Taylor Nāhulukeaokalani Cozloff

ʻUlu is a canoe plant and was once a staple in the Native Hawaiian diet. Monica Toguchi-Ryan said utilizing the crop is not only in line with Highway Inn's brand of serving authentic Hawaiian food, but it also allows the restaurant to lessen their dependence on imported food by sourcing closer to home. HPR's Taylor Nāhulukeaokalani Cozloff has more.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed to designate more than 2,000 acres of land across the Hawaiian archipelago as critical habitat for the threatened green sea turtle.

Up until the mid-1800s, Puʻulani in Heʻeia on Oʻahu was covered in indigenous agroforests and native forests. A collaborative effort between Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi and the University of Hawaiʻi is working to restore those forests.

There are only five native ʻakikiki birds left in the wild. While some of the birds remain in protective captivity, they are likely to disappear from forests very soon. Scientists are doing everything they can to save them. HPR's Taylor Nāhulukeaokalani Cozloff reports.

Two University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo conferences are looking to reframe the guiding principles around sustainability. "Sustainable Circular Economies: Putting the Pieces Together" will run from July 17 - 19 in Kona. "Malama Honua: Indigenous Perspectives on Sustainability" will run from July 19 - 21 in Hilo.

A historic fishpond and loʻi on Maui has received over $800,000 in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The amount is specifically allocated for the restoration Waiheʻe Coastal Dune and Wetland Refuge.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library has preserved a piece of Japan’s whaling history by digitalizing two 200-year-old scrolls. The 35 and 39-foot-long scrolls depict the entire whale hunting process during Japan's Edo period — from spotting pods to processing the meat for food. HPR's Taylor Nāhulukeaokalani Cozloff reports.

Gov. Josh Green signed a bill Wednesday that requires his office to negotiate the purchase of Wahiawā Dam, Lake Wilson, and its associated spillways and irrigation ditches. The new law, Act 218, also appropriates $26 million to purchase, repair and maintain the system.

All beds are full and a waiting list has formed at the month-old medical respite village on Punchbowl Street in Honolulu, according to the governor's office. Pūlama Ola Kauhale has seen 13 total intakes, three patient discharges and over 180 shower uses by members of the surrounding community.

A series of bills signed into law on Monday looks to push Hawaiʻi further toward the goal of accessible education for early learners. Among those was House Bill 961, a measure that extends the state's Open Doors Preschool program to 3-year-olds, appropriates funds for the program and more. HPR's Taylor Nāhulukeaokalani Cozloff reports.