Recent Past Events
Annual General Membership Meeting
Saturday January 28th 2012 2:00 to 4:00
Conference Room, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry
60 Nowelo St, Hilo, Hawaii
Agenda
Election of New Board Members
Refuge Update by Jim Kraus, Refuge Manager
Friends of Hakalau Forest status and accomplishments by Dick Wass, FOHF president
Lahela Camara on Imi Pono No Ka Aina’s Jack Jeffrey Conservation Award
Announcement of the winner of the 2012 Jack Jeffrey Conservation Award
Overview of the National Wildlife Refuge System and Friends groups by Rob Shallenberger
Meet the new board members, enjoy the refreshments, and buy a Friends t-shirt!
Amakihi Singing Jack Jeffrey photo
"Hawaiian Forest Bird Song Variability"
An educational lecture by Dr. Pat Hart, UH Hilo Department of Biology.
Dr. Hart is an expert on Hawaiian native forest birds and their habitats.
Thursday, November 17th, 7:00 PM
Institute for Pacific Island Forestry conference room, 60 Nowelo St., Hilo, Hawaii
Free and open to the public
Open House
Hakalau Forest NWR
Saturday October 15, 2011
More than 200 visitors braved wet weather to attend the Open House at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (Hilo, HI) on October 15, 2011. Intrepid birders were rewarded with views of 'i'iwi, 'akepa, 'apapane, Hawai'i creeper, and 'akiapola'u. Other visitors toured a 115-year-old koa cabin and the refuge greenhouse.
Bird tours leaving the Pu'u Akala barn. See our Photo Gallery for more pictures of the Open House. Photo by J. B. Friday.
Baron Horiuchi, the refuge horticulturist, is happy with the new water tank for the greenhouse. Photo by Dick Wass.
Pauline Kawamata and KAKOU volunteers from the Hawaii Nature Center install the sign on the new greenhouse water tank. Photo by Dick Wass.
UH Hilo Sustainability Fair
Monday September 26, 9 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
University of Hawai'i at Hilo Campus Center Plaza
The goal of the UH-Hilo Sustainability Fair is to create a conduit that promotes and supports symbiotic relationships among the economy, society and environment in order to foster a sustainable Hawaii. The fair is open to everyone and will represent a cross section of both private and public organizations that include governmental agencies, non-profit groups, merchants and farmers. In addition, there will be an array of Big Island grown food and produce on display and local music to encourage a festive atmosphere.
Hakalau Forest’s Native Birds: Past, Present and Future
Thursday, August 25th 7:00-8:00 PM
by Eben Paxton, Avian Biologist, USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center.
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1985 to protect native forest bird species and their habitat. Long-recognized as a special place for birds, state-wide bird surveys in the 1970’s found that Hakalau Forest hosted some of the last and largest populations of rare forest birds. Active management by the refuge to protect and enhance the forest over the last 25+ years has resulted in stable or increasing populations for all native birds at Hakalau Forest, unlike other areas of Hawa'i Island where native species continue to decline. Nonetheless, native birds at Hakalau Forest continue to face a number of threats, and their long-term persistence in the refuge is not certain. But the lesson from the past, that active management to control threats can stabilize declining populations, is a good lesson for the future. By understanding the threats the native birds face, and actively managing to reduce such threats, the future for Hakalau Forest birds is hopeful.
Location: 60 Nowelo St., Hilo at Institute of Pacific Island Forestry’s conference room.
Hosted by Friends of Hakalau Forest and Hakalau Forest NWR. Free & open to the public.
Friends of Hakalau Forest Awarded Youth Conservation Education grant
July 15, 2011. The Friends organization recieved a "Nature of Learning" grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for $8,125 to develop a program to develop a long-term climate change education and monitoring project in a citizen science framework. Congratulations to FOHF vice president Dr. Creighton Litton for leading the grantwriting!
Friends group does a volunteer service trip at the Refuge on Memorial Day 2011
photo by Christina Ahia
New Greenhouse Water Tank Installed
In February 2011 a new 19,600 gallon water tank to supply the greenhouses was installed at the refuge. Thanks to all who contributed time and funds for the project. Half of the $14,240 cost was provided through a Fish and Wildlife Service Challenge Cost Share grant. The other half was paid by the Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. For more on the story, see the April 2011 newsletter. Photo by James Glynn.
Glen Fujinaga, Patricia Richardson, and Karin Mahuna with the new tank. Photo by Lorri Ellison.
Baron Horiuchi, refuge horticulturist, is very happy with his new water supply. Photo by Lorri Ellison.