HONOLULU — The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife has a new campaign featuring its mascot, Pono the Nēnē, who encourages residents and visitors to engage with nature responsibly and respectfully.

What You Need To Know

  • The “Be Pono” campaign is a series of five 30-second videos on the DOFAW website featuring tips on different topics

  • “When people head outside to enjoy nature, we ask that they do it in a way that helps protect those experiences for future generations,” said DOFAW Administrator David Smith

The “Be Pono” campaign is a series of five 30-second videos on the DOFAW website featuring tips on different topics:

Hike Pono by cleaning gear before and after hiking by using boot brush stations to avoid spreading Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death or invasive seeds. Stay on trails to avoid harming plants and causing erosion. Use headphones to listen to music so fellow hikers can enjoy the sounds of nature. Playing loud music on trails is prohibited in Hawaii.

(Illustration courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources)

Play Pono by keeping campfires contained or not starting one in windy conditions. Be ready to extinguish it with a nearby water source and avoid the risk of wildfires from fireworks by going to a professional show.

(Illustration courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources)

Mālama Pono by keeping distance between you and all wildlife, many of which are threatened or endangered and have laws that protect them. Keep wildlife wild by never feeding them.

(Illustration courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources)

Gather Pono by gathering only what you need of wood, fruit, foliage and other items with permission from the landowner or getting a Forest Reserve System collection permit.

(Illustration courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources)

Be a Pono Pet Parent by keeping your pet on a leash while enjoying the outdoors and keeping poop bags at the ready. Pets, especially cats, can be happy indoors or in an enclosed yard as well.

(Illustration courtesy of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources)

Visit the website to read more and access links to detailed information such as hiking safety tips and emergency numbers, “Firewise” landscaping tips from the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death information, and a new Pono Pet Parent Pledge from the Hawaii Veterinary Medical Association.

“We manage an enormous amount of outdoor recreation opportunities, including hundreds of miles of Nā Ala Hele hiking trails, over 700,000 acres of public Forest Reserves, and all the native plants and animals that make those areas special,” said DOFAW Administrator David Smith in a news release. “When people head outside to enjoy nature, we ask that they do it in a way that helps protect those experiences for future generations.”

Anyone who views all five videos can receive either a free Pono the Nēnē water bottle sticker or a free bumper sticker with Pono’s favorite saying: “E mālama kākou I ka ʻāina: Let’s care for the land together.”