Ka‘ūpūlehu Dryland Forest

Along the leeward Kohala coast of our island, a lei of pearls is being strung. The pearls are dryland restoration projects. The lei begins on the coastal slopes of Hualālai with the West Hawai‘i Veterans’ Cemetery. It travels upslope to the Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ka‘ūpūlehu Dryland Forest, on the ancient lava flows of Mauna Loa. It continues north and up the coast to our project on—the oldest lava flow—Kohala Mountain.

Because there is so much to learn from those who have preceded us, our restoration crew spent the day with the three who lead the restoration at Ka‘ūpūlehu. This is the last, intact, native dryland forest in the entire state. There are trees 30′ tall that most of us have only occasionally seen as 2′ shrubs  in local nurseries or as charred stumps after a fire; some, we have never seen.

The project leasers, along with scores of volunteers, have been clearing the land, planting native species, and developing their educational program since 1999. The depth of their knowledge is humbling and their love and respect for the land is inspiring. They are problem-solving the same challenges we face: invasive grasses and vines, lack of water, threats from ungulates, and the ever-present danger of fire. So, we walked and talked for 6 hours, listening hard and asking many questions.

Here is a sampling from our day:

The Koai‘a Sanctuary

Over 60 years ago, while Hawai‘i was still a Territory, a visionary forester fenced a 13-acre parcel of land. The surrounding hundreds of acres were already used as pasture for cattle and that was putting pressure on the existing native trees. The fence would not only protect the existing plants but would also allow the regeneration of what previously occurred there naturally.

For the ensuing decades, the fence has been maintained, but the sanctuary has basically been left to its own devices. The trees have grown thick and mature. The intermittent stream that bisects the corridor is home to a varied collection of native trees in various states of viability and stability. There is a massive native tree, an ‘ōhi‘a, that is 50′ tall and hundreds of years old. But there are also very established populations of three nasty invasive species and they are thriving: lantana, prickly pear cactus, and ginger. Removing them is high priority.

 

A few of the existing native Hawaiian trees are shown below: halapepe, koai‘a, mamane, hoawa, and olopua. All of these produce viable seed, and we are collecting seed from the ones that are not federally listed as endangered to grow and out-plant into our restoration corridor.

 

This is a really sweet enclosure that is striking in its contrast to the surrounding open grasslands that are basically void of trees. It is also  perfect as an outdoor laboratory and for student field trips and learning events. It has awesome views of three Hawai‘i Island summits: Hualalai, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, as well as the sweeping plains down to the Kohala coastline.

 

In partnership with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), we have just begun active work: trailblazing, pruning, and invasive species control. Our vision is to include signs for the plants, informal benches, and safe, sturdy trails so that we are not creating erosion. We have just instituted a monthly volunteer work day that is open to the public to join in. It’s amazing what just a few people can accomplish in a partial day’s work.

Sediment Dams

The pictures tell the story here:

 

 

Our two crews build dams about 6-8 times a month. All the rocks are gathered from the immediate area with the formation being individually designed according to the depth of the head-cutting gullies and breadth of the erosion.

We are still waiting for a significant rainfall event that will literally pressure test the dam’s effectiveness and stability. And as soon as that happens, some of our crew will begin gathering measurements that will tell us how much sediment was trapped and successfully diverted from Pelekane Bay.

Vish Vishvanath

We had quite the exciting visit from a world-class photographer, who is traveling the planet, documenting and compiling a photo-essay of global freshwater issues. He ended up spending an entire day with our restoration crew in the lower plains while they were building sediment dams. It is dry, dusty, hot, and and the work is hard. The photos he shared with us (which I cannot include since I do not have his permission to post them) were amazing. We are talking National Geographic quality, as only an artist’s eye can compose and capture. He used the stark light, the kicked up dust, and the brash colors of the exposed rust-colored soil and black rocks to his camera’s advantage. He became so fascinated with our islands’ specific issues, that he is considering doing a special feature on just Hawai‘i.

He has a Web site and a blog. Check it out: http://www.vishvish.com. Maybe you will find our pictures there!

Since then, while looking at the photos we take, we now find ourselves saying: “Well, it’s good but it’s not Vish.”

Just to give you a sense of that lower area, here are some pictures taken by our consultant, John Pipan:

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono’s office called Hawai‘i Island Mayor Kenoi’s office wanting to view federally funded ARRA projects that were out of the planning stage and up and running. So, we had the honor of hosting her and two of her staff members, Joshua and Marvin, last week.

She had an hour, before her next engagement, so we began at our base of operations, the Kamuela State Tree Nursery. We had along two members of our restoration crew, Caitlin and Tobe, so that she could hear, first hand, what we are up to. Their crew gathers, grows, and maintains all of our native seedlings, so they had the expertise to share.

Mazie was curious, interested, asked insightful questions, and wanted to know who we were personally, not just as employees. One of her questions was why we have to forage and collect all of our needed seeds and cuttings, rather than just ordering them from nurseries and seed companies. It was a surprise to her that no such opportunity existed for our native Hawaiian species. Maybe this is a venture waiting to be born?

We then drove up the Kohala Mountain road and through Parker Ranch gates that access the upper reaches of our project along Waiakamali Stream. From there we could look down the steep bank to an area that we are in the process of clearing of invasive species and starting our first plantings. At one point she said: “There is a lot of work to be done here.” We couldn’t agree with her more!

One of the reasons we are inviting our elected officials to the site is that none of our work would be happening without the previous and current  funds we have received from the State of Hawai‘i. Although the Pelekane Bay Restoration is a federally funded project, the watershed restoration work of Kohala Watershed Parntership (KWP), which wrote the grant for Pelekane, is primarily supported with State funds.  We want all our political officials to know that continued State funding is critical to our effectiveness and success.

At the end of our visit, Mazie asked what will happen to the project when the federal funds terminate in November of this year? The answer to that question is very much in the hands of our State officials. We were happy to discover that our Congresswoman recognizes and supports the issues that are dear to us. It is nearly impossible to imagine the challenges of our restoration sites without being there firsthand. The fact that she took time out of her busy schedule to stand amongst the scrub and dust with us, and see our first steps in the rehabiliation process, was greatly appreciated. It is that personal connection that makes all the difference.

Representative Cynthia Evans

Last Sunday morning, Melora and I had an opportunity to give our district’s state representative, Cindy Evans, a tour of our upper, wetter watershed. It was one of those drop-dead glorious days: slight breeze; clear skies; a view down to the ocean, over to the three volcano summits, and along the famed Kohala coastline toward Kona.

It is a bumpy, off-road, dusty drive through active cattle pasture, skirting the steep ravine of Waiakamali Stream. Then we took a short hike down the gulch and up the other side to show her previous out-plantings done on volunteer days.

The cattle have been fenced out of that area for about a year now, and already a few native species are beginning to recover, poking their heads above the introduced pasture grasses. We really had to watch where we stepped to avoid crushing them.

Along the way we had rambling conversations about state funding, conservation work, local politics, and visions for future projects. What was most impressive was her positive and methodical attitude to her work ahead. She clearly understands how to get positive things done for her constituency and has the energy and dedication required to navigate the legislative process.

PILI

I have been having ongoing e-mail discussions with a wide range of “plant people” from the State, U.S. federal, private, and non-profit sectors about PILI (see Nov. 3 entry for photos and info.) My question is: Does each Hawaiian island have genetically distinct varieties or not?  And,  if there are distinct varieties, would we then alter a unique gene pool by bringing in seeds from another island and outplanting them? This opens the potential for cross-hybridization and the loss of a distinct Hawai‘i Island variety.

This kind of conversation goes on a lot in Hawai‘i, where over 90% of  our native plants are listed as rare or endangered. So, there is good reason to want to do everything to protect our  existing endemic  flora.

I haven’t yet heard from everyone I have solicited an opinion from, but so far, the majority are saying that there is no indication that Hawaiian PILI differs on the various islands. That is good news for our project in that local sources of PILI seed are proving very difficult to find. For a project as large as this, we are going to require large quantities.

Once the discussion has been as thorough as necessary, we’ll come to a decision about how to proceed, which I will post here.

Nursery News

At the beginning of every month, a count is taken from the nursery log book. In December, a total of 1,955 plants representing 19 different species were transplanted. That brings our 4 month transplant total to over 19,000 trees, shrubs, and groundcovers.

We only transplant once, and then go directly to outplant when their rootballs are ready. Our nursery bench space is limited, and it is also more efficient to plant when they are smaller than larger – that means less weight and volume to carry down into the ravines and it also saves time and energy digging smaller planting holes. In addition, the lower profile of the plant keeps it more protected from the strong winds while its roots take hold.

We have created a planting plan called a POD (Planting Out Design.) This is flexible in shape and responsive to the varied terrain we encounter along the streams. Each POD is anchored by a single species of tree that varies in quantity according to the area of the restoration quadrant. The tree is selected by its wind tolerance and moisture requirement. We then build  mixed, multi-layered communities by adding from 3-5 different species of  shrubs and groundcovers, in and amongst the trees. We are also leaving open areas between the plants to do trials of direct seeding.

We are paying careful attention to the spaces between the plants. Proper spacing  eliminates root competition, allowing the plants to grow to mature heights. At maturity, the surrounding soils will be  protected from the  beating sun by the tree canopies and spreading shrubs. This, in turn, will  conserve soil moisture and collect  the leaf drop that will provide additional organic matter.

Temporary irrigation lines will be run, snaking through the POD for the first three months. Since all the native species we are using are drought-tolerant, and historically populated these areas, it will not be necessary to keep them irrigated permanently.

The Site

Yesterday, the restoration crew planted 400 Koai‘a trees along Waiakamali Stream. They propagate the seeds in shallow flats and then transplant them almost immediately upon sprouting into “dibble tubes.” They have found that growing them in these long, narrow tubes not only increases viability and encourages excellent root structure but also gives the tree a better chance of surviving the shock of outplanting into the dry environment.

We had a little rain in Waimea last night for the first time in too long. We are hoping it also rained upslope. More mature Koai‘a tolerate drought quite well, but at first planting they need that burst of moisture to get them adapted.

Innovations & Discoveries

Our construction of the sediment check dams is in full swing on the lower plains where the erosion is most severe. These are the lands we call the “moonscape.” The topsoil has been washed away and large rock outcropings dot the landscape. Here the head cutting gullies are impressive: vertical side walls with a depth taller than a person.

Our rock/hogwire/ groundcloth “burritos” are specifically designed for each topographical disturbance. The shapes, masses, and contours of the dams take into consideration the possible way the water might move over the land and continue downslope. Their role is to trap sediment, stop futher erosion of the gully, and decrease the speed and breadth of the over-land flow. We are also imagining that these forming terraces of gathering sediment will also provide opportunities for planting.

We have yet to have a large enough storm to test our constructions, but with an average of 6 dams being built a week, soon we will be ready to monitor their success.

This is also goat country. Our crews have seen passing herds of up to 100 goats. A rough estimate is that there are over 1,000 of these feral ungulates. Satelitte pictures of this area show bright orange swaths of subsoil, compacted by their roaming, and devoid of all but the most unpalatable flora.