David Y. Ige

 

LIHU‘E, KAUA‘I —  Kaua‘i landowners are invited to attend a forestry workshop on Saturday December 10, 2016, starting at 9 a.m.,  to learn about how they can benefit from state and federal landowner assistance programs that support forest restoration efforts.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) has brought together a group of experts and learning experiences to meet the needs of forest owners and managers on Kaua‘i. The workshop’s focus is on forest management for early and mid-growth forests and the development of food forests. It was developed with input from the Kaua‘i Garden Island Resource, Development and Conservation, Inc.(RC&D) forestry committee, and features visits to landowners who are currently implementing such projects.

The workshop will take place at the Saiva Siddhanta Church. The church is in the process of turning 80 acres from non-native grassland to lowland native forest and hardwood plantation. The land was previously in sugar cane production and once that industry left, it was fallow until the Saiva Siddhanta Church began working in the area in 2001. Their goal is to grow koa and mahogany timber, agricultural products such as noni, and a seed plantation for Kaua‘i low elevation koa that is disease and rust resistant to be utilized by the monastery and community.

An adjoining neighbor, the Green Energy Team, is growing trees on a rotational basis to provide fuel for a 7-megawatt plant just outside Lihu‘e, which provides 12 percent of Kaua‘i’s power. One of the first plants of its kind in this country, the $90-million project burns wood chips from invasive species and locally grown trees. Kaua‘i’s power plant KIUC purchases electricity from the plant under the terms of a 20-year contract. The large scale, rotational forestry operation is managed by Gilles Lebbe who will be joining workshop participants and presenting on his project as well.

Staff from DOFAW and Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will be available to speak with landowners about cost-share programs such as Forest Stewardship, Hawai‘i Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

Registration in advance is required to attend the workshop. Lunch is included with the registration fee of $15.

Register by December 9, 2016 at: https://kauaiforestryworkshop.eventbrite.com

For more information about the workshop (and meeting location) contact Michelle Gorham at (808) 729-1676 or [email protected]

Workshop Agenda:

9:00 Introductions and opening session from DOFAW

9:30 Talk from Green Energy Team – Gilles Lebbe

10:00 Tour of agroforestry programs at Saiva Siddhanta Church – Adi

12:00 Lunch (included)

1:00 Presentations from experts (10 minutes each)

• Mid growth forestry management – (e.g. thinning) –Steve Smith (Consultant)
• Processing wood into product – Jeremy Campbell
• Food Forest development  – Keone Kealoha (Malama Kaua‘i)
• Forest Stewardship and CREP – Malia Nanbara (DOFAW)
• Conservation Planning and Farm Bill Programs – Jenni Scotti (Kaua‘i SWCD)

2:00 Talk story with the experts and get guidance on programs. Learn about and start the application process for landowner assistance programs on-site!

3:00 Wrap up and conclude

 

Media contact:

Deborah Ward

DLNR Communications specialist

Phone: (808) 587-0320