Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Month Awards
Congratulations to Kiane Prietto on her recent award! She is a teacher who integrates art and ʻāina education into classroom learning, and is a passionate advocate for native Hawaiian species.
In the spirit of Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness Month, Kiane encourages everyone to request their free guides to native and invasive snails in Hawaii: https://www.bishopmuseum.org/malacology-outreach/ Invasive snails not only crowd native snails out of their habitats… but they’re also hungry predators, killing kāhuli that aren’t protected by fencing.
Kiane Prietto is being recognized as the Hawaiʻi Island MVP for her outstanding dedication to invasive species education and community outreach. As a kumu at Kanu o ka ʻĀina, she integrates invasive species topics into her curriculum through project-based learning, empowering her haumāna with hands-on experiences in conservation and biodiversity monitoring.
Through her participation in the BIORETS REACHES summer program under Dr. Norine Yeung, Kumu Kiane gained expertise in native and invasive snail research. She brought that ʻike back to her classroom by guiding student-led biodiversity surveys and fostering a deeper pilina between students and ʻāina.
Her leadership extends beyond the classroom. After discovering Little Fire Ants (LFA) in her neighborhood, she initiated a social media campaign to raise awareness and mobilize her community to take action. Kumu Kiane exemplifies innovation, kuleana, and a deep commitment to protecting Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems.
Text from here: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/news/hisam-2025-awardees/
Some posts from Kiane’s instagram page:
