By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– The Department of Housing and Land Management’s (DHLM) Clean Water and Natural Lands (CWNL) Program was recently recognized at the 2026 Pele Awards, with Honolulu-based creative agency Welcome Stranger receiving a Silver Pele Award for CWNL’s logo design.
Presented annually by the American Advertising Federation Hawaiʻi, the Pele Awards recognize excellence in advertising, branding, and design across Hawaiʻi’s creative industry.
DHLM’s Conservation Office worked closely with Scott Na‘auao and Jesse Arneson of Welcome Stranger to develop a visual identity and brand that reflects CWNL’s mission and connection to Oʻahu’s natural resources. The resulting logo features a naupaka kuahiwi (mountain variety) flower against a green background paired with a naupaka kahakai (ocean variety) flower against a blue background.
Together, the paired naupaka flowers symbolize the concept of “mauka to makai” — recognizing the interconnected relationship between the mountains and the ocean, and reflecting CWNL’s mission to protect and preserve Oʻahu’s natural and cultural resources from upland forests to coastal waters.
The new branding establishes a recognizable identity for the program as DHLM continues to expand outreach, education, and conservation awareness efforts throughout the community. The Conservation Office plans to incorporate the logo and branding into future signage, educational materials, public outreach campaigns, and program communications.
An example of the new CWNL branding can already be seen at Kahuku, where the Conservation Office recently installed new educational and informational signage incorporating the logo and visual identity. The signage helps communicate CWNL’s mission to residents and visitors while creating a more recognizable public presence for the program in the field. DHLM plans to continue integrating the branding into future conservation sites, outreach materials, and community engagement efforts across Oʻahu.
Learn more about the Clean Water and Natural Lands Program and its conservation efforts at honolulu.gov/dhlm/cwnl/