Malama Moana: Take Care of the Ocean that Takes Care of You
May 18, 2018 (Ke Ola Magazine)—Sometimes through ignorance, we smother our beaches, reefs, and wildlife with so much affection and attention that they are left gasping to recover.
At Kahalu‘u Bay in Kailua-Kona, the community saw this happening. Beautiful Kahalu‘u Bay was deteriorating due to unaware actions of thousands of park visitors each month. “Tourists were sitting on the turtles to take a picture. They were turning them over,” says Cindi Punihaole, director of the Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center. “The community, businesses, and the UH Sea Grant Kona agent went to The Kohala Center and said, ‘We need help educating people.’” Now a partnership of these entities, plus the County of Hawai‘i Parks Department, provide a model of welcoming, effective on-site education.