Keeping Hawai`i clean,
green, and beautiful since 1912
THE OUTDOOR CIRCLE
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  • Christine Snyder
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • History of TOC >
      • TOC Presidents
    • Board of Directors
    • Ways to Give
    • Donate Now
    • Give Beyond Your Years
    • Volunteer
    • Newsletters >
      • The Greenleaf
      • North Shore Outdoor Circle
      • Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle
      • Waimea Outdoor Circle
      • Greater Waikiki Outdoor Circle
    • TOC In The News
    • The Online Circle - Environmental Education Blog
    • Resources >
      • Plant Resources
      • Tree Information
      • Signage
      • Development Plans
      • Events
      • Current Issues >
        • Light Pollution
      • Environmental Headlines
    • Report a Problem
    • Contact
  • TOC Policy Positions
  • Membership
  • Branches
    • Branches
    • East Hawaii Island
    • East Honolulu
    • Kaneohe
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    • Lani-Kailua
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      • Waimea Nature Park Images
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    • Tree Information
    • Exceptional Trees >
      • How to Nominate an Exceptional Tree
      • Exceptional Tree Map
      • Exceptional Tree Library >
        • Bibliography/Sources
      • Exceptional Tree Gallery
      • Tree Mapping - Get Involved!
    • Exceptional Tree Map
    • Kailua Citizen Forester Program
    • Trees of Greater Waikiki
    • Tree Reviews & Inquiries
    • Report a Problem
  • Signage
    • Signage
    • Report a Problem
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    • Exceptional Tree Map >
      • Exceptional Tree Library >
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    • Trees of Greater Waikiki
  • Christine Snyder

Our Top 12 in 2014

12/10/2014

 
As 2014 begins to wind down, we are reflecting on a very successful year for The Outdoor Circle.  Please help us celebrate!
From new laws to improve the protection of our environment to on-going beautification projects that improve our communities, we have been hard at work keeping Hawai‘i clean, green, and beautiful.  Your donation today will help continue this work for tomorrow.  

Here are the top 12 things we are grateful for from this past year.


  1. Environmental Court established: Thanks to TOC’s help S.B. 632 was signed into law this year as part of a grassroots effort to improve enforcement of our environmental laws.

  2. Digital tree map started: TOC is helping to document the positive impact of Exceptional Trees on our islands with a digital tree map. Click here to check it out.  Volunteers are helping to input and verify the data now -- more on this in January. 

  3. Billboards defeated... again! We helped establish the ban on billboards in Hawaii in 1927 and we have defended it ever since. Twice this year -- once by bus, once by plane -- our enviable sign laws were challenged and twice they were upheld thanks to TOC’s leadership. 

  4. Exceptional Trees maintained: We helped maintain and protect trees recognized for their Exceptional qualities, and helped to get new trees nominated to the list.

  5. Old trees saved: We helped prevent the unnecessary removal of dozens of trees throughout the state.  

  6. New trees planted: From tree giveaways to plant sales to our annual Arbor Day events, we helped find homes for more than a thousand new trees and plants this year.

  7. Public’s interests asserted: TOC advocated to ensure green space in urban areas is open to the public and well-maintained, and that important natural areas are well-protected. 

  8. Community improvement projects: Branches throughout the islands are keeping their communities green with clean-up efforts, beautification projects and long-term park programs.

  9. Partnerships, partnerships, partnerships:  From the Women's Correctional Facility in Waimanalo to the Domestic Violence Action Center to businesses small and large throughout the islands, we collaborate with a wide range of groups and individuals on shared goals. Thank you to our many partners for working to help protect the things we all love about Hawai‘i.

  10. Green-thumbs educated: TOC’s branches support adult and keiki education programs to encourage clean, green, and beautiful living. 

  11. Celebrating our long-time supporters: We celebrated the work of our most dedicated supporters. Some of them passed away this year, including Jo Best and Sally Edwards. They will be deeply missed, but their legacies live on in the work we do today. 

  12. Volunteers making a difference! We are blessed to have the help of hundreds of dedicated volunteers throughout the islands working to protect and enhance Hawaii’s natural beauty. 

