15th April 2011
Posted in Updates

The latest Envision Laie newsletter has been posted with news of a community service project. Volunteers will spend Saturday, May 14, helping restore the Ko’olau mountains to native forest. A forest restoration day is planned by Envision Laie and groups in the Ko’olauloa area. Volunteers will meet at Laie Park at 8 a.m., hike up the Laie 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. The hike is challenging and volunteers will be asked to sign a release. If you plan to attend, please RSVP on the Envision Laie Facebook page.

Invasive plants are overpowering the native rainforest near the Ko’olau summit. A fire two years ago made the problem worse.

The day of service — co-sponsored by Envision Laie, land manager Hawaii Reserves, Inc. (HRI), the Ko’olau Mountain Watershed Partnership (KMWP), Sustain BYU-Hawaii, and others — supports 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, 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 Dr. 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.”

Bybee has been in contact with other scientists at The Nature Conservancy, which leads efforts to control invasive species and protect native forests in Hawaii, for advice on best methodology.

Other experts have also been involved. “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 – mountain to sea,” 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.”

Community groups and individual residents are invited to join the project. Some of the supplies and logistical support will be provided and 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. Additional service days can be arranged if enough interest is cultivated.