Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 8, 1 August 2014 — TAKING YOUNG CONSERVATIONISTS UNDER WING [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TAKING YOUNG CONSERVATIONISTS UNDER WING

Ikaika Nakahashi, right, wore two hats at the recent Hawai'i Conservation Conference at the Hawai'i Convention Center. Attending the July 15-17 conference in his role as 0HA's natural resources manager, he also served as a mentor to two young adults, Ka'io Kalawe of Moloka'i, left, who is interested in natural resources conservation from a cultural viewpoint, and Kara Ueki of Maui, who wants to work on fishponds on Moloka'i. The two mentees spent three days with Nakahashi, attending workshops, sharing knowledge and experiences over luneh, and networking. The pilot mentorship program was organized by conference organizers, the Hawai'i Conservation Allianee, of whieh OHA is a member. The goal was to help prepare students and emerging professionals for success in the workforce, but Nakahashi said the benefits were mutual. "It was really enjoyable," he said. "We had similar interests. I shared what I knew and learned about what kind of work they're into." - Courtesy photo