Auwahi Forest Restoration Project

Auwahi Forest Restoration Project A grass-roots, community-based effort working in collaboration with `Ulupalakua Ranch to save and re

05/02/2026

Queen’s Prayer at Auwahi - Hawai’i’s last reigning monarch, Queen Liliʻuokalani, composed ‘Ke Aloha O Ka Haku’, the Queen’s Prayer, as a symbol of the importance of hope, kindness, pride, and honor even, especially in troubled times. To many, the composition now considered Hawai’i’s first national anthem still represents that today.

In the attached YouTube video, talented cellist Michelle Ancheta and gifted cinematographer Amia Datts honor the Queen’s composition played at Auwahi, on ‘Ulupalakua Ranch on Maui. The Queen was a lover of Hawaiian forests, honoring them throughout her mele (songs). We felt the spirit and music of the Queen would sound especially powerful at Auwahi where native forests, once nearly lost, are being restored with the hands and hearts of caring people. The day we recorded this, everything seemed to go right. When Michelle began to play with ancient native trees as audience, a powerful presence could be felt, tangled in the tree branches and in the cool wind and light rains.

Mahalo again to the senior class of Ke Kula Kaiapuni ‘o Kekaulike. Last Friday, Auwahi.
04/25/2026

Mahalo again to the senior class of Ke Kula Kaiapuni ‘o Kekaulike. Last Friday, Auwahi.

I wish I could tell the Auwahi volunteer that planted this olopua keiki maybe 4-5 years ago, that your tree has establis...
04/25/2026

I wish I could tell the Auwahi volunteer that planted this olopua keiki maybe 4-5 years ago, that your tree has established itself and is starting to really look nature emerald beautiful. Now that it has the sunlight in its crosshairs I predict its going to accelerate its growth, start to branch and spread its canopy. In a few years flowers will start clustering out and this plant will be revealed probably as either kane or wahine. Then on warm windless nights and mornings, little moths attracted to the slightly sweet scent will visit the flowers, get dusted with pollen, and jump start a process that was the pulse of the land for hundreds of thousands of years before humans arrived. Beauty in the world still. Auwahi.

For me, one of the most important thresholds to cross in an ecological restoration project is the ability of a restored ...
04/25/2026

For me, one of the most important thresholds to cross in an ecological restoration project is the ability of a restored forest to without assistance start to establish seedlings, especially of trees like this holei living potentially for centuries. Auwahi.

From left, Hokua, kumu Sesame, kumu Kanoe, Atta, and Kailie, soak in the mana of a forest that two decades ago was a kik...
04/21/2026

From left, Hokua, kumu Sesame, kumu Kanoe, Atta, and Kailie, soak in the mana of a forest that two decades ago was a kikuyu pasture. The sound of the wind moving through this native forest, restored with ecosystem pieces, is real world evidence of the power of well designed, consistent, conscientious thought and community actualization. Last Friday, Auwahi.

04/21/2026

‘Oli honoring native forests at Auwahi and the protection of cultural and biological kipuka in a rapidly changing world. The senior class at Kula Kaiapuni from King Kekaulike High School at Auwahi II forest restoration area, last Friday.

Embedding generational ecological restoration in the Maui community. Elama, shown here planting his tree, is an amazing ...
04/21/2026

Embedding generational ecological restoration in the Maui community. Elama, shown here planting his tree, is an amazing parent who gave big kokua out of his strong spirit and heart to support the Auwahi visit of the senior class at Kula Kaiapuni from King Kekaulike High School.

We at the Auwahi project wanted to honor his huge aloha and support for Maui’s young people with his own honoring lama sapling. All the students were given special individual trees to plant and invited to revisit over the years to see the growth of ‘their’ tree. Last Friday, Auwahi.

Embedding generational ecological restoration in the Maui community. Hokua helped ‘alaka’i last Friday’s tree planting t...
04/21/2026

Embedding generational ecological restoration in the Maui community. Hokua helped ‘alaka’i last Friday’s tree planting trip with Kumu Sesame’s senior class of Kula Kaiapuni from King Kekaulike High School in Pukalani. Here, they all glow with the amazing spirit of Maui’s youth after a day of mountain air and fresh sunshine, mist, and native trees. Last Friday, Auwahi.

Maile lau li’i vines were one of the stars, for Papa Lama, the senior class of Kula Kaiapuni from King Kekaulike High Sc...
04/21/2026

Maile lau li’i vines were one of the stars, for Papa Lama, the senior class of Kula Kaiapuni from King Kekaulike High School, as the haumana (students) experienced recovering native forests at Auwahi, this area 18 years into ecological recovery. Last Friday Auwahi.

Students’ hands frame ‘a’ali’i keiki released back to its ancestral homeland, Auwahi forest, where the seed were gathere...
04/21/2026

Students’ hands frame ‘a’ali’i keiki released back to its ancestral homeland, Auwahi forest, where the seed were gathered maybe 12 months ago. Last Friday, Auwahi.

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96768

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