Last week, community members and organizations from across Hawaiʻi gathered at UH West Oʻahu to support community forestry efforts. The Kaulunani program, part of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, hosted the event, bringing together cultural practitioners, educators, students, and representatives from nonprofits and agencies.
According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, attendees participated in discussions and hands-on activities, fostering a sense of community and environmental stewardship. The event focused on tree care and combating invasive species, while also highlighting the cultural side of forestry. Activities included bamboo stamping, weaving, and coconut shell cup making, with artists like Nalu Andrade, Emma Broderick, and Jesse Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku sharing their skills.
Kaulunani's program coordinator, Heather McMillen, remarked, "Today is about celebrating our partners and the amazing work that they’re doing around growing trees, growing canopy, but also growing the wellbeing of our communities together," obtained by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Cultural practitioner Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku offered a poignant description of the event's spirit, saying, "This gathering of many different folks with plenty mana (power) and responsibility is really special."
The celebration highlighted Kaulunani's goal of supporting community efforts to nurture, manage, and protect trees, forests, and green spaces across the islands. It demonstrated how environmental initiatives can promote both community well-being and cultural connection.
