GOVERNOR DELIVERS KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION SUMMIT

October 16 - In her keynote remarks at the National Park Foundation Leadership Summit on Partnership and Philanthropy this week in Austin, Texas, Governor Lingle stressed the importance of preserving national parks and natural resources, as well as the vital role innovative partnerships play in enhancing them. The Governor pointed to several examples of environmental protection achieved through collaboration in Hawai`i, and discussed the cultural value of parks.

"Hawai`i 's national parks carry great cultural significance," the Governor said. "Our responsibility is not just to the land but also to the Native Hawaiian culture. We must preserve it so that future generations of Native Hawaiians and citizens of the world can explore and learn from it."

Governor Lingle outlined recent successful partnerships between state, federal and county government; environmental organizations; educational institutions; Native Hawaiian groups; private foundations; businesses; and the community that benefit national and state parks in Hawai`i.

"The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands offer a powerful example of collaboration at work," the Governor said, referring to the 1,200-mile long chain of islands, atolls and reefs.

Declared a Marine National Monument on June 15, 2006 by President George W. Bush and earlier this year named Papahānaumokuākea National Monument by First Lady Laura Bush, the conservation area spans almost 140,000 square miles and is the largest conservation area in the United States. It is managed by three co-trustees, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and State of Hawai`i. Private companies, nonprofit groups and volunteers all contribute to the monument’s preservation.'

At Papahanaumokuakea, where ocean currents and winds swirl around the Pacific, there is an especially high volume of marine debris.  The Governor told summit attendees of an innovative partnership that benefits the environment through collaborative efforts with various agencies and organizations.

NOAA runs a marine debris program and collects nets from shoreline and reefs. These nets are transported by boat to Honolulu, with help of private shipping company. Upon arrival in Honolulu, the debris is taken by another private recycling company and chopped into small pieces. This debris is then transported to the city’s waste-to-energy facility, where it is burned and produces steam, which drives a turbine and creates electricity. All services in this partnership, including transport, are donated.

Governor Lingle also addressed the great historical and cultural significance of other national parks in Hawai`i, including the USS Arizona Memorial and Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.

"This memorial is an important part of Hawai`i s history and our nation's heritage," the Governor said of the USS Arizona Memorial.

Governor Lingle serves as an honorary co-chair for the Pearl Harbor Memorial Fund, an organization dedicated to raising capital improvement funds for the construction of a new facility that will replace the USS Arizona Memorial's current deteriorating Museum and Visitor Center at Pearl Harbor.

The only Governor to speak at the National Park Foundation Leadership Summit on Partnership and Philanthropy, Governor Lingle attended the summit at the invitation of Mrs. Bush, honorary chair of the National Parks Foundation. Other speakers included Mrs. Bush, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson, and National Park Foundation President and CEO Vin Cipolla. 

• Watch the Governor's address.
• Read a transcript of the Governor's remarks.