Jaya Dupuis

About Jaya Dupuis

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January 14, 2022

Taylor University, Indiana Field Trip

The New Year started off with a hardy group of students from Taylor University, Indiana! During this January trip they studied ecosystem-to-organism level biology and ecology, wrapped in themes of Native Hawaiian culture and conservation ideals.

One of their goals for this class trip was to instill in the students the importance of actually getting their hands dirty in the practice of stewardship. So in addition to touring native ecosystems (rainforest, cloud forest, dry forest, costal, etc), they included a volunteer restoration experience in Keau’ohana. In four hours, this group of 16 students and 2 kumu accomplished a great deal of clearing in the central volunteer loop. It was truly a pleasure to work with such spirited youth! Thank you Indiana!

December 27, 2021

2021 Winter Solstice Volunteer Event

Jaya Dupuis Blog

The weather did not look promising during this rainy spell, but 10 troopers showed up for a Wonderful Winter Solstice planting event in the forest! Weather conditions were so much better than predicted; it was a comfortable day with a few sprinkles, and even some sunshine!

We began with a short introduction and Hawaiian protocol at our ahu overlooking a beautiful native forest composition in the core of our volunteer area. We planted 30 beautiful ‘ohe trees started by Ann Kobsa in our Kapoho nursery, along with 2 kopiko and 12 akia, for a total of 44 trees! Jon and I planted 6 lovely clusters of the endangered ha’iwale as well!

We all enjoyed being nestled in the forest and getting to know each other. Thank you once again Keau’ohana volunteers for honoring the return of the light with us by doing something meaningful and helpful for our Hawai’i home!

Kanako and Liz planting on the Solstice

Kearney Tourist volunteer family planting ‘ohe tree

Kearney Tourist volunteer family giving back

Weeding too!

Jaya planting endangered ha’iwale

Jon Rathbun most dedicated crew member

James Elston, Outreach Volunteer of the Year 2021

We at Hawaii Environmental Restoration wish to extend our warmest wishes to all of you over this holiday season! And a big THANK YOU to all of you for another productive year together!!!

October 5, 2021

Special Verto Education Program Event
October 4th and 5th

Jaya Dupuis Blog

Young adult students from across the U.S. have come for a semester of learning through Verto, an education program directed by Kelly Teamey and based in Hawai’i that supports first year undergraduate students to obtain credits through general education courses that are taught through an immersive and experiential learning approach to higher education.

Environmental Science class Kumu Mokganedi Tathego, and Hawaiian Cultural Studies Kumu Leila Kealoha from the Ke Aloha ‘Aina Foundation, brought 86 students (divided into 4 groups) to the forest of Keau’ohana over the course of two days on October 4th- 5th. The objective of these visits was to learn about forest restoration, and discuss local environmental and cultural issues.

It was an honor for HER project director, Jaya Dupuis to co-facilitate this special event with Leila and Mokganedi to help bridge environmental science concepts being taught with current initiatives occurring in the Puna District, and share in Hawaiian cultural discussion and protocol.

September 25, 2021

September 25th Fall Equinox Volunteer Work Party

Jaya Dupuis Blog

The Fall Equinox Event was a bright and beautiful day in the forest! Ten troopers carried and planted 140 more ‘ohe trees down in the sites new south edge, where most of our endangered ha’iwale (Cyrtandra nanawalensis) dwell safely within various enclosures. This we call the heart of Keau’ohana because it is where we have the largest population of naturally occurring ha’iwale. And so our planting efforts were to help procure more shade around these important creatures over time! Rapid ‘Ōhi’a Death has really affected the forest site making it increasingly more vulnerable to invasive species. Fortunately most of the ha’iwale is surrounded by thriving understory species such as kopiko trees and hapu’u fern.

Volunteers once again helped make the day, and we are so grateful for it! It is always such a joy to see the familiar faces of those loyal, and to meet new vibrant people coming to make a difference!

Ann Kobsa

Masa Sumida

Mary Lee Knapstad

Kumiko Hasegawa

Jeff Regan and Jon Rathbun

Cynthia Lahi Verschuur

August 1, 2021

Planting native Hawaiian plants in your yard

Jaya Dupuis Blog

Planting native Hawaiian plants in your yard is one of the many things you can do to support the lowland environment. When they reach maturity, birds and animals have an opportunity to help spread their seeds as they too often do non-native plant species. With ferns, it is the wind that helps to spread spores into neighboring areas. You can feel good about spreading native species rather than invasive species!

Among the original groundcover existing in Hawai’i’s lowland rainforest are:

When our efforts began in Keau’ohana, there were only a couple small clusters of the Kamanamana; today it is widespread throughout our forest site. It is an easy plant to grow; we invite you to come collect seeds on a volunteer day in the forest! That is also easy, as the seeds are very sticky, and like to hitch hike home with you of their own volition.

