Keau’ohana Fall Equinox Planting Event
Eight forest friends planted 66 seedlings for Fall Equinox in the forest of Keau’ohana on Saturday September 23rd. Among the usual restoration species, we added kou seedlings to our mix. Though the native kou tree is generally found in coastal regions, as the climate warms up and rainfall decreases, we are experimenting to observe how they may fair.
So far we have largely planted native seedlings in the forest to try and maintain keau’ohana’s native forest integrity, but with the severe loss of ‘ohi’a to ROD, we are forced to experiment in our plight for shade. Soon we may try and include Polynesian-introduced species such as the kamani, and perhaps some non-invasive/non-native species in pockets of the forest site that are more disturbed. These questions are being evaluated by our Lowland Wet Forest Working Group (LWFWG), to be incorporated in 2024.
Warm mahalos to all who celebrated the Equinox event; it was a sweet day in the forest together!
