Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests

01/08/2026

Join us for a Kaiāulu Hana Day at Puʻuwaʻawaʻa!
🔗 Sign up via the link in our bio

01/06/2026

Volunteer Spotlight 🌱
We were honored to spend time on ʻāina with two amazing volunteers who joined us all the way from California during their vacation to Hawaiʻi. Choosing to give back to the community and land you’re visiting is a powerful way to mālama ʻāina, and we are deeply grateful they shared their time, energy, and aloha with Kaiāulu Puʻuwaʻawaʻa .pww

Mahalo for showing that stewardship knows no borders and for helping care for the places that care for us. 🫶🏽

12/17/2025

Upcoming Kaiāulu Days at Puʻuwaʻawaʻa

Join us for hands-on mālama ʻāina through native outplanting and community workshops in the dryland forest of Puʻuwaʻawaʻa

📍 Puʻuwaʻawaʻa - Koa Unit
🕘 Times listed on graphic
🔗 Register via link in our bio or dm us!

All are welcome—come learn, give back, and mālama with the .pww

12/15/2025

Aloha kākou!

Welcome to Ulu Lehulehu’s Ōhiʻa Disease Resistance Program, led by the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests and partners working to protect Hawaiʻi’s native forests. ʻŌhiʻa is a bicultural keystone species that continues to face threats from Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, Ceratocystis fungal pathogen.

Through ʻōhiʻa propagation and disease research, we’re identifying naturally resistant ʻōhiʻa and supporting resilient forests for future generations.

Follow along to learn more about ʻōhiʻa and the work we do!

12/13/2025

The holiday season is about more than exchanging gifts—it’s about showing up for who and what we care about.
There are many ways to support the work of the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests and other aloha ʻāina organizations, from volunteering and practicing good forest hygiene to using inoa Hawaiʻi and deepening your relationship with ʻāina.
Every action, big or small, helps protect Hawaiʻi’s forests and the communities that care for them. 🌿
Mahalo for supporting mālama ʻāina in all its forms.

12/02/2025

Mālama the forests that mālama us.
As we close out 2025, we’re launching our End-of-Year Campaign to support the work of the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests.

From restoring dryland forests and protecting ʻōhiʻa, to strengthening cultural connections and protect native species, our programs all work toward one purpose: healthy forests and thriving communities.

This year, we’re aiming to raise $10,000 by December 31 to continue growing this important work across Hawaiʻi Island.

Your gift directly supports:
• Native forest restoration
• ʻŌhiʻa disease resistance research
• Cultural and community programming
• Seed banking for long-term conservation
• Youth and ʻohana stewardship opportunities

Every contribution—big or small—helps us care for the ʻāina that cares for us.

🔗 Donate through the link in our bio
Mahalo nui for your continuous support throughout the years.
I ola ʻoe, i ola mākou nei. OLA!

03/15/2025

The Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge is a cultural and ecological treasure. Help our friends ensure that stewardship can continue with as little interruption as possible.

Friends of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge is a nonprofit devoted to conserving the unique flora and fauna of Hawaii Island.

02/20/2025

Like so many nonprofit organizations around the country, we have been deeply impacted by the federal funding freeze. Please take a look at our fundraiser and consider donating to help us continue our disease resistance research program focused on ‘ōhi‘a lehua, the ecologically and culturally significant tree that supports Hawai‘iʻs watersheds and so much more.

Thanks to supporters like you, we have raised $17,120 of our $20,000 goal. Please like, share and donate if you can.

Mahalo nui

Ensure Our Team Can Continue Protecting Hawai‘i’s Precious ‘Ōhi‘a Trees Why We Need Your Support For the past decade, our organization has built the ʻŌhiʻa Disease Resistance Program , a remarkable effort focused on finding ʻŌhiʻa trees that are resistant to Rapid ʻŌhia Death (ROD) ...

02/08/2025

https://akakaforests.networkforgood.com/projects/246239-help-protect-hi-hawai-i-s-tree

Our Forests Need Us – Help Fund the ‘Ōhi‘a Disease Resistance Program

Why We Need Your Support
For the past decade, our organization has built the ʻŌhiʻa Disease Resistance Program, a remarkable effort focused on finding ʻŌhiʻa trees that are resistant to Rapid ʻŌhia Death (ROD) – a devastating disease that is wiping out our Native Hawaiian Forests. Fortunately, our preliminary work is finding that about 20% of screened trees show strong resistance to ROD, but we are the only ʻŌhiʻa resistance program in the world, and there is much work ahead.

Why the Need for Your Support is URGENT

The ʻŌhiʻa Disease Resistance Program is an entirely funded by external grants, with most of these coming from the federal government. On January 27, 2025, all federal payments were stopped, with no indication of when the pause would end. Because we are reimbursed by the government for work already accomplished, we have covered costs upfront but can no longer continue spending without clarity on if or when we will be reimbursed. With a highly uncertain funding future, we are asking for support to bridge this urgent gap: we need $20,000 to cover our staff’s salaries for the next month.

What’s at Stake?

The ʻŌhiʻa Disease Resistance Program is successful because of our staff – remarkable professionals who bring a decades of invaluable experience to the Foundation. But our staff have bills to pay and families to care for; without a source of funding, our team needs to find alternative employment. Without our staff, this now world class disease resistance program including thousands of disease resistant ‘Ōhi‘a seedlings from across Hawaiʻi are at risk.

How These Funds Will Be Used

All funds donated through this campaign will support our three full-time ‘ŌDRP staff, including their salary and fringe benefits (medical insurance, workersʻ comp, payroll taxes). These funds will ensure that our team can continue their essential work in finding disease resistant ‘Ōhi‘a.

Three Ways to Give:

Donate directly
Share this campaign with your friends, family, and networks
Connect us with potential donors or funders who can help
Mahalo nui for standing with us in this critical time.

Ensure Our Team Can Continue Protecting Hawai‘i’s Precious ‘Ōhi‘a Trees Why We Need Your Support For the past decade, our organization has built the ʻŌhiʻa Disease Resistance Program , a remarkable effort focused on finding ʻŌhiʻa trees that are resistant to Rapid ʻŌhia Death (ROD) ...