KILAUEA — Friends of Kaua‘i Wildlife Refuges, the nonprofit group that provides support to the Kaua‘i National Wildlife Refuge Complex, continues its support of the education of future conservationists through an annual scholarship fund honoring the legacy of the late Daniel Moriarty.
“We are so pleased to provide $11,000 in scholarships once again this year,” said friends Executive Director Thomas Daubert. This year’s recipients of Daniel Moriarty Memorial Scholarships are Samantha Alvarado, Laura Kimberly Bailes, Lilia Davis, Shay Garcia-Yamashita, Kieran Mitchell, Kelsey “Olena” Molina and Sophia Rodriguez.
Moriarty managed the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge from 1979 to 1990, and his tireless efforts in restoring native vegetation and protecting seabirds were largely responsible for transforming the former lighthouse grounds and surrounding cliffs into one of the premier wildlife refuges in the world, said Daubert.
He also spearheaded the successful drive to acquire Nihoku (Crater Hill) and Mokolea, to make them part of the refuge.
In addition, he was an outstanding environmental educator and conservationist who played a major role in fostering a strong conservation ethic in the community, Daubert said. In 1998, the organization endowed a scholarship fund in memory of Moriarty, and has continued to award annual scholarships in his name since.
Each year, students studying in the broadly-defined fields of botany, zoology, natural history and related subjects concerning the Hawaiian environment are encouraged to apply for a scholarship.
The fields of wildlife management, interpretation, conservation and environmental education are also supported. To be eligible, students must have been a resident of Hawai‘i within the last five years, been accepted or enrolled in a four-year college or university, and maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or better.
“We are so honored to continue the legacy of Daniel Moriarty’s passion for conservation by supporting the education of these seven talented members of our community,” added Friends of Kaua‘i Wildlife Refuges board member and Scholarship Committee Chair Kalani Walther.
“Their courses of study include a PhD in tropical plant and soil science, environmental biology, environmental science, marine science, environmental studies, and other areas focused on preserving and protecting our native Hawaiian plant and animal species. We anticipate that their work will have a profound impact upon the future of our island for years to come.”
Scholarship awards are made possible by donations to the scholarship fund and from proceeds of sales from the Nature Store at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. For more information, visit fkwr.org, contact Daubert at 828-0384 or scholarship@kilaueapoint.org to discuss ways to support future conservationists.
