Kanaka Maoli and Malama ‘Aina

Noa Lincoln (TPSS) is one of the guest editors of a special issue of the journal Sustainability that has the distinction of being the largest collection of scientific publications by Native Hawaiians. He is a member of an interdisciplinary group of researchers from UH and other universities and representatives of Native Hawaiian communities who collaborated to compile conservation findings in a special issue focusing on biocultural restoration in Hawai‘i. The work, collectively highlighting that Hawai‘i is a global leader in the realm of biocultural restoration, aims to influence policy both locally and internationally. Biocultural restoration is an approach that incorporates humanity and its connections to nature in a larger effort to restore the health, function, and resilience of both land- and seascapes. Articles in the special issue range in focus from the theoretical to the philosophical to the practical, including applied aspects of such an approach to restoration. Nearly 100 authors contributed to 14 articles in the special issue, reflecting the collaborative nature of the project. More than a third of the authors are of Native Hawaiian ancestry; each paper had at least one Native Hawaiian author; and several papers had a Hawaiian lead author. The publication also represents a new emphasis in applied participatory research that involves academics, government agencies, and both private and non-profit sectors.