Categorized | Agriculture

HFIA hosts ‘Growing Koa in Hawaii Nei’ symposium (Nov. 16-17)

MEDIA RELEASE

The Hawaii Forest Industry Association (HFIA), in conjunction with a group of community leaders, will present the “Growing Koa in Hawaii Nei” Symposium on Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday Nov. 17.

Presentations are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16 in the Ohia Room at Kilauea Military Camp (KMC) in Hawaii Volcanos National Park, followed by a 5:30-7 p.m. Pau Hana Reception.

A field trip to Keauhou Ranch, Ka’u is scheduled 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17.

Keynote speaker Dr. Charles Michler, director of both the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (HTIRC) at Purdue University and the Tropical HTIRC in Hawaii, will present his topic “The Right Koa for You.”

Michler leads the strategic planning for hardwood research and development of nine principal scientists at Purdue University. The HTIRC, with staff totaling more than 58 U.S. Forest Service and Purdue University employees and an annual budget of more than $5.5 million, has been publishing more than 90 papers a year.

Currently, Michler is site director of the National Science Foundation Industry University Cooperative Research Center, Center for Advanced Forestry Systems.

Michler’s career has produced more than 184 publications, ranging from refereed papers, proceedings, popular articles, and reports. He has shared in grants more than $5.8 million, of which in excess of $2.8 million went toward his research.

Michler has been instrumental in procuring four endowments on Purdue’s behalf, totaling $39.8 million.

Presentations by leading experts in koa research and management will present on the following topics:

* Who’s Growing Koa and How Many Acres are Involved?
* Low Elevation Research Progress
* Silvicultural Practices to Improve Form and Branching
* Koa Case Studies
* Plantation Establishment Techniques
* Improvement Efforts to Date: Hawaii Tree Improvement Research Center
* Recent Koa Research
* Koa Establishment and Management

The Keauhou Ranch field trip will include visits to a 1987 koa stand (thinning trial); a 1978 koa stand (crop tree thinning); a 7-year and younger koa plantation; a spacing trial, and a 3- to 6-year-old koa plantation.

Maps and topics of discussion will be provided at each stop.

The Koa Symposium Committee is encouraging students, land managers, farmers, ranchers, policymakers, government agencies, community groups, educators, and the general public to attend the symposium.

The deadline to register in Oct. 31.

To register and learn more about the symposium and tour, committee members, and sponsorship opportunities and benefits., visit: http://hawaiiforest.org/index.php/article/2012_Koa_Symposium

Mahalo to symposium sponsors County of Hawaii Department of Research & Development, Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, Awapuhi Farms & Mill, Hawaii Forest & Trail, Mike Robinson, and Heather and Peter Simmons.

HFIA’s mission is to promote healthy and productive forests and a sustainable forest industry through forest management, education, planning, information exchange, and advocacy.

Other efforts of HFIA and its affiliate the Hawaii Forest Institute (HFI) include the Honolulu Zoo Children’s Discovery Forest; Panaewa Zoo Discovery Forest; Kapapala Canoe Forest Youth Education Plan; Hawaii Island Native Hawaiian Seed Bank, Hawaii’s Woodshow Na Laau o Hawaii; Hawaii’s Wood branding program; and native forest restoration and education at several dryland forest sites in West Hawaii.

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