Mission
The conservation of nēnē and the rehabilitation of this species spans decades and has involved thousands of people and numerous organizations. The purpose of this project is to supplement ongoing effort by supporting local, state and federal organizations, providing the community with near-real time information about individual nēnē and bolstering involvement by promoting citizen science. Our immediate goal is to increase participation in citizen science and conservation by building a better tool to report nēnē sightings and learn about individual nēnē around Hawaiʻi.
Who are we?
Nēnē Research and Conservation (Nene.org) is a recognized non-profit organization based in Hawaiʻi that is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Founded by Jordan and Ariel, nene.org was started to collect and consolidate nēnē sightings across the State of Hawaiʻi. Although a considerable portion of the population is banded, there is no centralized, publicly available database for this species. Our team gathers sighting data from various sources such as social media, ebird, iNaturalist, and conducts dedicated surveys. This data helps us identify areas where conservation efforts can be improved to support the rehabilitation of nēnē, as well as improve habitats for other native and endemic species. By providing more context behind an individual nēnē we can help folks build stronger connections with these animals.
Jordan Lerma
Jordan Lerma is a Native Hawaiian field biologist at Cascadia Research Collective and holds a degree in Economics and Public Finance from Saint Mary’s College of California and is pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University. He is the owner and operator of Uheheu, LLC which specializes in using technology like drones to address conservation issues.
Ariel Imoto
Ariel is a Native Hawaiian living in the North Hilo ahupuaʻa in the town of Pāpaʻikou. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences. Ariel has previously worked with Keauhou Bird Conservation, National Tropical Botanical Garden, and the Hawaii Tree Snail Conservation Laboratory. She continues her passion for protecting Hawaiʻi’s native species by raising awareness of pressing conservation issues through illustrations and social media.
How do I send a photo?
Individual photos can be contributed to the dataset by using the upload page. Large library of photos can be sent to us on Hightail. All photo rights will be retained by the photographer or current rights holder and will not be made public unless we are given explicit permission.
Contact
Transparency
We believe in open access to data and that extends to our finances. All transactions are recorded and posted publicly below. The only exception will be donors who wish to remain anonymous. If you have any questions or see a discrepancy please contact us at finance@nene.org.