Forestry Group Launches Reforestation Initiative

The Hawaii Forest Industry Association is observing its 25th anniversary with the launching of an outreach and tree-planting initiative.

“Mahalo Aina: Give Back to the Forest” will be a joint project with HFIA’s sister organization, the Hawaii Forest Institute.

During the first year of the campaign, Hawaii Forest Institute will seek to raise $75,000 for reforestation and demonstration projects, the HFIA said in a statement.

Funds raised will help support seed collection and storage, propagation, planting and long-term care of seedlings, site maintenance, and educational programs, the organization said.

In addition to planting trees, the program is designed to support total ecosystem management, provide forest stewardship opportunities and environmental and cultural education.

The group said the HFIA initiative will benefit 14 projects statewide.

Ten of those are located on the Big Island, including the Hawaii Island Native Hawaiian Seed Bank Cooperative, Kaloko Makai Dryland Forest Preserve, Ka‘ūpūlehu Dryland Forest, Kapapala Canoe Forest and Panaewa Zoo Discovery Forest.

The HFIA’s membership includes more than 250 individuals, and public and private corporations including woodworkers, landowners, sawyers, foresters, growers, environmentalists, government officials and others interested in the organization’s goals and mission.

The HFIA established the Hawaii Forest Institute as a 501(c) (3) corporation in 2003 to promote the health and productivity of Hawaii’s forests through forest restoration, educational programs, information dissemination and support for scientific research.

For more information, visit www.hawaiiforest.org or contact HFIA Executive Director Heather Simmons at 808-933-9411 or heather.hfia@hawaiiforest.org.