DHHL forest restoration plan starts with logging on Mauna Kea

Author:

Sherwood, Loretta

Title:

DHHL forest restoration plan starts with logging on Mauna Kea

Periodical:

Environment Hawaii

Year:

2004

Volume:

14

Pages:

9-10

Subject:

Forests and forestry Restoration ecology Habitat conservation

Summary:

The Department of Hawaiian Homes Land (DHHL) is embarking on a Forest Restoration Plan by letting leases expire in an effort to give pasture land back to the native birds of Hawaii. The purpose of this project is to recover the Hawaiian forest bird population through the restoration of the Koa forest. The pasture land is in an area known as Piha Mauka that fronts Keanakolu Road and is located above the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. The plan involves the rehabilitation of a flyway that links the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve with the Hakalau Refuge. This link will connect mid-elevation koa and ohia trees that are located at Hakalau to the mamane trees that are on the higher slopes of Mauna Kea. It is hoped that linking these areas will be helpful in expanding the range of the forest bird population at Hakalau and in an area known as Kanakaleonui, an area is said to have the "best koa at high elevation" and is known to be "very rich in wildlife resources". It is believed that the density of the koa trees that are at the Kanakaleonui tract will allow for a quicker recovery of the bird habitat. It is also hoped that the native koa forest regeneration will be established through a selective logging experiment, the removal of grazing animals, fencing projects, weed control, and through the planting of seeds from an existing seed bank. Initially, bulldozers will be used to spur germination of buried koa seeds. However, if density is not reached within a decade, the DHHL will support the hand-planting of koa seedlings.

Label:

Ecology

Date:

2004

Collection:

Periodicals