UH Forester To Talk Koa Tonight in Hilo

A forester with the University of Hawaii will give a presentation tonight in Hilo on efforts underway to restore koa forests.

The talk by J.B. Friday of the university’s Cooperative Extension Service will be held at 7 p.m. the Mokupapapa Discovery Center at 308 Kamehameha Ave.

Because of their dominance of forests, early Hawaiians named koa trees “the warrior.” But most of the original koa forests have been lost to ranching, fire and land conversion.

Landowners are restoring koa forests on degraded lands for watershed protection, habitat for native wildlife and, in some cases, with the goal of sustainable timber production, Friday said.

Friday will address new scientific findings aiding in forest restoration and development of a sustainable koa forest industry involving matters such as week control to genetics to wood utilization.

“New programs are being developed to ensure that future generations will still be able to see koa forests on these islands,” he said.

The free presentation is sponsored by the Friends of the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge.