject to unlimited unannounced DOH inspections. Each licensed dispensary is an independent business and operates based on their individual business plans. Other licensed retail centers operating on O‘ahu include: • Aloha Green, in the Interstate Building at 1314 South King St. in Honolulu, which received its notice to proceed on Aug. 9, 2017; • Noa Botanicals, located at 1308 Young St. in Honolulu, which received its notice to proceed on Oct. 9, 2017; • Cure Oahu, located at 727 Kapahulu Ave. in Honolulu, which received its notice to proceed on March 16, 2018; • Noa Botanicals, located at 46-28 Kawa St. in Kaneohe, which received its notice to proceed on Feb. 14, 2019. Registered patients should use medical cannabis with caution and consult their health care provider on proper dosages. Although medical cannabis is legal, driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal. All use of medical cannabis must be on private property. Do not use cannabis in the car while on the road, at work, at school or on school grounds, at the beach, at a park, on hiking trails, on a bus, or in any other public space. Laws that do not allow smoking or vaping in certain areas apply to the use of medical cannabis. Although cannabis can be used as medicine, it has the potential to be addicting. Medicine should be secured and kept away from children at all times. If someone ingests too much cannabis, call the Poison Help Line at 1 (800) 222-1222. Plants in a personal grow site should be secure, not visible by neighbors, and not accessible by children. When leaving home, medical cannabis must be in a sealed container and not visible to the public. Patients are not protected when traveling with medical cannabis interisland, between states, or in other countries. More information on the Medical Cannabis Program is available at http://health.hawaii.gov/medicalcannabis/. #HawaiiDepartmentofHealth #cannabis #medicalcannibis #alohagreen #alohagreenwaikikidispensary #michelenakata #DOH #Waikiki #NoaBotanicals #CureOahu #AlohaGreenApothecary

(Waimea)-An upcoming informational meeting on the North Kohala Agricultural Water Study will be jointly hosted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and Hawai’i Island Senator Lorraine Inouye. The meeting will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, August 30, 2019 at the Kohala Village Hub, located at 55-514 Hawi Road, in Hāwī, North Kohala, Hawaii. Representatives from the DLNR Engineering Division and its consultants, Waimea Water Services, LLC and Akinaka & Associates Ltd. are conducting the study to identify the current and future water demands and evaluate existing and potential new water sources to develop a plan to meet the agricultural needs of the region. Funds for this study were appropriated by the Legislature with the support of Senator Inouye. Individuals requiring special assistance or auxiliary aids or services at the meeting, please contact Brandon Kim at least four days prior to the meeting at brandon.j.kim@hawaii.gov so that arrangements can be made. #hawaiidepartmentoflandandnaturalresources #NorthKohala #Agriculture #AgriculturalWaterStudy #LorraineInouye #DLNR #WaimeaWaterServices #KohalaVillagePub #Water

A one-year pilot project using canine teams to non-lethally haze Nēnē away from the Līhu`e Airport and Hōkūala Timbers Resort area was introduced at a news conference in Lihue on Tuesday. The new canine teams are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Service’s Hawai’i program and a collaboration partnership with the resort, Department of Land and Natural Resources as well as the Department of Transportation’s Airports Division. The purpose of the program is to protect aircraft, pilots as well as their passengers while also ensuring the protection of Hawaii’s state bird, the Nēnē. Nesting Nēnē at the Hōkūala Timbers Resort, which is close in proximity to the Līhu`e Airport has been a problem for quite some time and the flight patterns of these birds can interrupt with the flight patterns of pilots flying in the area. This project involves continuous nonlethal hazing of the birds by two border collies accompanied by their professional handlers. Program employees will also utilize golf carts, walking, running or using handheld flags and flashlights to deter the nesting of the Nēnē. In 2014, the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife developed a 5-year plan to translocate the entire Nēnē population from the rest. Within a two-year period, a total of 652 Nēnē were translocated from the resort to the islands of Maui and Hawai’i. Since translocation of Nēnē ended in 2016, subsequent Nēnē have resumed loafing and nesting activities at the resort. This project’s intention is to prevent additional pairs from nesting during the mating season (August to March). Airplane and wildlife encounters are costly and dangerous to all involved. Over $700 million is lost due to wildlife strikes with civil aircraft in the United States each year. These wildlife strikes have caused death and injuries as well as incidents such as geese striking a US Airways Flight causing it to land in the Hudson River in New York City in 2009. USDA Wildlife Services employees will work with resort staff daily to ensure information exchange regarding location of birds, current guest activities that may affect hazing operations, possible resort events that may affect hazing operations, and coordinate work schedules. Sheri S. Mann, Kauai Branch Manager for the DLNR Division of Forestry (DOFAW) commented, “We are in complete support of this pilot project and it appears to be accomplishing its goals very quickly. DOFAW, in collaboration with several other DLNR divisions, is currently establishing two new Nene sanctuaries, east and south of the airport. It is our hope that Nene leaving the airport area will make these new sanctuaries their home.” To view video please click on photo or view at this link: https://vimeo.com/352387831 #HawaiiDepartmentofLandandNaturalResources #nene #lihueAirport #kokualaTimbersResort #CanineTeams #DLNR #divisionofForestryandWildlife #wildlifestrikes #sherimann #DOFAW