Conservation & Ecology

Conservation & Ecology, News & Updates

Creativity, Knowledge and Wisdom

We’ve been working hard for the last two years to make this happen. All this time, our rallying cry has been “Imua”, which in Hawaiian, translates to “forward,” “ahead,” or “onward.” Like most Hawaiian words, “Imua” carries deeper meaning. In this case, the expression conveys advancing with courage, striving toward a goal, or pressing onward through adversity (“go forward,” “charge,” or “keep moving ahead”). And that’s what we did through all the “ups and downs”.

Conservation & Ecology, News & Updates

Hurricane Lowell

Last week, Hawai’i was hit by Hurricane Lowell. The peak of the storm reached Kaua’i late Monday night (September 7) and lasted through the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday morning (September 8). During that window, the core of the storm made its closest approach just west of Niʻihau and Kauaʻi as a Category 2 hurricane, tracking northward.

Arts & Performance, Conservation & Ecology, News & Updates

Honoring Pakele: A Celebration of Life, Resilience, and Hope

When Graham and I first ventured deep into the rain-drenched wilderness of the Alakaʻi Plateau to film When Silence Becomes the Song, the silence settling over the canopy felt overwhelming. Yet beneath that quiet lay a story of fierce, breathtaking persistence. Recently, the island of Kauaʻi came together to honor that exact spirit: Pakele, the last known wild ʻakikiki. Marking one year since she was last seen on August 29, 2025, Mayor Derek Kawakami issued an official proclamation and the Kauaʻi County Council presented a certificate celebrating Pakele’s extraordinary life and recognizing the tireless biologists at the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP) who fought along her side.

Conservation & Ecology, News & Updates

“Wings of Wonder”

On August 21, 2026, Ella and Derek went to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens to do b-roll video of the Zoo’s action-packed free-flight demonstration called “Ameritas Wings of Wonder”. Footage from that day will be used in an upcoming full length documentary, written and directed by Ella.

Academic & Research, Conservation & Ecology, News & Updates

Prix Jeunesse International – Day 6

Last day at Prix Jeunesse International 2026!  Day 6 included screening and discussing the fiction shows for Up to 6-year-olds.  There were two shows in this category that had a focus on nature and the outdoors:  1) Wow Lisa from Chile, and 2) Microterrestrials:  The Fantastic Explorers from Chile. Wow Lisa uses stop-motion animation and shows eco-friendly living with a neighborhood of anthropomorphic animals. Microterrestrials followed the adventures of two bugs as they met different animals in the Valdivian rainforest.

Academic & Research, Conservation & Ecology, News & Updates

Prix Jeunesse International – Day 3

What a day and night at Prix Jeunesse International 2026!  Day 3 was filled with screening and discussing the non-fiction shows and shorts for 7-10-year-olds.

There were four shows that featured connections with nature in this category:  1) My Class in Greenland from Denmark, 2) Call Me Wild Child from Taiwan, 3) Animal City from Colombia, and 4) Mho Khao Mho Gang from Thailand.

Academic & Research, Conservation & Ecology, News & Updates

Prix Jeunesse International – Day 2

Day 2 at Prix Jeunesse International 2026 was filled with screening and discussing the fiction shows and shorts for 11-15-year-olds.  This is the first year that Shorts have their own categories by age group.

There were 3 environmental-themes shorts for the 11-15-year-olds: 1) “Earth is Home” from the U.S., 2) “Whoever Whatever” from Ukraine about recycling, and 3) “Biodiversity; Little Blue Dragon” from Mexico.

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