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The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Asia Pacific - Conservation in Asia-Pacific

The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaiian endemic butterfly

How We Work

 

Small State, Big Conservation

Hawai'i occupies only 0.2% of the land area in the U.S., yet it has...

  • The majority of all U.S. coral reefs
  • The only tropical rainforests in the U.S.
  • The country's 11th largest state-owned forest reserve system
  • More unique species than any place of similar size on Earth

Conservation At WorkFence construction, East Moloka'i Watershed Partnership

Field worker building fence to protect East Moloka'i forested watershed area.

The Places We Protect

Field worker building fence to protect East Moloka'i forested watershed. Learn more about the places the Conservancy is working to protect in Hawai'i and Palmyra Atoll.   

Few places on Earth can rival Hawaii’s amazing exuberance of life. On just eight main islands, with a combined land area of only 6,500 square miles, are all of the world’s major ecological zones and more unique species than any place of similar size on Earth. 

But Hawaii’s rare beauty and natural diversity of life are exceptionally fragile. Today, the future of this spectacular natural heritage face critical threats.

  • More species face possible extinction in Hawai’i than anywhere else in the nation.
  • The islands’ coral reefs and coastal waters are steadily degrading.
  • More than half of the islands’ native habitat has been lost. 
  • Nearly one-third of the birds and plants on the U.S. Endangered Species list are from Hawai'i.

Nevertheless, much remains to be saved — and can be saved. The Nature Conservancy's work is rooted in the hope and urgent need underlying this premise. 

 

The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.  

Conservation Priorities

Given the magnitude and urgency of the task, we are focusing our efforts and available resources on four major conservation initiatives:  climate change, forests and watersheds, marine and invasive species.  

Conservation By Design

The Conservancy uses a systematic, science-based approach to identifying sites for protection called Conservation by Design, our framework for achieving mission success. 

Science & Stewardship 

Learn about our ecoregional planning, community-based conservation strategies and methods. View and download published studies and papers by Conservancy scientists and researchers, learn more about key conservation issues in Hawai'i, and find links to other conservation science resources.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): © Adriel Heisey (aerial of Mauna Loa Volcano); © Bill Mull (pulelehua Hawaiian endemic butterfly); © Grady Timmons/TNC (kamalo-Kapualei fence construction project, East Moloka'i Watershed Partnership).