Hawaii Nature Center - Honolulu, Hawaii - Connecting Kids with the Environment

Since 1981, the Hawaii Nature Center's mission has been to teaching the young people of the Islands about their natural environment, fostering awareness, appreciation and understanding of Hawaii's fragile ecosystems. Additionally, it provides visitors with a unique, educational experience.

The Center started out in the Makiki Valley of Oahu, just minutes from urban Honolulu. Its field site was no more than clearing called the Outdoor Circle then, but it has grown over the years to include a main building and four learning centers, guided interpretive hikes, nature adventures, earth care projects, day camps, and more.

In 1992, the Center expanded operations to Maui, setting up a similar facility in the Iao Valley. Today, weekend and community programs conducted on both islands reach 25,000 families a year. In total, more than 800,000 children and adults have participated in environmental education activities.

Working directly with the local schools, the Center has developed programs that focus on unique ecosystems for each grade level. Courses have been created to teach an Introduction to Plants and Animals, with emphasis on food chains and habitats; Cycles in Nature, stressing natural, biological and physical cycles; an Introduction to Wetlands, featuring local habitats for water birds; Forest Encounters, covering geological, biological and human-caused change found in wooded lowlands; and Coastal Encounters, fostering understanding of coastal ecosystems, while promoting a sense of stewardship for these special places.

Although the primary target of these is hands-on field programs for preschool through 5th grade, older students, teachers, local hikers and visiting tourists are welcome to avail themselves of the Center's resources and the opportunity to get outside and explore nature with the Center's staff. Programs are offered for older children and adults; there are guided hikes for residents and visitors; and children's birthday parties can be arranged in a natural setting.

The Hawaii Nature Center also conducts an Outreach Program, targeting children and families who might not otherwise have an opportunity to visit the Center. Educators and volunteers spread the word with fun interactive displays and nature crafts at fairs and exhibits statewide, such as the Pacific Handcrafters Fair, the Hawaii State Farm Fair, and the Molokai Earth Day Fair.

Annual memberships, school fees, grants and corporate donations help support the Center, which is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization. The $25 cost of Individual Membership (adults age 18 and older) gives members discounts on hikes, classes and nature adventures, as well as a newsletter and advance notice of programs and events.

Visitors to Hawaii are also invited to participate in Center activities as volunteers. Through a generous grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, travelers and visitors from all over the world can assist the Nature Center with environmental and community development work such as watershed management, wetland restoration, building, painting, and conservation projects.

The Hawaii Nature Center has a small gift center, craft classes and seasonal weekend outings that also help fund its mission. Located at 2131 Makiki Heights Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, it can be reached by car from the H1 Highway by taking the Punahu Exit north, then left on Nehoa Street and right onto to Makiki. Parking is on the shoulder of the road in front of the Center.