Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative

The Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) is a Hawaii-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 that works to reforest endemic trees and restore native habitat for wildlife.[1] This includes koa, ‘ōhi‘a, māmane, naio, ko‘oko‘olau, kūkaenēnē and ‘iliahi trees.[2][3]

Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative
AbbreviationHLRI
Formation2014 (2014)
FounderJeffrey Dunster; Darrell Fox
TypeNonprofit
46-5002476
Legal status501(c)(3)
Purposereforest endemic trees and restore native habitat for wildlife in Hawaii
HeadquartersHonolulu, Hawaii
Location
Methodssponsorships and partnerships
Board Chair
Francis Wong
Executive Director
Jeffrey Dunster
Websitehttps://legacyforest.org/

History

HLRI is working to reforest 1.3 million endemic trees throughout Hawaii.[4] To date, it has reforested more than 400,000 trees [5] across 1,200 leased acres along the Hamakua Coast of Hawaii Island.[3] In April 2017, HLRI expanded its Hawaii Island operations to a second location, at Kahua Ranch on the western slope of the Kohala Mountains, that will encompass 700 acres with 250,000 trees.[6][7] HLRI is expanding operations to the North Shore of Oahu at Gunstock Ranch at Malaekahana.[5]

Trees are planted through sponsorships and partnerships. Each tree is tagged with RFID chip and GPS technology, which track and verify health and growth characteristics.[8]

In 2014, HLRI was one of four international organizations recognized with the Phoenix Award by the Society of American Travel Writers for its work in conservation, preservation, beautification and anti-pollution campaigns.[8][9]

Multi-use agriculture components of the forest include Kona coffee farming and the harvesting of honey from koa tree blossoms.[10][11]

The current executive director is Jeff Dunster, and the current chairman is John Farias Jr.[12]

References
  1. "HAWAIIAN LEGACY REFORESTATION INITIATIVE - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org.
  2. "Before the Forest, Dreams". Before the Forest, Dreams.
  3. "Koa makes a Comeback". greenmagazinehawaii.com. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  4. Jay Jones (November 4, 2015). "On Hawaii Island, here's what's getting some buzz: A new alcoholic brew that uses honey". Los Angeles Times.
  5. "Denby Fawcett: Restoring Oahu's Nearly Vanished Native Forests". 28 April 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  6. Duane Shimogawa (April 14, 2017). "Big Island ranch develops a legacy". Pacific Business News.
  7. "Endemic trees will be planted on ranch's former pastureland". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. April 19, 2017.
  8. Jeanne Cooper (October 24, 2014). "Koa reforestation a living legacy of trees on Big Island". San Francisco Chronicle.
  9. "Hawaiian Reforestation–Saving the Earth One Tree at a Time". thomaswilmer.com.
  10. Fawcett, Denby (6 December 2016). "Denby Fawcett: Alternative Gifts Include the Birds and the Bees". Honolulu Civil Beat.
  11. "500 Kona coffee trees planted as part of reforestation efforts". Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
  12. "Our Team". www.legacytrees.org. Retrieved 2017-05-21.


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