Sustainability Statement

From our foundation in 1987, Kama’aina Kids’ mission has been to serve children, families, and our communities by providing ongoing quality education and enrichment programs to help build a sense of self, community, and environment. 

We define sustainability as a quality that allows something to exist in a balance with its natural environment, cultural environment, and community, mindful of its impact on those things, and supportive of their perpetuation.  Inherent in our mission is a commitment to operate sustainably, lead by example, and demonstrate the importance of sustainability through the programs we offer.    

We are committed in all our programs to operating with these principles in mind, improving our own practices and procedures wherever and whenever possible, and teaching mindfulness of nature, culture, and community to everybody we touch.        

Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii

We have been recognized as a certified sustainable operator of the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii since 2014.  We are proud that two of our staff have been awarded Sustainable Guide of the Year for the Island of Oahu (in 2013 and 2018)!

Kama’aina Kids created our kayak and snorkel eco-ventures program as a means of funding He’eia State Park while simultaneously offering the public a low-impact, eco-friendly way to experience and enjoy Kane’ohe Bay.  We have been committed to continuously examining and evolving our own operation to make it is as sustainable as possible.

We believe that our privilege to provide these activities is accompanied by a great responsibility to lead by example and do our best to show our visitors why the ecology and cultural history of this place are so important to preserve.

We hope and believe that everybody who gets to experience the beauty of Kane’ohe Bay through our activities will learn something from the experience that will give them a greater appreciation, respect, and awareness that they will take with them everywhere they go.

Commitment To Be Good Stewards

We are committed to providing proper training and education for our staff so that we will be be the best possible stewards and ambassadors of He’eia State Park and Kane’ohe Bay.

We are also committed to establishing community partnerships that will promote better education and awareness, responsible stewardship and recreation, preservation of culture and ecology, and giving back to our community.

Programs such as Hawai’i Marine Animal Response Training, NOAA’s Ocean Awareness Training, and the State of Hawai’i Boating Safety Education Course are examples of the training our staff receive so that we can lead by example and share with all who visit us.