Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge celebrated the 40th anniversary of the refuge with 200 supporters at a gala and fundraiser held at Kona Salt Farm.

In November, the event honored the achievements of the past four decades, recognized the teams who built this enduring legacy, and looked ahead with optimism.

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1985 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, consists of two distinct parcels: 32,830 acres on the windward slopes of Mauna Kea and 16,060 acres south of Kailua-Kona on the slopes of Mauna Loa.

Although the refuge was established primarily for endangered forest birds, it became clear early on that habitat restoration was necessary.

Over the last 40 years, staff and volunteers have fenced the refuge and planted more than 700,000 koa trees on former Shipman pasture lands. Rare and endangered native birds are nesting in these trees, making it the only place in Hawaiʻi where native forest bird populations are stable or increasing.

The Hakalau Forest Unit is a habitat for 29 critically endangered species, including seven birds, one insect, one mammal and 20 plants found nowhere else in the world. However, challenges such as controlling invasive species, fence maintenance, and replanting native species remain.

To address some of these challenges, the gala included a live auction to raise funds, featuring unique offerings such as a private performance by ʻukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro at Hakalau Forest.

A 10-minute video featuring Shimabukuro exploring the forest with former refuge biologist and photographer Jack Jeffrey debuted at the gala, along with new clothing designs from designer David Shepard.

Shepard created Hakalau Forest fabric featuring hand-drawn art supporting his mission of conservation through aloha ʻāina. These new clothing designs are available at the Friends of Hakalau Forest online store, with most profits going toward restoration and conservation.

“Mahalo to our community of nonprofit friends and agency collaborators who work side by side with us to restore and preserve Hawaiʻi’s native natural resources,” said Friends of Hakalau Forest Board Chair Pete Stine. “A special thank you to our local businesses and birding tour partners who help educate our community and to our many sponsors and supporters who recognize the importance of saving Hawaiʻi’s endangered bird and plant species.”

Proceeds from the gala will be added to the Hakalau Forest Refuge Management Endowment, which opened in 2015 and currently holds $2.5 million. Once the endowment reaches $3.5 million, funds will be disbursed in perpetuity to support the habitat at Hakalau and the endangered species.

The Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge focus on saving endangered species while providing wildlife-dependent recreation such as wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and interpretation, cultural experiences, and scientific research.

The Friends of Hakalau Forest have improved the refuge habitat by providing volunteer labor to propagate and outplant native trees and rare plants, conducting weed control, and raising funds for necessary facilities including a 10,000-gallon tank to store water for the plant nursery and a new roof for the volunteer cabin.

To learn more about the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge and volunteer opportunities, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.