An historic meeting of the top conservation minds, held for the first time in the United States—and Trilogy’s proud to be involved!

Held only once every four years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress brings together several thousand global leaders and decision-makers from government, indigenous peoples, private businesses, and academia, with the goal of conserving the environment and connecting the solutions nature offers to global challenges. The IUCN is the world’s first global environmental organization, and is the largest environmental conservation network. The IUCN works to find practical solutions to the earth’s environmental challenges, and is well known for producing the IUCN Red List, which is a list of the conservation status of species threatened with extinction.

LOGO COURTESY OF IUCN HAWAI`I 

The 2016 meeting, scheduled for September 1-10th, 2016, will consist of a private Member’s Assembly and a public Forum. The public Forum will allow attendees to debate major sustainable development issues, propose solutions, and facilitate the networking of conservation tools, skills, and experience. Hawai’i, with its long and venerated history of environmental conservation, coupled with its breathtaking scenery, rich cultural history, high biodiversity, and unique activities, is an ideal location for the IUCN congress to be held. Even President Obama is thrilled that Hawai’i was chosen and had this to say about the selection, “The United States would be honored to host the World Conservation Congress for the first time in the over- 60 year history of the IUCN. As someone who grew up in Hawai’i, I know the warmth and hospitality of the Hawaiian people will make a lasting impression on the delegates to the Congress”.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IUCN HAWAI`I 

Since attendees of the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress will be traveling from all over the globe to participate, the Congress is offering excursions for the delegates to elect to participate, should they choose to extend their stay in the islands. Trilogy Excursions partnered with the Maui Ocean Center and the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council to offer a unique excursion for IUCN delegates that combines science, culture, conservation and adventure! The excursion will start with a private behind the scenes tour of the Maui Ocean Center, complete with coral growth and restoration talks led by head curator John Gorman. Participants will then board Trilogy V, our bio-diesel powered sailboat that makes touring Maui Nui even more sustainable. The excursion will sail to Olowalu, where scientists and island leaders from Maui Nui Marine Resource Council will talk story on Maui’s “mother reef”, followed by a snorkel led by a Trilogy reef naturalist to get a firsthand experience of Maui’s rich and diverse coral reef ecosystem. During the sail back to Ma’alaea, participants will feast on an island inspired hot barbecued lunch while sharing conservation experience from their own homes. All in all, it will truly be an honor to be involved in such a noble and pono world summit, and we can’t wait to interact with conservation leaders from around the world while showing them the best of Maui!

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRILOGY EXCURSIONS

Are you planning to attend the IUCN Congress? Know anyone who is? Tell us about it in the comments below!

By Kelly Montenero