Reforestation in the Hawaiian Islands

Although coconut-palm fringed beaches are the most common image of Hawai‘i, the archipelago supports a wide range of forest types, from rainforests to open-canopied dry forests to alpine shrublands. Forest types are determined by elevation, aspect (with each island having a wet windward and dry leeward side), and substrate age. Only about one-third of Hawaii’s original native ecosystems remain relatively intact, and many forests today consist of a mix of native and escaped agricultural, forestry, and ornamental trees. Polynesians arrived in Hawai‘i sometime after 1,000 CE and cleared relatively small areas of land for agriculture and agroforestry. Westerners, led by Captain Cook, arrived in 1778 and made much more drastic changes to the landscape. Introduction of animals such as cattle, goats, and pigs in the late 18th century proved devastating to native forests that had evolved with no large herbivores. Tree planting to protect watersheds began as early as the 1880s during the days of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Much more widescale reforestation of lands denuded by overgrazing, fires, and unsustainable harvesting was undertaken from the 1920s through the 1960s, mainly to protect watersheds that provided a steady supply of irrigation for sugar plantations and urban areas. Most of these plantations were of nonnative tree species. Several large-scale commercial plantations, mainly of Eucalyptus spp., were established from the 1960s through the 1990s in hopes of developing a forest industry. Most forestry planting today is with native tree species to provide habitat for native bird and plant species. Commercial plantings with native species may be a way to provide ecosystem services such as wildlife habitat as well as economic value in the future. Local communities are increasingly becoming involved in reforestation and forest management.

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Author(s): James B. Friday, Matthew J. Keir, Heather L. McMillen, Tanya Rubenstein

Publication: Tree Planters' Notes - Volume 65, Number 1 (2022)

Volume: 65

Number: 1