July 12, 2021

July 12 Special Event in Keau’ohana Rainforest

Jaya Dupuis Blog

Members from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mary and Ryan Richards are on a mission here in Hawai’i from their homeland in Utah! They coordinated an event with HER on July 12th in order to facilitate the “Young Single Adult Branch” who love to volunteer and give service. They are a vibrant group of young adults, committed to building faith and community through service and fun.

And fun it was, to share this time with them! It is always a gift when people come together in the heart, to do good! The forest looked great after everyone worked so hard pulling the many invasive species away from the now prospering natives! Thank you so much for striving to help take care of our ‘aina here in Hawai’i; it is deeply appreciated!

July 12, 2021

The New HER Online Store

Jaya Dupuis Blog

May we request that you have a look at our new online store? We are very excited to present this new way of supporting Hawaii Environmental Restoration (HER)!

James Elston, who poses here with one of our many t-shirt designs, has been dedicated to many of HER administrative duties, such as webpage design/maintenance, outreach and technical support and rare visits to work in the forest, since the launching of Hawaii Environmental Restoration in January of 2019. We so appreciate his technical expertise!

Thanks to him, HER now has a line of products such as t-shirts, cups and water bottles! These come with many choices of Hawai’i images from Jaya’s art selection, including of course, Hawaii Environmental Restoration’s official logo. Please take a moment to view HER’s new products, which all support our local Keau’ohana rainforest!!!

Jaya Dupuis, president of Hawaii Environmental Resources modeling the HER logo t-shirt

HER stainless steel water bottle and ceramic mug with a splash of color on the handle and inside.

Some of the HER t-shirts available in different designs and colors.

Important note: This week, July 12 – 18 is National Forest Week! It is time for humankind to return wilderness its space upon the earth for diversity of life to prosper all over the world! Please visit the National Forest Foundation website.

July 1, 2021

July 1, Connections Charter School in the Forest

Jaya Dupuis Blog

Not everyone has worked hard in the forest before; and this fine group of students ranging from grades 7 to 11, showed a clear effort to help clear many weeds in the west loop on this beautiful day together. It may not have been the easiest thing they have ever done, but there were plenty smiles and laughter as we conquered the rugged grounds. I believe there was some sense of satisfaction for many in the end too, as we looked back at the results of our hard labor. It was a pleasure to work with Connections Charter School, and their big yellow bus load of young adults. Even Gordon the bus driver, decided to join us in the forest!!!

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June 28, 2021

June 21st University of Hawaii Hilo Group

Jaya Dupuis Blog

Senior Plant Ecological Research Technician, Amanda Irish and five other Liko Na Pilina field assistants from the Hybrid Ecosystem Project of University of Hawaii (UH) at Hilo assisted our crew in the forest this past Monday. It was pure joy to work along-side such well learned individuals, who have been supporting Dr. Becky Ostertag’s hybrid forest project in Keaukaha Military Reserve (KMR). Dr. Ostertag has since 2013 been conducting research on 20 KMR hybrid forest plots to help support compromised native forest environments. The overall goal of the project is to use the hybrid restoration model to allow for native seedling regeneration and keep out invasive species.

I personally derived much pleasure in the satisfaction the group felt with the pulling of clidemia (also known as Koster’s curse), one of the weeds that somehow is more tenacious on the KMR site. We covered a large area and cleared a great deal of clidemia that morning! Before escorting the group back out of the forest following a lively lunch discussion, we all took pleasure in visiting the ha’iwale clusters at the heart of Keau’ohana. Ten ha’iwale fruit were collected for propagation at Ann Kobsa’s native plant nursery. Finds up to $10,000 are issued for the taking from an endangered species. Fortunately, Ann and I have permits from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to help perpetuate the species with expertise. It was refreshing to find such kindred souls! Thank you to the Liko Na Pilina ‘ohana!

Liko Na Pilina field assistants from the Hybrid Ecosystem Project of UH at Hilo.

June 20, 2021

2021 Summer Solstice Volunteer Work Party

Jaya Dupuis Blog

The June 20, 2021 Summer Solstice was a wonderful occasion shared among a dozen volunteers! The solstice sun had a strong presence as well! We circled in the forest to share introductions and Hawaiian protocol, to then tackle an open weedy area near the road in the upper east volunteer loop. Jeremiah, who has served on the forest crew for a year and a half, co-facilitated the event with Jaya. The group enjoyed a long discussion over lunch. We were very touched by the community interest in learning about the project, as well as vegetation issues so prevalent in Hawai’i.

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