Our achievements this year are the direct result of contributions donors gave us last year.  We can continue this work and do much more next year with your gift today.  We are less than $5,000 from our fundraising goal for this year-end appeal campaign.  If fully funded, we will be able to launch the second phase of our digital tree map, advocate for public green space and sustainable urban development, support implementation of the Environmental Court, and of course, plant and protect trees!

There is still time to get your donation in and receive a tax deduction for 2014. You can mail your donation check to our office in Honolulu (1314 S. King St. #306 Honolulu, HI 96814) or just click here for a secure and immediate credit card transaction.  Your donation benefits the work of The Outdoor Circle and our branches throughout the Hawaiian Islands.  

Thank you and happy holidays!

Volunteer Workday at ‘Ulu La‘au Waimea Nature Park

12/9/2014

 
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Waimea Outdoor Circle announces another volunteer day in Ulu La'au, the Waimea Nature Park, this Saturday, December 13, 9:00-Noon. 
Jobs to do:
Taking down a multi-trunk mao hau hele which is leaning over a walking path in lower bed "E".
Taking down a dead koai'a in bed "D". 

There are jobs for all ages and abilities, no knowledge of Hawaiian plants is necessary, we will happily train. Water, gloves and tools are provided as is a snack of fresh fruit and home baked cookies served at noon.
    
Waimea Nature Park is a project of Waimea Outdoor Circle created joyfully by 100% volunteer work from everyone, including people like you. The park is open during daylight hours and closes at 5:30 PM. The park is located directly behind Canada France Hawaii Telescope offices on Mamalahoa Hwy. Look for the Hawaiian Warrior sign on the CFH lawn and turn into the no name road there that leads directly into the park. Please do not park on the CFH lawn, the Nature Park has plenty of parking available. See waimeaoutdoorcircle.org for a map and other information. Or contact park co-chairs Carol Hendricks at 885-4453, Roz Wright at 885-2763 or park maintenance chair Ken Block at 885-4753.

Photo credit: one of our banners mounted on Ken's truck, ready for the Christmas parade, photo by Ken Block

Public Comment on Hawai‘i’s Land Use System 

12/9/2014

 
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In the Spring, the Land Use Division in Hawaii’s Office of Planning will release a report on the state’s Land Use System.  In particular they are focusing on the Land Use Commission’s process for changing the designation of land between urban, agriculture, and conservation.  

As part of this report, the LUD staff formed a task force and are seeking public comment.  Here is a link to the website for the task force.  Public comments should be directed to: 



 Rodney Funakoshi at Rodney.Y.Funakoshi(at)dbedt.hawaii.gov or by phone at (808) 587-2885.

For our part, TOC is recommending that the Legislature commission a study of Hawaii’s Land Use System -- not just the Land Use Commission proceedings, but the entire system for protecting and using land in Hawaii.  This includes the State Plan, the county plans, the Land Use Commission and all of its processes, and the county zoning processes.  What works well and what doesn’t?  With this information, objectively collected and reported, we will know what changes -- if any -- are needed to meet the best interests of our communities.

There is no hard deadline for public comments, but the sooner you jump in, the better.

Cooler Kapolei

12/9/2014

 
Picture
Kapolei just got a little bit cooler thanks to nearly 300 trees gifted to area residents last week.

TOC partnered with the Kaupe‘a homestead for a community outreach and tree giveaway event.  The giveaway featured 10 species of trees and plants -- most native, some fruit-bearing, all non-invasive.

Residents met and mingled, while deciding which trees were right for their yards.  TOC volunteers were on-hand to help answer questions -- thank you Myles, Gloria, and Gracie! See more pictures from the Kaupe‘a tree giveaway here. 

There was even talk about possibly forming a branch of The Outdoor Circle in Kapolei.

A very special thank you to Jeremy Lam and the Manoa Branch for propagating over one third of the plants at the giveaway.  Also, thank you to Hui Ku Maoli Ola Native Hawaiian Nursery for working with us to identify and provide native plants ideal for the Kapolei climate.

Future events are planned. Connect with us if you are interested in participating.

Holiday wreath-making and parade in Waimea

12/9/2014

 
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In the first weekend of December the Waimea Outdoor Circle hosted their annual wreath-making class.  They also gave away 250 trees at the Holiday Parade through Waimea town.

