The Outdoor Circle is a Hawaii statewide non-profit membership organization, started in 1912. With branches throughout the Hawaiian Islands, its focus is to protect Hawaii's unique natural beauty for future generations and to keep the islands clean, green and beautiful. This mission is accomplished through community improvement projects, public education, advocacy and more. The work is done by volunteers with support from a few staff people at the Honolulu statewide office.
The Kauai Outdoor Circle (TKOC or KOC) is one of several branches from around the Hawaiian Islands, of the statewide non-profit organization: The Outdoor Circle.
TKOC was formed in the 1970s when it helped start the first recycling activities on the island. TKOC originated the Exceptional Tree Initiative which resulted in the State of Hawaii Exceptional Tree Ordinance that protects and preserves Kauai's best trees. TKOC also pressed the County to establish the Mayor's Arborists Committee to help with tree perils on public lands. And the organization regularly supports efforts to eliminate illegal signs on the island.
Kauai Outdoor Circle sponsors workshops on plant and tree care and other relevant topics that support our mission. We participate in several community enhancing programs such as the free tree give-away on Arbor Day, National Make a Difference Day, Kauai Garden Fair and the Kauai, The Beautiful Program.
The Kauai Outdoor Circle has planted many of the trees you see flourishing along our roadsides and in our public parks and has been nationally recognized by both The Arbor Day Foundation and National Make a Difference Day for our good work.
Mission
To keep Hawai‘i clean, green, and beautiful by preserving, protecting, and enhancing our environment for future generations.
The (Hawaii) Outdoor Circle's established Public Policies listed below and elaborated in the link below have been approved by the TOC Board of Directors and are in effect until rescinded by the Board. Individual TOC branches may adopt their own Public Policies or Position Statements on localized issues so long as they do not conflict with these stated Public Policies.
Section I: Preserving and Protecting the Natural Environment
1. The Outdoor Circle advocates for efforts and legislation to preserve and protect trees in parks, public spaces and along street right-of-ways.
2. The Outdoor Circle advocates for efforts and legislation to mitigate climate change through increased tree canopy coverage on both public and private property.
3. The Outdoor Circle supports the preservation and protection of major urban view corridors and scenic view planes throughout the islands.
4. The Outdoor Circle supports the preservation and protection of significant natural features and open spaces and lands designated as "Preservation," "Conservation," or "Prime Agricultural."
5. The Outdoor Circle promotes on-going environmental education and stewardship to increase awareness of the essential value and importance of the natural environment and to encourage action to protect it.
6. The Outdoor Circle advocates for the preservation and protection of public parks and recreational areas, including protecting their tranquility and natural beauty, and opposed commercialization in parks and encroachment of open space in parks by public development.
Section II: Enhancing the Natural and Built Environments. 7. The Outdoor Circle supports the prohibition of billboards and other forms of off-site advertising.
8. The Outdoor Circle advocates for legislation to strengthens the control of signs and signage clutter in Hawaii.
9. The Outdoor Circle supports limits on the placement and number of outdoor murals to ensure that individually and collectively they aesthetically enhance the built environment and protect Hawaii's natural beauty, scenic view planes and urban view corridors, without negatively impacting public welfare and safety for pedestrian and multimodal transportation networks.
10. The Outdoor Circle advocates for the placement of utility wires underground in urban areas and on main streets of suburban communities.
11. The Outdoor Circle advocates for efforts and legislation to enhance the quality of life for residents and to improve urban livability.