The Kohala Center Inc

Programs: Energy self-reliance. We produced a study with the university of michigan on transportation issues and made the public aware that while the issue of electrical energy generation was being addressed, transportation was a very significant portion of the islands fossil fuel dependence, driving the rate of dependence up to 95%. The study has been covered by pacific business news, made the front page of west hawaii today, and has been read by county officials responsible for both energy and transportation. We also secured a commitment from a private source to match the countys financial commitment to implementing initial recommendations for improvements on a 1:1 basis; these recommendations focus on technologies to support ride share programs and increase the use of the county bus system. Creating affordable mass transportation addresses socio-economic issues, as well as environmental issues.

food self-reliance. Rural business development staff reached 335 farmers and ranchers in in-depth professional development programs, assisted 28 groups hoping to form businesses, served 21 businesses, put into place 4 cooperatives, and secured 1,732,000 in direct investments for griculture- related businesses. Staff also trained 30 families in our beginning farmer-rancher training program. In the school garden program, we worked with 69 out ofthe 73 schools on hawaii island, reached 6,202 children and youth, and trained 23 teachers in ways to use the gardens as classrooms. Healthy cooking demonstrations reach over 450 people in east hawaii. We opened the foodcorps hawaii program, placing 8 fellows in schools in waianae and on molokai, as well as on hawaii island. We worked directly with the department of education to offer workshops on hawaii island, maui, oahu, and kauai on ways that local farmers could meet the does procurement standards. Jobs and businesses were created; health issues addressed; and education enhanced.

ecosystem health. Kahaluu bay education center and its 300 volunteers made direct educational contact with over 55,000 visitors. Ocean science staff reached over 1,900 children and youth in coral reef health programs. In the watershed program, 200 tons of sediment were contained, 5,000 native plants outplanted, and the invasive rauvolfia vomitoria was contained, reducing the affected area from 9,000 acres to 2,000 acres. In a peer-reviewed journal, the hawaii institute for marine biology attributed the improved health of coral reefs in pelekane bay to the mauka work of the watershed program. Vital economic and natural assets, coral reefs and native forests, were protected and education enhanced. Intellectual leadership.

intellectual leadership. After careful review, the mellon foundation agreed to extend our doctoral and postdoctoral fellowship program for another three years. New knowledge about hawaiis eco-cultural landscape is being produced,enhancing the states ability to create and improve aina-based programs for community well-being.