| "Reefs are an integral component of the Hawaiian way of life." | |
| Athline Clark, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources |
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Sandy beaches, big wave surfing, an abundance of exotic marine life—all reasons that millions of visitors travel every year to the Hawaiian Islands, and all a result of the archipelago's 410,000 acres of nearshore coral reefs. These same reefs are facing threats from overfishing, alien species, development and agriculture, recreational impacts, and marine debris, such as discarded fishing gear.
At risk is more than the $800 million in gross revenues generated annually by Hawaii's nearshore reefs, says Athline Clark, special projects program manager for the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Aquatic Resources. What is at stake is the Hawaiian way of life.
"Reefs are an integral component of the Hawaiian way of life," Clark explains. "Our goal is to raise awareness about the threats and let people know how their actions help reduce these impacts."
To help prevent the further decline of the islands' coral reefs, more than 40 state, federal, and nongovernmental organizations have spent the past two years developing Hawaii's Living Reef Program, a campaign to build public awareness of the importance of coral reefs to Hawaii's way of life.
"We realized that many people were doing different things [related to coral reefs], and we needed to start to work together," Clark says. "Meetings were held on all the islands to find out what the primary needs were, and public awareness came up as the number one issue."
A public relations firm helped develop campaign materials that are being used by all the partners, including a logo and the slogan, "A Living Reef Gives Our Islands Life." A Web site offers basic information about Hawaii's coral reefs, educational materials for teachers, games for kids, and a calendar of events.
A new awards program recognizing groups and individuals that take actions to care for and preserve the islands' coral reefs has been started, and awards were presented for the first time in March. Tiffany and Co. designed and sponsored the awards.
Other campaign activities include advertising, an educational outreach effort to businesses and services that impact the coral reef, and radio and television public service announcements.
"From the start, this has been a collaborative effort," Clark notes. "We wanted agreement on everything."
Most of the partnering agencies contributed funding for the campaign, and much in-kind support has been donated by businesses, private foundations, and other groups.
Christine Brammer, the Oahu programs coordinator for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary—one of the campaign partners—believes that the Living Reef Program "is an excellent model for others to follow. It allows organizations to network and effectively utilize each other's resources to get a better, more comprehensive message out to the public."
Similar efforts are under way in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
"The bottom line," says Clark, "is that we hope to be able to raise the awareness that each individual's actions can make a difference."
For more information on Hawaii's Living Reef Program, point your browser to www.hawaiireef.org. You may contact Athline Clark at (808) 587-0099, or Athline.M.Clark@hawaii.gov.
