Council Member Profiles
Former Reserve Advisory Council member profile
Uncle Buzzy Agard
Uncle Buzzy lived a life of aloha ʻāina and ʻonipaʻa, tending to bountiful fruit trees at his Kawailoa kuleana lands, fishing for decades in Hawaiian waters and abroad, and teaching thousands about food propagation and fisheries conservation.
Uncle Buzzy Agard, an esteemed kupuna (elder) and longtime fisherman in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, was instrumental in the establishment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve.
In 2001, Uncle Buzzy was honored by President Clinton at a ceremony to establish the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, where he continued to serve as a member of the Reserve Advisory Council until his passing in 2015 at the age of 91. Uncle Buzzy served as the Native Hawaiian Elder representative, strongly advocating for the protection of this sacred place.
His love for the lāhui in striving for Hawaiian independence were tireless efforts that he fought for with every fiber of his being. In addition to the Reserve Advisory Council, he served on numerous community service organizations and boards, including the Hawaiian Homes Commission, Queen Liliʻuokalani Children's Center Advisory Council, the Council of Hawaiian Organizations, the Native Hawaiian Study Commission, and The Hawaiian Environmental Alliance (KAHEA) where he was a founding member.
In 2015, Uncle Buzzy was honored by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) for a lifetime of work in support of his Hawaiian people and Hawai‘i.