TNC receives US$500,000 donation from entrepreneur to protect native forests of Kau, South Kona on Hawaii's Big Island

Lorena Madrigal

HONOLULU , August 19, 2011 (Associated Press) – A self-storage entrepreneur has donated $500,000 to The Nature Conservancy to support forest conservation on the Big Island.

The Nature Conservancy said Thursday the gift from Ed Olson is specifically targeted at protecting the native forests of Kau and South Kona. Forests in these areas provide critical habitat for many of Hawaii's endangered forest birds.

Olson's company, A-American Storage Management Co., is the 7th largest self-storage company in the country.

Last year, Olson moved to protect more than 2,000 acres of Hawaii agricultural land from development by reaching a conservation easement deal with the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust.

The land included more than 1,200 acres on the slopes of the Waianae mountains on Oahu and more than 900 acres in Kau.

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