Hawai‘i Land Trust to Honor Maui’s Susan Bradford and Lucienne de Naie

Hawai‘i Land Trust is honoring Susan Bradford and Lucienne de Naie, representing the founders of Maui Coastal Land Trust, as its 2022 Champions of the Land. They will be recognized at the 20 th annual Buy Back the Beach benefit lū‘au for their substantial contributions to land conservation in Hawai‘i.

Each year HILT recognizes a person, group, or organization that has made a substantial impact on land conservation in Hawai‘i. As founding members of Maui Coastal Land Trust in 2001, Bradford and de Naie were instrumental in the permanent protection of the 277-acre Waihe‘e Coastal Dunes & Wetlands Refuge, as well as other land protection efforts on Maui. Maui Coastal Land Trust became part of HILT, a unified statewide land trust, in 2011.

Bradford and de Naie will be recognized during the 2022 Buy Back the Beach: Mālama Kīpuka fundraiser from 5-8:30 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2022, at Old Lāhainā Lū‘au on Maui. The benefit has been held for 20 years, directly supporting HILT’s mission to protect and steward the lands that sustain Hawai‘i. Funds raised at the lū‘au enable HILT to effectively meet land conservation needs in Hawai‘i.

HILT invites supporters to join in celebrating Bradford and de Naie for their community leadership, generous philanthropy, and forward-thinking vision. Tickets start at $250 per individual and are limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. For additional ticket, sponsorship or online donation information, visit HILT.org/events, or call Angela Britten, development director, at 808-791-0731.

“Now more than ever, HILT-preserved lands have served as vital places of refuge and rejuvenation, and we share our most heartfelt mahalo with our generous supporters and Champions of the Land who have made the mission of land conservation and stewardship possible over the past 20 years,” said Laura Kaakua, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hawaiʻi Land Trust.

Bradford moved to Hawai‘i in 1988 and became active with several organizations including the Kihei Community Association and Maui Tomorrow, focusing on smart growth and environmental issues. Her accomplishments include facilitating the first community recycling initiative on Maui through the Maui Recycling Group, as well as helping save several historic Maui sites from development, such as the Palauea area. Bradford, a former psychotherapist who now divides her time between Maui and Minneapolis, remains active with HILT as a member of its Maui Island Council.

De Naie has lived on Maui for more than 30 years. She is a freelance researcher and writer, and is the author of a 2005 report on Maui’s water resources, a 2007 book on the history of the Mākena area, and other historically oriented projects. She is a longtime board member of Sierra Club Maui and Surfrider Foundation Maui. De Naie has also served on the Maui County General Plan Advisory Committee, Focus Maui Nu Advisory Committee, and Mayor Apana’s Open Space Ordinance Advisory Committee. She continues to work with community groups and local and state government agencies to advocate for the protection of natural and cultural resources.

2022 Buy Back the Beach: Mālama Kīpuka sponsors include the Old Lāhainā Lū‘au, which has hosted the event each year without charge. The event’s exclusive hotel sponsor is The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, and additional sponsors are Maui Brewing Co., Maui Wine, and Ocean Organic Vodka.

Hawaiʻi Land Trust protects and stewards the lands that sustain Hawaiʻi, and teaches future generations to do the same.

To date, Hawaiʻi Land Trust has protected more than 21,500 acres throughout the Islands – 2,100 acres are Hawaiʻi Land Trust owned public preserves open for everyone to enjoy, and over 19,000 acres are protected via conservation easements restricting privately owned lands. HILT protects coastlines, wahi kupuna (Hawaiian cultural landscapes), and lands that grow healthy food for Hawaiʻi’s people.