Hawaii Forest Institute’s efforts to promote service-learning opportunities for volunteers and grow critical habitat and food for native birds at the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center Discovery Forest recently received additional support.
HFI, based in ‘O‘okala, was recognized by Cooke Foundation Ltd. and Bill Healy Foundation with grant funding for ongoing outreach and restoration efforts, while runners participated in the Hawaii Bird Conservation Marathon to support the endemic birds of Hawaii.
Thirty-three of the 87 runners who finished the marathon in December completed the race with a Boston Marathon qualifying time. Nearly $5,000 in donations was raised and presented to HFI for the KBCC Discovery Forest.
The KBCC Discovery Forest is providing service-learning opportunities for volunteers and habitat and food for native birds. Using conservation breeding and release techniques for more than 20 years, KBCC has been saving critically endangered Hawaiian birds from extinction. Birds being cared for at KBCC are the ‘alala, puaiohi, palila, kiwikiu, ‘akeke‘e and ‘akikiki.
The Division of Forestry and Wildlife‘s Forest Stewardship Committee approved the KBCC Discovery Forest Stewardship Plan, which describes procedures to restore 4 acres per year through 10 years. Since January 2015, 11.8 acres have been cleared and KBCC caretaker/outreach coordinator Iwikau‘ikaua “Iwi” Joaquin has engaged 2,097 volunteers who outplanted 8,991 native seedlings, including acacia koa, mamane, maile, ‘ohi‘a, pa‘iniu, ohelo, kawa‘u, kolea, olapa, ‘ohawai, ‘uki‘uki, popolo ku mai, and pilo.
The Discovery Forest site is an endemic forest canopy with acacia koa and ‘ohi‘a lehua as the pioneer species. The forest, which is at an elevation of 4,000 feet, was once grazed by cattle and is now primarily covered in non-native kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum). As a result, there is a need to restore the site and add to the existing native species, which are found in low densities.