“The reality is, Pu`uwa`awa`a is the last remnant of a unique system chewed to death by cattle,” Hilo attorney Christopher Yuen told the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. “The state has transformed the richest, most diverse forest into … Continued
Almost a century ago, botanist Joseph Rock rejoiced in the astounding diversity of plants and animals at Pu’uwa’awa’a. It was, he wrote, “the richest floral section of any in the whole Territory.” In 1932, C.S. Judd was still able to … Continued
Silk oak, also called silver oak or he oak, is not native to Hawai`i – and it’s not an oak at all. More formally known as Grevillea robusta, it is an import from Australia. But you’d never know that to … Continued
As much as cattle have helped to destroy much of the native vegetation at Pu`uwa`awa`a, they now play an important – if limited — role in its restoration. Everyone familiar with the issues at Pu`uwa`awa`a agrees that some degree of … Continued
Robert Cabin leaned with one hand against a tall but scraggly lama tree in a tiny, sloping patch of forest on the Ka`upulehu lava flow on the western slope of the island of Hawai`i. The lama tree, known scientifically as … Continued
Section 171-33 of Hawai`i Revised Statutes is a good law. It calls for the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to plan for the use of state lands and, in paragraph 9, mandates the board to “determine, two years … Continued
Katsuya “Kats” Yamada, a hunter fighting the realignment of Saddle Road on the Big Island of Hawai`i, is concerned that planners did not pick “the most environmentally sensitive option” for constructing a key part of the road. Another hunter, John … Continued
“This has really been a saga.” Andy Hirose, administrator of the Solid Waste Division of Maui County’s Public Works Department, sighs as he sums up the county’s efforts to develop Phase IV of the Central Maui landfill. From his window … Continued