Happy Hapu’u Harvest — July 5

HER had a beautiful and meaningful day in Volcano harvesting hāpuʻu with volunteers from our crew and extended restoration ʻohana. Our Volcano hosts have been dedicated to a native restoration project on 5 of their 30 acres off Wright Road for as long as HER has been dedicated to Keauʻohana. Our parallel paths came together with shared enthusiasm, rooted in a deep love for plants and native forest restoration.

The entire day was a delight. We shared stories, visited an abundance of native plant species that have found safe sanctuary on their homestead, and harvested 106 hāpuʻu and 27 ʻamaʻu ferns to be relocated into the forest at Keauʻohana by the crew. An additional 27 ferns will go to the nursery for potting and later planting.

After a feast of organic Volcano- and Kapoho-grown foods, we ended the day with a stunning forest walk through Puʻu Makaʻala at the end of Wright Road, continuing until the evening light faded and we could see no more.

The day offered each of us a deep sense of belonging and affirmed our shared purpose on lands that we cherish and love. It was a powerful reminder that restoration is not only about plants and forests, but also about relationship, reciprocity, and the people who continue to care deeply for Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems.