Hanauma Lectures Focus On Coral Reefs, Marine Conservation

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve’s free public lectures this month and next are by graduate students and other experts researching coral reef ecosystems (August) and Hawaii’s marine environment (September).

The programs begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays in the park’s Cynthia M. Bond Memorial Theater:

Aug. 8 – “The Future of Coral Reefs: A Microbial Perspective” with Ruth Gates of UH and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology

Aug. 15 – “The Potential Listing of Hawaii Corals as Endangered Species” with Chelsey Young of NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional office, protected resources division

Aug. 22 – to be announced

Aug. 29 – “Reef Rival and The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii” with Eric Conklin, TNC’s director of Marine Services

Sept. 5 – “If They Could, Why Corals Would Care about Such Things as High Curbs, Pigs, Flood Plains, Car-washing, Housing Projects, Ships and Even National Defense” with Danielle Jayewardene of NOAA Fisheries’ PIRO habitat conservation division

Sept. 12 – “A Rising Concern: How Sea Level at Your Beach Affects What We Know about Global Sea Level Rise” with Philip Thompson of the UH Sea Level Center

Sept. 19 – “Fish Anesthetics and Aquaponics? Investigation of ‘Auhuhu, a Traditional Fish Poison Plant” by Leina’ala Bright, UH School of Hawaiian Knowledge, and Danielle Hull, UH Oceanography-Marine Geochemistry

Sept. 26 – “Investigating Coupled Human and Natural Systems in an Ahupua’a” with Florence Thomas, Henrieta Dulaiova and Hokulani Aikau of UH Manoa. Call the UH Sea Grant Hanauma Bay Education Program at 397-5840.