Niu November Success and Call to Action
By Kirsten Kagimoto, Deputy Director | Reading time: 2 minutes
Mahalo nui to everyone that participated in our inaugural Niu November!
As we wrap up our first-ever Niu November, we want to extend a heartfelt mahalo to everyone who participated and made it such a meaningful celebration of Hawaiʻi’s cherished coconut tree.
From the amazing photos submitted to our It’s Niu or Never Photo Contest to those that followed along, shared resources, and learned with us online, your enthusiasm and aloha for niu have truly inspired us. Together, we’ve highlighted niu’s cultural, environmental, and community importance while raising awareness about the threats like the coconut rhinoceros beetle. If you missed out, you can catch up on our website here under “Latest Invasive Species Updates” or by searching #NiuNovember on Instagram.
To everyone who shared your manaʻo, joined in the conversation, and celebrated the beauty of niu with us, mahalo for making our inaugural campaign a success. Your support helps ensure a brighter future for niu, our ʻāina, and the generations to come.
Stay tuned as we announce the winners of the photo contest soon—we can’t wait to showcase the creativity and aloha for niu that filled this special month!
A special shoutout goes to our amazing partners and friends who have joined us for Niu November, provided resources, and share our commitment to protecting niu and mālama ʻāina: Niu Now, Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, Maui Farmer Network, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Niu Soft Serve, artists Ewa Mosc and Lance Genson Mahi La Pierre, and many others who share our commitment to protecting niu and mālama ʻāina.
Keep Fighting for Niu
An important way to protect our niu future is to continue to advocate for the adoption of rule amendments that would establish inter- and intra-island quarantines for pest-infested plants and materials—including the coconut rhinoceros beetles. After nearly two years, the amendments have passed by the Board of Agriculture and the Small Business Regulatory Review Board and now await the Governor’s signature. Click here to urge Governor Green to quickly sign the rule amendments into law to give our islands a fighting chance.
Invasive species threaten nearly every aspect of life in our island home. We need all hands on deck to control the spread of species already here, stop new threats, and hold government agencies accountable for their role in protecting Hawaiʻi. Please consider supporting our grassroots efforts with a donation here and/or joining our volunteer action team by signing up here.