2012 Koa Symposium
“Growing Koa in Hawai‘i Nei” Symposium 2012
Key Note Speaker Dr. Charles Michler, Director
Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Over 110 participants attended the “Growing Koa in Hawai‘i Nei” Symposium on November 16th and over 40 of these landowners, foresters, students and others interested in growing koa participated in the tour of Keauhou Ranch the following day. Master of Ceremonies Paul Scowcroft, Research Forester with Pacific Southwest Research Station Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry did a fantastic job of facilitating the talks and Tom Baribault with Forest Solutions ensured all the electronics ran smoothly. Brad White with Big Island Video recorded the talks and is creating a video incorporating the Power Point presentations. Results of the koa mapping and goal setting exercises along with the video will be posted on this page after the first of the year.
In addition to the presentations, attendees viewed koa displays and took away educational handouts. The Young-Growth Koa Wood Display was a big hit with attendees. HFIA teamed up with the US Forest Service and University of Hawai‘i to implement the Young-Growth Koa Wood Quality Assessment and Demonstration project. To address questions about the viability of young-growth koa in existing koa wood product markets, a study was conducted in which 10 young-growth koa trees were harvested at three locations on the Island of Hawai‘i. Six HFIA member woodworkers are creating pieces from the young-growth koa wood, many of which were displayed at the Symposium. The learn more about the study, viist the Young-Growth Koa Wood Webpage.
Topics and Speaker Presentations:
- Koa Mo‘olelo by Cheyenne Hiapo Perry, Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance;
- The Right Koa For You… by Dr. Charles Michler, Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center;
- Economic Analysis of Growing Koa: A Reality Check by J. B. Friday, UH Extension Forester;
- Humu‘ula Salvage and Reforestation Case Study by Mike Robinson, DHHL;
- Keauhou Koa Forest Management Case Study by Nick Koch, Forest Solutions Inc.;
- “Koa, Carbon Markets and Conservation Easements by Sheri S. Mann, DOFAW; and
- Forestry Incentive Program for Land Management and Conservation-Real Life Stories by M. Irene Sprecher, DOFAW.
Panel Discussions:
• Facilitating Forest Recovery Following Cattle Grazing at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by Sierra McDaniel, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, NPS;
• Reforestation to Preserve & Protect Native Hawaiian Species at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge by Steve Kendall, USF&WS;
• All Koa Lumber Has Value by Jay Warner, Owner/Operator, Awapuhi Farms and Mill;
• Harvesting and Marketing Young Second-growth Koa by J. B. Friday, UH Extension Forester;
• Current Koa Markets and Future Predictions by Jorma Winkler, Owner, JACY Inc.; and.
• Koa Growers Survey Results facilitated by Julie Gaertner, HFIA Intern; UH-Hilo TCBES Graduate Program;
• Group Exercise, “2020: A Clear Vision”, involving goal setting for koa forests in the year 2020 facilitated by Mike Robinson and Peter Simmons; and
• Koa Mapping Exercise: What is now and what will be in 2020? Facilitated by Julie Gaertner, HFIA Intern; UH-Hilo TCBES Graduate Program.
Symposium Program
Symposium Sponsors
Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center
Awapuhi Farms & Mill
Koa Seed Sponsors
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
Hawaii Forest & Trail
Heather and Peter Simmons
Mike Robinson (Chair): Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, HFIA, HFI
Peter Simmons: In the Woods HFIA, HFI
Travis Idol: UH Department of Agronomy & Soil Science, HFI
Nick Koch: Forest Solutions, HFIA
J.B. Friday: UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, HFI
Sheri Mann: DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife
Kama Dancil: Kamehameha Schools
Cheyenne Perry: Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance
Michael Constantinides: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Paul Scowcroft: US Forest Service
Orlo Steele: Hawaii Community College Forest Team
Julie Gaertner: HFIA Koa Symposium Student Intern
Heather Simmons: HFIA, HFI
Keauhou Ranch Tour
The tour was led by Kama Dancil, Kamehameha Schools; J.B. Friday, UH Extension Service; and Nick Koch and Thomas Baribault, Forest Solutions. The tour, which was attended by 45 people included the following stops:
1. 1987 koa stand (thinning trial)
2. 1978 koa stand (crop tree thinning)
3. Lunch Stop (7 yr. and younger koa plantation)
4. Spacing trial
5. 3 to 6 yr. old koa plantation
Keauhou Ranch is a located in Keauhou, Ka‘ū on Hawai‘i Island. Kamehameha Schools’ koa reforestation program at Keauhou Ranch is a good example of large-scale forest restoration. Kamehameha Schools is a private foundation dedicated to funding education for Hawaiian students. Their lands are used both for income generation and as outdoor classrooms for their students. Acacia koa is the largest tree in the Hawaiian forest and one of the most valuable timbers in the world. Currently koa stumpage ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per mbf, and select koa lumber sells between $4.00 and $5.00 per bf. The koa forest is the habitat for a number of endangered birds and plants. Koa wood has historically been undervalued, however, and large areas that were once koa forest were cleared for ranching in the past two centuries. At Keauhou Ranch, Kamehameha Schools began setting aside portions of the land for reforestation in the late 1970s.
Source: Excerpt of presentation by J. B. Friday at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/Data/IUFRO.html.
Dr. Wang, Hainan University in China stands next to a 30 year old koa tree in the Keauhou Reforestation Area. Photo by J.B. Friday.
Symposium Photos (Talks and Tour)
Aloha and Welcome by HFIA President Tai Lake.
MC Paul Scowcroft facilitates the day and keeps the talks on schedule.
Cheyenne Hiapo Perry presents opening protocol and “Koa mo‘olelo”.
Keynote speaker Dr. Charles Michler presents “The right Koa for You”.
Symposium attendees.
Jay Warner, presents “All Koa Lumber Has Value”.
Mike Robinson presents “Case Study: Humu‘ula Salvage and Reforestation”.
Julie Gaertner maps distribution of koa.
Young-growth koa study display.
Young-growth koa study display.
Young-growth koa study display.
Young-growth koa study display: Ron Hester’s matching end tables.
Young-growth koa study display: Clark Allred’s Dresse/Tables.
Young-growth koa study display: Richard Cunningham’s mirror frame and jewelry box and Scott Hare’s calabash.
Young-growth koa study display: Mats Fogelvik’s stools.
Young-growth koa study display: Mats Fogelviks’s stool.
Young-growth koa study display: Don Albrech’s bowls and Scott Hare’s calabash.
Keauhou Ranch koa tree marked for thinning.
Tom Baribault, Forest Solutions presents to the group.
Keauhou Ranch tour.
Keauhou Ranch koa stand.
Keauhou Ranch koa stand.
Keauhou Ranch tour group walking along a trail.
J.B. Friday talks to the group about a thinning trail.
Keauhou Ranch tour group.
Dr. J.B. Friday talks to the group about a thinning trail.
Dr. J.B. Friday talks to the group about a thinning trail.
Koa tree scored during thinning process.
J.B. Friday and Julie Gaertner in the koa forest.
Keauhou Ranch koa plantings.
Keauhou Ranch tour group.
HFI President Dr. Travis Idol standing next to a koa tree.
Dr. Travis Idol.
Tom Baribault shows pruning techniques.
Mike Robinson practices pruning techniques as Kama Dancil looks on.
Mike Robinson practices pruning techniques.
Keauhou Ranch tour group explore the plantings.
Nick Koch address the group.
Beautiful koa tree.
Pau Hana. How do you get foresters out of the forest?