Ulu Lehulehu - The Million ʻŌhiʻa Initiative
Inspiring Communities to Protect, Plant, and Restore ʻŌhiʻa
Annual Biocultural Blitz
Held in the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Unit of Pu'uwa'awa'a. This event hosts about 250 4th graders from the West side of Hawai'i Island, giving them the opportunity to learn about and connect to their landscapes
Laupāhoehoe Community Public Charter School Biocultural Education Program
A long-term partnership between LCPCS and Ulu Lehulehu, that includes both classroom and field site visits that focus on the cultural and biological significance of ʻōhiʻa, connection to place, and stewardship
K-12 EDUCATION
Annual Biocultural Blitz
Held in the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Unit of Pu'uwa'awa'a. This event hosts about 250 4th graders from the West side of Hawai'i Island, giving them the opportunity to learn about and connect to their landscapes
Laupāhoehoe Community Public Charter School Biocultural Education Program
A long-term partnership between LCPCS and Ulu Lehulehu, that includes both classroom and field site visits that focus on the cultural and biological significance of ʻōhiʻa, connection to place, and stewardship
I ka wā ma mua, i ka wā ma hope
Ardena Saarinen
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Twice the former Kupu Conservation Leadership Development Program (CLDP) Intern with Ulu Lehulehu and the USDA Forest Service. She is currently developing a capstone master's project that entails a 10 year state-wide urban and community forest plan for Ulu Lehulehu that supports ʻōhiʻa in urban landscapes
Prior to the influx of ROD, Ulu Lehulehu actively planted ʻōhiʻa in schools and building spaces & hosted propogated ʻōhiʻa giveaways. In a pono approach to help prevent the spread of ROD, such activities has currently ceased.
We hope to one day resume those practices
The ʻōhiʻa tree, Metrosideros polymorpha, is the most bioculturally important tree species in Hawai‘i. The backbone of Hawaiʻi’s native forests and watersheds, it covers more than one million acres statewide, and is a foundational element in Hawaiian traditional knowledge systems and cultural practices.
ʻŌhiʻa has been steadily disappearing from our landscape due to land-use changes (deforestation and development), expansion of invasive species, diseases such as the Puccinia rust, and most recently the Ceratocystis fungal wilt (Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death or ROD), which represents a potentially devastating threat to the health of our forests statewide. In the face of ROD and these other threats, the need for public awareness and support of the conservation and protection of our ʻōhiʻa forests is great.
Ulu Lehulehu – Million ʻŌhiʻa Initiative bridges science, culture, and community to develop and strengthen people’s relationships with and create vibrant landscapes abundant in ʻōhiʻa through four integrative approaches:
K-12 classroom and field-based biocultural education, community outreach, native forest restoration, and urban forestry.
By connecting communities with ʻōhiʻa, Ulu Lehulehu seeks to inspire Hawaiʻi’s communities to be aware, responsible, engaged, and motivated stewards involved in the conservation and protection of the natural and cultural resources of our island home.
‘ŌHI‘A LEHUA
The ʻōhiʻa tree, Metrosideros polymorpha, is the most bioculturally important tree species in Hawai‘i. The backbone of Hawaiʻi’s native forests and watersheds, it covers more than one million acres statewide, and is a foundational element in Hawaiian traditional knowledge systems and cultural practices.
ʻŌhiʻa has been steadily disappearing from our landscape due to land-use changes (deforestation and development), expansion of invasive species, diseases such as the Puccinia rust, and most recently the Ceratocystis fungal wilt (Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death or ROD), which represents a potentially devastating threat to the health of our forests statewide. In the face of ROD and these other threats, the need for public awareness and support of the conservation and protection of our ʻōhiʻa forests is great.
Ulu Lehulehu – Million ʻŌhiʻa Initiative bridges science, culture, and community to develop and strengthen people’s relationships with and create vibrant landscapes abundant in ʻōhiʻa through four integrative approaches:
K-12 classroom and field-based biocultural education, community outreach, native forest restoration, and urban forestry.
By connecting communities with ʻōhiʻa, Ulu Lehulehu seeks to inspire Hawaiʻi’s communities to be aware, responsible, engaged, and motivated stewards involved in the conservation and protection of the natural and cultural resources of our island home.
Host Booths and Table at Public Events, While Assisting the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) Working Group in Providing ROD Outreach
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Annual Merrie Monarch Hula Festival held in Hilo, Hawai'i
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ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest
celebrates ʻōhiʻa trees and promotes Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death awareness
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Earth Day
celebrating the health of the planet and building communities relationships with ʻōhiʻa
Kupua'e
ʻŌhiʻa Common Garden
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Located in an area of the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest Laupāhoehoe Unit, the ʻŌhiʻa Common Garden is home to approximately 500 ʻōhiʻa trees of different varieties and supports ʻōhiʻa resilience and education
Ulu Lehulehu Seed Bank
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Supports the ʻŌhiʻa Love Seed Banking Project and related partners as a response to Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. Accepting ʻōhiʻa seed collections at the USDA Forest Service Institute of Pacific Island Forestry (IPIF) in Hilo, HI
contact: ululehulehu@gmail.com
Provide Research Support:
The ROD Resistance Project
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The mission is to identify Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) resistant genetic types of ʻōhiʻa to support the restoration of ROD impacted ʻōhiʻa forests
Ambrosia Beetle Research
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Monitor and bring up-to-date information on the diversity and distribution of ambrosia beetles. As ambrosia beetles may play an important role in the spread of ROD
