27th April 2011
Posted in Updates

Volunteers will spend Saturday, May 14, restoring the Ko‘olau mountains above Lā‘ie to native forest. The forest restoration is planned by Envision Lā‘ie and groups in the Ko’olauloa area. Volunteers will meet at Lā‘ie Park at 8 a.m., hike up the Lā‘ie mountains and work until mid- afternoon. They will spend the day removing invasive species, helping restore endangered plants unique to Hawaii, and planting Hawaiian koa and sandalwood.

Community groups and individual residents are invited to join the project. Some of the supplies and logistical support will be dropped off by helicopter the day before with help from project supporters KMWP and the U.S. Army. Interested parties should contact David Bybee at (808) 675-3804 about the May 14 service project.

This service project is co-sponsored by Envision Lā‘ie, land manager Hawaii Reserves, Inc. (HRI), the Ko‘olau Mountain Watershed Partnership (KMWP), Sustain BYU–Hawaii. This is part of ongoing efforts by Brigham Young University–Hawaii biology students who trek to a spot known as “the battlefront” in the hills above the campus once a semester. Heading the effort is David Bybee, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at BYU–Hawaii. “A war is raging between the native Hawaiian rainforest and invasive plants that have gained a foothold,” said Bybee. “Although we’ve made good progress, it’s going to take many hands and lots of sweat to counter the damage to this area. This is an opportunity to do something substantial to continue Earth Day celebrations in April.”

The Nature Conservancy and other experts have been consulted for recommendations on the best methodology for controlling invasive species and protecting native forests in Hawai‘i. “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together people to heal a scar resulting from human contact with a native dominated Hawaiian forest,” said Scott Lynch, Natural Resource Manager for KMWP.

“We have to think of the ‘āina from mauka to makai,” said Dr. Kali Fermantez, professor of Hawaiian Studies at BYU–Hawaii. “And so while the Iosepa, our voyaging canoe, is scheduled to sail this spring, we will also be involved in this project on land helping to restore and protect our native forest up mauka.”