Ka‘ūpūlehu Dryland Forest Site Manager Wilds Pihanui Brawner gives a planting demonstration for student volunteers.
The Hawai‘i Forest Institute (HFI) was awarded $27,000 in restoration and educational program funding through Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s Aloha ‘Āina and Kūkulu Ola Programs supporting the perpetuation of Hawaiian natural and cultural resources.
“Funding from Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) supports our mission of promoting healthy and productive forests. The much-appreciated funds will help us expand and enhance our restoration and education programs in three of our key forest preserve projects,” said HFI Executive Director Heather Simmons.
Ho‘ōa Ka Makana‘ā o Ka‘ūpūlehu
HTA awarded $15,000 for Hoʻōla Ka Makana‘ā o Ka‘ūpūlehu, a program targeting outreach and educational stewardship that interfaces land management, science ecology, and restoration of native plants, with a priority of nurturing partnerships and collaborations. This 76-acre dryland forest is owned by Kamehameha Schools.
In 2019, over 4,640 people benefited from the Ho‘ōla Ka Makana‘ā o Ka‘ūpūlehu program through forest stewardship events, classroom visits and educational displays and presentations at community outreach events. Participating students are from a mix of schools, particularly schools serving Native Hawaiians. In addition to students, this program appeals to visitor groups specialized in natural resource management.
La‘i ‘Ōpua and Pālamanui Dry Forest Preserves
HTA also awarded $12,000 for the Dryland Intern Mentorship Program at La‘i ‘Ōpua and Pālamanui Dry Forest Preserves. Through the work of Ethnobotanist Jill Wagner, the intern mentorship program creates a pathway for youth who are interested in working in the field of conservation and restoration of Hawaiian ecosystems. Jill is sharing her knowledge and expertise with a new generation of biologists and land stewards. The interns are taught to identify native and non-native species as well as in-depth taxonomy, helping to create a clear understanding of the origins and functions of a plant in the ecosystem.
Jill and the interns engage students from Pālamanui College and K-12, Blue Zone Project volunteers, and other residents and visitors in dryland forest stewardship activities including weeding, collecting seed, and outplanting seedlings. Volunteer workdays are held at the 4-acre La‘i‘Ōpua Preserve Community Garden to maintain and enhance this community amenity. La‘i‘Ōpua Dry Forest Preserve is owned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Pālamanui Dry Forest Preserve is owned by Pālamanui Global Holdings.
For more information contact HFI Executive Director Heather Simmons at 808-933-9411 or email: hfia@hawaiiforest.org.