Woodside named Nature Conservancy executive director
Ulalia Woodside, a 14-year veteran with the Land Assets Division at Kamehameha Schools, has been named the new executive director for The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii.
Woodside, who has served as director of natural and cultural resources, and in other roles at Kamehameha Schools since 2002, succeeds Suzanne Case. Mark Fox, the Conservancy’s external affairs director, served as acting Hawaii executive director during the search process.
During her tenure at Kamehameha Schools, Woodside was responsible for a property portfolio of 200,000 acres of agricultural and conservation lands. She forged the strategic direction for the resource management program and developed partnerships and alliances to support its implementation.
In addition, Woodside developed and implemented programs to steward environmental and natural resources and preserve and restore cultural resources on Kamehameha Schools’ lands statewide.
Woodside is a graduate of the University of Hawaii Political Science and Hawaiian Studies programs and completed her graduate course work at UH’s School of Urban and Regional Planning. She holds a certificate in Hawaiian language from UH-Manoa and is a trained kumu hula.
Woodside is scheduled to start work at the conservancy in mid-January.
Info: nature.org.
Bonsai club, arts council to be honored at festival
The 22nd Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival on Feb. 6 honors longtime contributing festival organizations Waimea Bonyu Kai Bonsai Club and the Waimea Arts Council; both community groups are celebrating landmark anniversaries in 2016. The organizations will be recognized at the festival’s opening ceremony at 9 a.m. on the entertainment stage at the rear of Parker Ranch Center.
The Waimea Bonyu Kai Bonsai Club celebrates its 60th year in 2016. The club has a long relationship with the Cherry Blossom Festival as the club’s sensei (teacher), the late Isami Ishihara, propagated the cherry trees planted in Church Row Park. The club has participated in all festivals.
Marking its 40th year, the Waimea Arts Council is one of the state’s oldest arts organizations. It sponsors a variety of programs, exhibits and visual arts education, plus supports local artists with services.
One of the original participants of the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival, Waimea Arts Council’s Fire House Gallery annually presents a cherry blossom-themed art display and invites attendees of all ages to get creative with chalk on the sidewalks winding through Waimea’s Historic Corner.
The Waimea Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the Japanese tradition of viewing the season’s first blooms, called “hanami,” which literally translates to hana, “flower” and mi, “look.” Held the first Saturday of February, the festival includes a variety of activities from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at multiple venues throughout Waimea.
Info: 961-8706.
