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Introduction:
Laupāhoehoe Wet Forest is located on the east side of Hawaiʻi Island on the windward slopes of Mauna Kea. In the North Hilo District, the forest is situated on the Hāmākua Coast above the town of Laupāhoehoe. It incorporates 4,449 acres of DOFAW managed land designated as Forest Reserve and 7,894 acres of land designated as Natural Area Reserve. Laupāhoehoe consists of native dominated forested landscapes from lowland 2,300 ft about sea level to 6,200 ft in elevation. Average annual rainfall of the Unit ranges from 135 inches (3,428 mm) at lower elevations to 69 inches (1,752 mm) at higher elevations. This large area includes four different life zones that provide habitat for numerous endangered plant and animal species.
Management:
Laupāhoehoe Forest management plan was jointly developed by DOFAW, USFS, and the LAC through a collaborative planning process. The management plan is a long-term management vision that spans 15 year that includes information of the cultural and natural resources and the proposed actions to management them. To learn more about the management plan for Laupāhoehoe Wet Forest click here.
Forest Ecosystems:
Laupāhoehoe is part of the largest remaining native-dominated forest in Hawaiʻi and is largly dominated by our native ‘ōhi‘a (Metrosideros polymorpha) and koa trees (Acacia koa). In this wet forest, 234 vascular plants (native and non-native) have been identified; among them, 12 are considered rare (known from fewer than 20 locations worldwide or less than 3,000 individuals). Also, twenty-two bird species (native and non-native) have been observed, including four Federally-listed endangered bird species.
Along with the primary native communities, Laupāhoehoe also has significant areas of highly altered, non-native dominated vegetation cover. These areas include plantations of tropical ash (Fraxinus uhdei) and eucalyptus, degraded pastures, abandonded sugarcane fields, and sites dominated by invasive plants and animals.
Cultural Significance:
Laupāhoehoe is rich in cultural and historical significance and resources. The lands of the Laupāhoehoe Forest are part of an ancient region, traditionally known to the Hawaiians as the wao Akua (region of the gods), wao ma‘ukele (wet forest zone), and wao nahele (forest zone). In traditional times these forested regions, particularly the wao akua, were considered sacred and the home of the gods. Any travel through the forest lands, undertaking collection of resources such as wood or plant materials, or collection of feathers and catching birds, was undertaken with prayer, caution, and respect. Damage to the living forests was often punished by acts of nature. For example, heavy rains might wash the careless traveler from the path, or dense mists or sudden growth of such plants as uluhe (Dicranopteris linearis) might cause the trail to be lost from view making the traveler wander aimlessly through the forests.
In native and historical accounts, the Laupāhoehoe forest region was also frequently mentioned in several prominent traditions. Laupāhoehoe’s koa forests, mountain bird habitats, and traditional trails connected the lowlands with the mountain lands and neighboring districts. The significance of this connection was therefore frequently referenced in traditional historical accounts.
To learn more about the cultural and historical significance of Laupāhoehoe click here.
Facility: Kahikina Learning Center
The Kahikina Learning Center is closed until further notice.
The KLC is housed on 55 acres of old sugar cane lands. HETF infrastructure like the KLC are envisioned to provide a center for demonstration, education, training, and outreach in tropical forestry, conservation biology, and natural resources research and management. Facilities include a bunkhouse, complete with a full kitchen and classroom/meeting space, a restroom and shower building, and a workshop. A weather station, installed in 2009, is located onsite. The HETF has organized a partnership with several non-profit and government organizations including the Partners in Development Foundation (PIDF), the Malama ‘Āina Foundation, the Akaka Foundation and the Department of Land and Natural Resources to help manage and provide oversight of the facility through an agreement.
For more information on you can visit the HETF website.
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