What we do

We are well known for our advocacy work to save endemic species and eco-systems from mauka (upland) to makai (ocean) for the Hawaiian Islands, including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and the Pacific Remote Islands. We actively participate during the legislative session each year by submitting testimonies and sending out alerts through the Environmental Legislative Network. Our work includes saving native Hawaiian seabirds from light pollution, protecting humpback whales from disruptive underwater sonar waves, lowering the marine by-catch amounts from industrial fishing, saving endemic forest birds by standing for the introduction of modified mosquitoes, working to reduce the threat of invasive species, protecting our oceans from deep sea bed mining, saving our sharks from depredation, strengthening our ocean by aligning with the Protect Remote Islands coalition to expand the marine sanctuary in the area, and other similar advocacy work.

We are known for our innovative educational and outreach efforts. Our signature event, the Manu o Kū Festival reaches hundreds of families and keiki every spring in the Honolulu area. They have fun learning about native wildlife through the Manu o Kū, that serves as a wildlife ambassador and the official bird of the City and County of Honolulu. Guests participate in fun learning activities presented by local organizations and government entities, listen to interesting speeches and entertainment, join in a bird walk, and view a Manu o Kū chick through a spotting scope.

In October of 2023, we partnered with Hawai‘i Wildlife Center to host the Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds highlighting native endemic birds. This event features expert speakers, educational and product booths, hula performances, and field trips. This will continue to be an annual event bringing bird experts and birds enthusiasts together for a day of learning about our native birds.
CCH also participates and partners with other organizations to do outreach events around the islands. We are proud of our widely anticipated wildlife educational and conservation posters that we produce every two years, which includes a teaching curriculum. These posters are provided free of charge to every public, private, and Hawaiian language immersion school, as well as public libraries in the State of Hawai‘i.

We also work with the Hawaiian Monk Seal Preservation ‘Ohana in their efforts to visit schools and out in the public to spread awareness and educate about the protection, preservation, and biology of one of Hawai‘i’s most charismatic mammals, the Hawaiian monk seal.