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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.
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!  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  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.  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.  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.  Exceptional 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  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.  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!The 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. Archives
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