Kula Fire Survivors Gather and Vote to Become a Hui

On August 25th, at an afternoon gathering hosted by Skyline Hawaiʻi on Crater Road in Upper Kula, over 30 fire survivors gathered to discuss the state of the lands they live on and explore options for preventing erosion.

The group was introduced to Skyline Conservation Initiative’s restoration area –a 40-acre, fully enclosed zone of former Eucalyptus forest that is now home to over 30 species of native Hawaiian plants and trees. For over 20 years, the staff at Skyline Eco-Adventures has been dedicating zipline tour proceeds (and doing additional fundraising) to fully restore the lands they operate on, which are owned by Haleakalā Ranch. This has included extensive removal of invasive Eucalyptus globulus trees (which are being attacked by invasive insects and dying), using the wood for wood chips (to protect and keep moisture in the soil) and the logs for soil erosion barriers.

All were invited to plant native plants in a newly prepared part of the restoration site, and they hiked through several areas of the property that were 5, 10, and 15 years old, to see how quickly native canopy can be established if restoration is done right.

At the end of the hike, the group voted to unify and form a “hui,” in order to proceed with a “whole watershed” mindset to support the land’s recovery, to pool resources, and fundraise as a group for what everyone agreed would be a long-term project.

This was a historic evening to remember for all of the participants, and the group is looking forward to working with our partners to begin work in the burned areas.