Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment [Paperback]

Kirsten Whatley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2008

Winner of the 2009 Best Travel Guide Merit Award from the North American Travel Journalists' Association (NATJA).
There are struggles to keep Hawai'i's coastlines from being developed, desperate battles to protect endangered plants and wildlife against invasive species. And there are the tireless folks, who wake up obsessing about some cherished piece of wilderness or some underwater sanctuary or some species in danger of falling off the map. We all need a paradise to come home to. But we need to consider our impact on this paradise more importantly, our responsibility to it. The opportunities in this book are one way to begin. Includes a comprehensive list of local organizations that offer volunteer opportunities for visitors and residents alike who are interested in preserving Hawai'i's natural beauty.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Merit Award winner for Best Travel Guide by NATJA, 2009 --North American Travel Journalists Association

About the Author

Kirsten Whatley lives on the island of Maui, where she writes about the natural world and our place within it. In Preserving Paradise, she shares her passion for keeping the wild places wild, and her appreciation of nature as our finest teacher. She is the author of Haleakala National Park, Maui Beaches, and The Road to Hana, part of a series of pocket guides to the Hawaiian Islands. Her features and essays have appeared in Orion, Northern Lights, Sunset, Gardens Illustrated, Natural Health, and many other national publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Island Heritage Publishing (August 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597005789
• ISBN-13: 978-1597005784
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,714,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #64 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Outdoors & Nature > Environment > Conservation

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Consider this an invitation...!, November 5, 2008

By 

R Schmidt (Honolulu, HI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment (Paperback)

Ecotourism and "environmental voluntourism" often are mechanisms for encouraging people to exchange money for experiences related to environmental protection, habitat restoration, experiencing nature in its many forms, and experiencing new places and cultures.

Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment, has a simpler objective... to match people and projects in enhancing and protecting Hawaii's natural resources. Money is not a crucial link in the chain, but the passion and willingness to roll up your sleeves and work, is required.

Author and compiler Kirsten Whatley states the book's purpose thusly:

"Consider this an invitation, no matter your origin. Consider it a call to arms - and to hands and feet and backs and rakes and hoes and sweat. We all need a paradise to come home to. But we need to consider our impact on this paradise - more importantly, our responsibility to it. The opportunities in this book are one way to begin" (p. vii).

Whatley outlines a number of environmental volunteer opportunities for the islands of Hawaii (14), Kauai (8), Maui (20), Molokei (1), and Oahu (16), along with a number of multi-island projects. Her focus is on projects that need people for just a few hours up to those projects that require a commitment of not more than three months. She includes a description of the need and the agency (in almost all cases a non-profit), the nature of the volunteer activities, how much advance notice is necessary in order to volunteer, the difficulty level of the activities, whether monetary donations are encouraged, and the complete contact information for the group's volunteer coordinator.

I'm unfamiliar with many of these opportunities, so their description was of great interest. I have participated in Reef Check Hawaii training, and have volunteered with Friends of Hanauma Bay and Malama na Honu, and I was impressed at the congruence of my own experiences and Whatley's descriptions. And I know the Oahu Invasive Species Committee can really work its volunteers... when the author noted their difficulty level was a 5 (1 is low, 5 is high), I knew that Whatley was striving to make these listings as accurate (and thus not disappointing) as possible.

The "Time Commitment" index outlines all projects based on the minimum time you are asked to volunteer:

- a few hours to one day (51 groups)
- a few days to a few weeks (6 groups)
- at least one month (2 groups)
- at least two months (8 groups)
- at least three months (3 groups)
- flexible time commitments (19 groups)

There is something here for everyone. Mahalo nui loa to Kirsten Whatley for making this collection of activities available!

Now go out and do good things!

5.0 out of 5 stars The Must Have Guide for the Hawaiian Islands, November 3, 2008

By 

Lori L. Stitt (Kilauea, Kauai, HI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment (Paperback)

This beautifully written book makes it easy for the average traveler to participate in caring for & exploring the Hawaiian islands.
If you are looking for an adventure that takes you off the tourist map and into the Aloha Spirit, this book is a must have!

I especially love the ease of finding contacts on all islands (the email addresses as well as phone #s). The personal quotes along with stunning photos of the places and volunteers make me feel like I could ring a group up and be welcomed immediately.

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring!!, November 2, 2008

By 

Antoinette C. Troxell (Hana, HI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment (Paperback)

Preserving Paradise: Opportunities in Volunteering for Hawaii's Environment
This wonderful resource book will inspire and motivate the reader, no matter where they happen to live. Although the book features opportunities in volunteering to preserve and protect the Hawai'i environment, Whatley's words will invoke your spirit and encourage you to volunteer in your own corner of the world. I recommend Preserving Paradise as a well-organized and easily-read resource for anyone who is so inclined to check out the volunteer opportunities presented. However, it goes "beyond paradise" reaching deep into our own consciousness about protecting our environment - be it Hawai'i or your own personal paradise.
This book should be a must read for those considering a visit to Hawai'i. Even if you are not interested in volunteering, it will encourage you to be aware and to respect the delicate environmental balance of the Hawai'ian Islands.