Talofa Fe’a (NREM C’24) spent this past summer in Mni Sota Makoce as an intern with Waḳaƞ Ṭípi Awaƞyankapi (WTA): a Dakota led, Native-run East Side environmental stewardship nonprofit. Supported by the ITEP Tribal Wellbeing for 7 Generations Program, Talofa helped WTA’s Land and Environment Team with their stewardship efforts focused on urban restoration, cultural healing, and environmental education.

Dr. Idol is currently working to restore native forests with ʻiliahi (Hawaiian sandalwood). He has two PhD graduates who worked on this project and now has a new MS student starting his graduate thesis. His favorite memory is the first time he saw fruit on young ʻiliahi saplings that they had planted less than 5 years earlier; it was a great indicator of success for the restoration of this ecologically and culturally important species. Because ʻiliahi, like all sandalwood species, is a root hemiparasite, balancing its long-term growth with that of its host plants can be challenging. We hope to find that balance across time, from planting through reproductive maturity to harvest, generating revenue that supports further restoration. 

Students can find his contact information along with other faculty at the NREM Faculty webpage: https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/nrem/PEOPLE