The wreath-making class was held at the Waimea Nature Park and featured greenery gathered from the slopes of Mauna Kea.

Waimea Nature Park -- ‘Ulu La‘au -- is a project of Waimea Outdoor Circle created joyfully by 100% volunteer work from everyone, including people like you. The park is open during daylight hours and closes at 5:30 PM. The park is located directly behind Canada France Hawaii Telescope offices on Mamalahoa Hwy. Look for the Hawaiian Warrior sign on the CFH lawn and turn into the no name road there that leads directly into the park. Please do not park on the CFH lawn, the Nature Park has plenty of parking available. See waimeaoutdoorcircle.org for a map and other information. Or contact park co-chairs Carol Hendricks at 885-4453, Roz Wright at 885-2763 or park maintenance chair Ken Block at 885-4753.

Season of Light: President's Message Winter 2014

12/9/2014

 
PictureExceptional Tree in downtown Honolulu
Tis the season of giving and gratitude, of honoring the year almost past, and of gathering friends and family in joy and remembrance. It is with deep gratitude that I acknowledge the hard work of each of our eight branches and of the diligent overseeing of The Outdoor Circle Board of Directors. It has been a busy year, capped with our Full Circle Meeting of the membership.

This year, our Full Circle Meeting was hosted by the North Shore Branch at Waimea Valley Park. Members from all five Oahu branches participated and annual reports were given by representatives of all branches statewide.  We shared ideas and discussed directions for the coming year.

It was determined that our main focus for the coming year is to promote green and open space, planting trees where appropriate, and helping to preserve uncluttered view planes by advocating for full compliance with our sign laws. It is one of the most treasured legacies of The Outdoor Circle that we have some of the most comprehensive sign laws in America.

I also want to thank each of our members who through your membership and annual donations, help to make the work we do possible. In this way, you are each ambassadors of environmental beauty and protection!  So many of you recently showed your support in meeting our goal for the #GivingTuesday campaign.

We ask for your continued good stewardship to keep our canopy of protection strong. Help us to expand our membership by reaching out to your friends, neighbors and community members to join us in our efforts. Buy a few loved ones a membership during this season of giving.

I am deeply honored to serve in the capacity of President at this exciting and challenging time for Hawai‘i. I see our Boards as mentors for the new leadership required to move our Circle through the next few decades. If you have a strong desire to contribute to the greening of our islands, we have a place for you to be effective in doing so.  Check us out on our website and our facebook page.

Enjoy this season of light!

Alexandra

Watchful eye on expanded industrial park in Kawainui

12/8/2014

 
Picture
Kawainui Marsh at daybreak. Photo credit: Karen Awong
The Lani-Kailua Outdoor Circle is concerned about an expanding industrial park just mauka of Kawainui Marsh.  The City Council just approved a Special Management Area Permit to the property owners. Here is the testimony they submitted in opposition to the proposal.

Full Circle 2014

12/8/2014

 
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Members from nearly all branches of The Outdoor Circle attended the annual Full Circle Meeting to learn about the activities of fellow branches and hash out the goals for the next calendar year.

The Branch sharing was very inspiring. Our Envisioning Session highlighted the Branch commitment to educating ourselves and connecting with each other on promoting green and open space, planting trees where appropriate, and helping to preserve uncluttered view planes by advocating for full compliance with our sign laws.

After our meeting, members enjoyed a tour of the amazing plants at Waimea Valley Park.  The tour was led by David Orr, the botanical specialist at the Park.

Thanks to the North Shore branch for hosting the event this year.  NSOC maintains a strong  partnership with the Waimea Valley Park, where the meeting was held.  


To learn more about the event, you can click here. 

    Welina! 

    Greenleaf is the online newsletter and blog of The Outdoor Circle. Here you will find updates on the projects and accomplishments of our many branches throughout the state, as well as programs with statewide impact.  

    Like what you see?! Become a member and help keep this 100-year-old organization going strong. 

    Support this work now and for generations to come with a donation -- online by clicking here or in the mail to 1314 S. King St. #306 Honolulu 96814.  Your donation supports the work of all our branches, as well as our statewide office. 

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The Outdoor Circle
1314 South King Street, Suite 306
Honolulu, HI 96814
Tel: 808-593-0300
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