Protect Hawaii's Last Lowland Native Rainforest

In June of this year, our intensive restoration of the Keau’ohana rainforest site will reach a full decade! In December of 2023, we began our 8^th systematic pass of the site, indicating that HER crew of half a dozen strong are now able to complete a full restoration pass of the 20 acre site within a year. In this way, the forest is showing more resilience and requiring less effort, adding to Keau'ohana's enhanced long-term potential. 

HER enjoyed facilitating a total of 22 special events that engaged 196 volunteers, who accrued 602 volunteer hours in the forest; with admin/outreach volunteerism , 654 volunteer hours were totaled. HER now has 977 subscribers and 1,243 FB and Instagram followers. Since 2014, HER has hosted over 1,031 volunteers; 131 special events; has accrued over 7,043 volunteer hours; and planted over 1,856 out-plants.

In 2024, we anticipate important progress should the fencing of Keau’ohana indeed pull through as proposed. We are already stimulated in our planting efforts in light of this prospect; on Winter Solstice week, we introduced 257 new keiki into Keau’ohana grounds; the year’s total has reached 487 seedlings. Please visit our blog to learn more, and to see great pictures of HER 2023 achievements. HER Blog

Links:

• HER Blog
• Kamehameha School Volunteers Offer Hawaiian Chant

HER volunteers planted 66 seedlings for Fall Equinox in the forest of Keau’ohana on Saturday September 23^rd. Among the usual restoration species, we added kou seedlings to our mix. Though the native kou tree is generally found in coastal regions, as the climate warms up and rainfall decreases, we are experimenting to observe how they may fair. 

So far we have largely planted native seedlings in the forest to try and maintain keau’ohana’s native forest integrity, but with the severe loss of ‘ohi’a to Rapid 'Ohi'a Death (ROD), we are forced to experiment in our plight for shade. Soon we may try and include Polynesian-introduced species such as the kamani, and perhaps other non-invasive/non-native species in pockets of the forest site that are more disturbed.

These questions are being evaluated by our Lowland Wet Forest Working Group (LWFWG), a team of wet forest specialist supporting each other in various restoration projects of the Hilo and Puna regions. The working group will be meeting in Keau’ohana on November 7th to evaluate a number of such questions, and help make most appropriate decisions for the future of HER restoration site. 

Having been awarded the County Grant-In-Aid (GIA) for FY 2023-24, HER would like to acknowledge at this time, several new members to our weekly forest working crew. We are very excited to have such fine support! The Keau'ohana 20 acre restoration site now receives more than one pass within a year, making our efforts even more effective.

Please visit our blog for a more detailed account of HER forest and community activities!  

Links:

• Hawaii Environmental Restoration Website Homepage
• Kamehameha Volunteer Student Hawaiian Protocol
• HER Primary Video