State of the Society For 2007

By John Harrison, 2007 President

continued, page 2

Conservation and Advocacy (Additional information may be found in the Pacific Fisheries Coalition report on page 13): HAS is an active member of a number of partnerships, coalitions, boards, advisory groups, and committees working to protect, conserve and restore Hawaii's resources. Some of these groups include the Ho `olaulima Kawainui, the Alien Aquatic Organism Task Force, the multi-partner Marine Debris Cleanup Group, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council, the Hawai`i Conservation Alliance steering committee, and the Marine Fish Conservation Network Advisory Board. The HAS Conservation Committee, working to prevent threats to native wildlife and habitats, reviewed and submitted comments on a variety of proposed projects and activities statewide. In addition, Directors and members represented HAS at conferences, workshops, hearings, and on several steering ommittees, eams, and ask forces.

During the 2007 State legislative session, HAS Legislative Analyst George Massengale tracked over three-dozen conservation and environmental bills, and actively supported those most closely related to the HAS mission, including the issues of global warming, invasive species, Kawainui marsh, and outdoor lighting. HAS advocacy activities fell well within the legally prescribed imitations or 501(c)3 organizations.

Educational Programs: The Society hosted six bi-mmonthly program meetings at UH Manoa's St. John Botany building in 2007. These meetings are co-sponsored by the UHM Biology Program and are open to all HAS members and the general public at no cost and include informational presentations on a wide variety of topics related to the mission of HAS. Presenters and subjects covered in 2007 included the following: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service representatives spoke on avian influenza surveillance in Hawai`i; Brenda Becker spoke about Hawaiian monk seals; John Harrison spoke about climate change and sustainability; Sierra Club director Jeff Mikulina presented the "Inconvenient Truth" speech on global warming; Gus Bodner discussed Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge and his forest bird research there; and an annual membership meeting was held along with a bird identification lecture by HAS First Vice President Ron Walker in preparation for the Christmas Bird Count in December.