HER at the 2026 Hawaiʻi Ecosystem Meeting

On July 10, Hawaiʻi Environmental Restoration participated in the second day of the 2026 Hawaiʻi Ecosystem Meeting at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. This annual gathering brings together students, educators, researchers, restoration practitioners, and conservation partners to share current studies, project updates, and opportunities for future collaboration.

HER President Jaya Dupuis and outreach support Amy Miller attended the event together, with Amy presenting on behalf of HER. Her talk shared updates on HER’s restoration work at Keauʻohana and highlighted several recent project milestones, including continued progress within the 20-acre core restoration site, which is now in the process of being fenced. HER is especially excited and hopeful about this new chapter, as fencing offers the potential to greatly reduce feral pig impacts and support stronger long-term recovery across Keauʻohana. A newly fenced 3-acre portion of forest across Highway 130 is already protecting healthy colonies of the endangered haʻiwale. Amy also shared FY summary highlights related to native outplanting, community engagement, and volunteer participation.

The day’s presentations reflected the wide range of ecosystem work happening across Hawaiʻi, from Palila monitoring, rare plant protection, sandalwood ecology, seed sourcing, biosecurity, and climate-resilient forestry to functional trait-based restoration and the costs and opportunities of ecological restoration. It was a valuable opportunity to connect research with on-the-ground restoration work, strengthen relationships, and explore future collaborations within the broader conservation community.

HER is grateful to the organizers, presenters, and participants who made the event such a meaningful gathering. We left encouraged by the shared commitment to protecting Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems and inspired by the many people working toward a more resilient future for our forests and communities.