Hakalau

Aloha!

This is not the usually content, but I wanted to talk about a trip that I was apart of.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife refuge on the big island. It was such a beautiful place, where so many of the creatures found there are found nearly nowhere else. I'iwi, Nēnē and 'Akiapōlā'au were just a few of the vibrant birds that settle here, living in the purely endemic forest. It was amazing to witness a forest where more than 90% of the trees and shrubbery were native. 

While there, I had the opportunity of planting 512 plants of various types, all endemic.  Interacting with endangered and "extinct in the wild" plants like the 'Ohā Wai and the Hāha brought a whole new perspectives as only a few of these plants exist and have ever been seen by people. It was a humbling experience that Im glad I could be apart of. 


Mahalo, Hakalau!




The nearly 33,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge in the United States strictly for forest birds. 

For more info, please visit their website.

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/hakalau_forest/

Photos were taken by KCC Ecology club members.







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