Home > Outreach OUTREACH Red-footed booby chick - Photo: K Wood “Hawaii’s offshore islets are our biological gems, providing safe havens for native species that once flourished throughout the state. These islets harbor hope for the future of coastal biodiversity.” Sharing and Caring for Hawaii’s Offshore Gems OIRC has always recognized that public outreach is critical to the conservation and restoration of Hawaii's offshore islets. A 5 Year Outreach Plan (see below) was created in 2004 to help prioritize outreach activities. Implementing this plan will help to change behaviors that damage the islets (e.g., trampling bird burrows, littering, etc.) and will also create support for the agencies and organizations that will carry out OIRC projects. In some cases, such as alien mammal eradications, these projects may be controversial and public understanding and support will be crucial. Islet conservation can also serve as a means to inform the public about statewide conservation issues, and create a better understanding of the need for protecting all of Hawaii's native ecosystems. In the long run, the continued protection of coastal areas is dependent on educating school-age children about their importance. Five-Year Outreach Plan Hawaii’s offshore islets are the last refuge for many of our rare coastal species and hold the hope for becoming a safe haven for many more. Many islets are relatively isolated from the threats that plague Hawaii’s native species, over 470 of which are listed as threatened, endangered or candidate species under the Endangered Species Act. As a first step in planning islet conservation, statewide biological surveys of birds, plants, and insects are needed for many islets, some of which have not been visited in over 20 years. The next step will be to select priority islets for biological restoration, which can include eradication of invasive alien species and re-introduction of native ones. Restoration is a labor-intensive activity and the small size of islets makes it practical to carry out restoration actions that would be difficult or impossible in larger areas. In this way, islets can become microcosms of the way Hawaii used to be. Because they are isolated and often difficult to access, restored islets have a good chance of remaining relatively safe from re-invasion by alien species and the other problems present on the larger Hawaiian Islands. Offshore islets can also serve as laboratories and classrooms, teaching us how to refine restoration techniques and by providing examples for the general public pertaining to the problems and opportunities of ecosystem conservation. >> Read more - Download the Five Year Outreach Plan ( Download pdf * ) Products [pdf & jpg format*]:           * Each document is a PDF file that requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in to view. > Back to top of page Home  Islets  Species  Projects  Outreach  Links  About Us