2023 Cooperator Of The Year
West
East
Corina Scoggins
Corina has dedicated her time in her desires to support native pollinator habitat utilizing agroforestry. She took an open/weedy site and has diversified the area to improve the local climate as well as focus on native species in addition to incorporation of small-scale food production. This is an ongoing project in which she incorporates a diversity of plant species on her site while focusing on Hawaiian native plants. Her dedication has allowed for the site over the years to be an example for what agroforestry can look like and how it can function in controlling invasive species while providing plant diversity and pollinator habitat. She regularly hires individuals including students to assist in maintenance and plantings, there are many people in the community who have helped on her site and share her passion in planting native species. For this dedication she has been awarded the West Kauai 2023 Conservation of the Year award.
Moloaʻa Organicaʻa
Ned and Marta Whitlock
The Whitlocks’ diversified organic farm in Moloaa utilizes various conservation practices within their operations. Though they have regularly had conservation plans, they also incorporate practices on their own in order to improve their operations as well as reduce potential negative impacts to their farm. They have a diversity of trees throughout their property which includes fruit, natives, timber all contributing to species diversity which improves the microclimate of their site. They regularly use soil health practices such as cover crop and have implemented nutrient management which will reduce their potential nutrient impacts on ground and surface waters in addition to improving their plant health. They regularly host events on their farm and are an example and a resource for the agriculture community on Kauai and for the State. For this they have been awarded the 2023 Conservation of the Year Award.