An intact, functional native Hawaiian rain forest ecosystem is a natural, cultural, spiritual, and inspirational resource. One which can be easily-accessed and interpreted is even more so. Over the years that the rain forest restoration and education program has been active, Volcano Art Center (VAC) has introduced the Ni’aulani rain forest to tens of thousands of residents and visitors in a manner which promotes sustainable and responsible use of it.
VAC has led efforts within Ni‘aulani Rain Forest that go beyond preservation of a native Hawaiian rain forest. When the organization began leasing the property in 1997, there was an impressive old-growth tree canopy but beneath it were scattered, impenetrable, invasive glory bush thickets and constricting stands of kahili ginger that hindered natural forest regeneration from within the native seed bank.
Through control of these highly abundant alien plants as well as other incipient invasive species, some of the more common components of the original rain forest have since naturally re-emerged and been restored, including: olomea, kōlea, ‘ōlapa, kāwa‘u and koa trees; hō‘i‘o, palā, ‘ākōlea, ‘ama‘u and meu ferns; ‘ie‘ie and hoi kuahiwi vines, ha‘iwale, ‘ōhā wai, ‘ōhelo, and kanawao shrubs, to name a few.
Ni‘aulani rain Forest is currently in a critical and exciting stage of active restoration, as much of the invasive species populations are currently in a controlled state (although still a threat, as they will forever be a part of the ecosystem), enabling the augmentation of patches within the forest that are seen as appropriate for outplanting native species.
VAC envisions the future state of the Ni‘aulani forest resembling as close to pre-human contact conditions as can be naturally and intentionally recreated. VAC’s volunteers, as well as staff, are the cornerstone of this long-term vision. If successful restoration efforts continue at their current rate, and the forest ecosystem becomes robust, Ni‘aulani may also become an effective seed source for other restoration efforts within Volcano Village as well as the entire wet forested region of Kīlauea Volcano.
Volcano resident and botanist Tim Tunison, who has also acted in contractual and volunteer capacities for VAC’s efforts in rain forest restoration and education, reveres Ni‘aulani as being “a successful example of various stages of Hawaiian rain forest restoration,” and, in a great sense, an accessible target plant community from which Volcano residents can model their own residential restoration efforts after.
Nowhere else in the state can people have access to such illustrated concepts on a tangible level.
Hawaiian Rain Forest 