Kupu opens applications for conservation leadership program on Maui

Kupu, Hawai‘i’s leading conservation and environmental education nonprofit, is seeking applications for the Conservation Leadership Development Program (CLDP). Recent high school graduates, college graduates and early professionals looking to establish a career in conservation are strongly encouraged to apply by Sept. 13.

CLDP participants are matched with a conservation host site for the program, where they learn and serve alongside conservation experts. This extensive network of partner sites offers exposure to the fields of ornithology, botany, natural and aquatic resource management, biology, marine biology, Hawaiian cultural studies, and more. CLDP host sites on Maui include:

• Hui O Waʻa Kaulua – Education
• Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project
• The Nature Conservancy of Hawaiʻi – Maui Marine Program – Maui Forestry
• Zoological Society of San Diego DBA San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance – Maui Bird Conservation Center

“‘Āina inspires me to pursue a career in conservation,” said Alex Calma, who just completed a CLDP term at the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project. “This experience has showed me a side of life that is purposeful and meaningful. With conservation, I get to serve my ‘ohana, friends and Maui, which allows me to live with aloha, lokahi, and continue the lifestyle of mālama ‘āina.”

CLDP participants receive a bi-weekly living stipend, health insurance, career certifications, and upon term completion, an education award up to $7,395, as well as access to the Kupu Pathways program, which offers a kick-start to college (no transcripts needed) through Arizona State University. Apply at kupuhawaii.org/conservation-leadership-development-program

For questions, contact conservation@kupuhawaii.org or call 808-735-1221, extension 2002.