On both land and sea, Maui is blessed with natural diversity and an abundance of rare species and ecosystems. How many of those species survive into the future will depend in part on policies that are enacted and enforced at the State and local levels.

There are countless ways that elected officials and government agencies can protect nature:  Add additional areas to the protected natural areas system. Support the Maui Invasive Species Committee and the watershed protection partnerships. Regulate or eliminate agricultural chemicals, certain types of sunscreen, and other pollutants that damage our reefs. Allocate resources to patrol marine protected areas, and work with local fishermen to combat overfishing. Fund conservation research and habitat restoration efforts. Enforce international and interisland commerce policies that prevent the spread of plant diseases. Restore ample flow to East Maui streams. Promote energy policies that minimize our contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions. Discontinue the use of wastewater injection wells that damage reefs and other coastal environments. And so on.

For a more in-depth overview of nature conservation issues on Maui see the Nature Almanac section of the website. The Political Tracker section is a place to monitor the ongoing actions of the multitude of governing bodies that address conservation issues either directly or indirectly. An informed public will be better able to ensure that our State and local governments help defend the natural diversity of Hawai'i.

Are you concerned about the state of political affairs at the local level and beyond? Are you drawn to do something about it? The Local Political Tracker is a collaborative tool for informing ourselves and each other, and reclaiming the democratic process. By monitoring key local issues and elected officials we can promote more transparent, accountable, and effective governance. True democracy requires more than just voting. It depends on an active and informed citizenry, and each one of us can do our part.

The Political Tracker concept is simple: as a volunteer you agree to monitor, or "adopt" one or more local issues, government bodies, or elected officials. You gather information, either by attending meetings, reviewing meeting minutes or video footage available online, summarizing news articles, or conducting interviews. You then post your notes via the Data Entry form below.

To post information to the Political Tracker one needs to first complete the volunteer registration process:

• Register and log in to the Evolution-Local website.
• Read and agree to the Political Tracker Volunteer Ethics Agreement
• Complete and submit the Political Tracker Volunteer Form.
• Wait for email notification that your Volunteer status has been activated.