How You Can Help
There are many ways to help dryland forest communities. Foremost, is not giving up—no matter how little remains. You can do this by sharing knowledge and a sense of caring so that others are more aware of these precious lands.
If you are desiring more hands on ways of helping here are just a few suggestions:
- Look at the map below of dry forest sites that regularly have volunteer events accessible to the public and consider adding your name to one (or more) volunteer lists. Information on how to get involved at these sites is listed below the map.
- If you’re a teacher or affiliated with a school, we’ve also noted several sites below which offer educational and service opportunities for schools.
- If you’re a student interested in internships and learning, two excellent programs are available: PIPES and HYCC (Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps)
- If you don’t have time, you might have other resources to donate such as landscaping tools, fencing material, gloves for volunteers, benches, shade canopies, GPS units, etc.. Contact us and we will help match you with a partner needing your items or contact an organization listed below:
Dry Forest Sites with Regular Public Volunteer Days:
Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden: Situated in historic Kealakekua ahupua‘a and overlooking the Bay, the 13-acre Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden mission “supports Hawaiian cultural traditions of land use and plants, and conserves the plant resources of traditional Hawaiian cultural activities.” The Garden contains over 200 native plant species, many of which are rare and endangered. Regular volunteer days are held by the Friends of Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden usually every Saturday morning, and you can sign up on the volunteer list at: https://www.amygreenwell.garden/volunteer/
Kīholo Fishpond: In partnership with Hui Aloha Kīholo , The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is working to restore Kīholo Fishpond on the west coast of Hawaiʻi Island, including re-vegetation of the coastal dryland forest around the fishpond. To participate in monthly volunteer workdays at Kīholo, contact TNC’s Barbara Seidel at barbara.seidel@tnc.org
Kohala Watershed Partnership: The Kohala Watershed Partnership is a voluntary coalition of private landowners and public land managers dedicated to restoring and protecting the native forested watersheds of Kohala Mountain. The area includes both wet and dry forests. The Kohala Center helps to steward this area under their Kohala Stewardship Program and sponsors stewardship days which are shown on their events page: https://kohalacenter.org/events
Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project (MKFRP): This site includes two areas on Mauna Kea designated for restoration of māmane (Sophora chrysophylla) forest to mitigate the habitat loss for the federally endangered Palila. (Loxioides bailleui). These areas are Pu‘u Mali Restoration Area (PMRA; 5,140 acres) on the north slope and Ka‘ohe Restoration Area (KRA; 1,400 acres) on the west slope. Both are State owned lands that were formerly leased for cattle ranching and are adjacent to existing māmane forest in the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve. The site is managed by the Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU). You can sign up to volunteer at: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/restoremaunakea/
Pu’u Wa’awa’a Forest Reserve: This forest reserve is public land that is managed by the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and consists of approximately 37,600 acres. It contains some of the best remaining remnants of the dry forest, and is actively being restored. The federal USDA Forest Service is also involved in the site and facilitating research on tropical dry forests through the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest program. Volunteer events are regularly posted on the Pu’uwa’awa’a Facebook site with generally one to two volunteer days per month, including an ‘Ohana Day for families. You can sign up for volunteering at their Facebook site, or by emailing napuuconservation@gmail.com to get on their volunteer list. The Pu’u Wa’awa’a Forest Reserve also accommodates large volunteer groups such as schools, scout troops, civic clubs, businesses, non-profits, etc, for educational and service days.
Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative (WDFI): This non-profit organization manages a 275 acre dry forest preserve and restoration project near Waikoloa Village on Hawai‘i Island. The outreach and education program includes the Future Foresters educational program for school children, and visitors and volunteer programs. Volunteer days generally occur the second and fourth Saturdays from October through April. Sign up to volunteer by emailing robert@waikoloadryforest.org Further information about this site and upcoming events can be found at: https://waikoloadryforest.org/