Short Summary
One’s typical image of Hawaii would probably consist of beautiful beaches, golf courses and hotel resorts. However, a hidden gem of native forests that evolved over millions of years in isolation rests just beyond our sights. Kokee, Kauai, is one of those great treasures that still flourishes on the island of Kauai; the forest is home to hundreds of native plant species, 90% of which are endemic and grow nowhere else on the planet, including over 140 rare and endangered plants. This degree of endemism is higher than anywhere else in the world.
The Kokee forests nurture plants that are precious to Hawaiian culture. While being famous for being a biodiversity hotspot of global significance, Kokee also provides a wide range of ecosystem services, plays a role in the preservation of Hawaiian tradition and culture, and gives a unique platform for education and recreation.
Today, this dynamic diversity in Hawaiian ecosystems is increasingly threatened by invasive non-native weeds that have been rapidly displacing native vegetation. Hawaii has become known as the "endangered species capital of the world" and the "extinction capital of the world" because of the many plants, and particularly beautiful birds, that have become extinct. Invasive weed control has been identified as a high priority by the US Fish & Wildlife Service in their recovery plans for nearly all the endangered species on Kauai. Unless there is a strategic and sustained effort to control these weeds, the core native forests will be irreversible converted to non-native vegetation.
The survival of Kokee's native forests relies on passionate volunteers who tread lightly across the steep canyon range and fragile native forest to weed out invasives and plant native species.
The Kokee Resource Conservation Program engages and educates volunteers through hands-on work in one of the world's most endangered and biodiverse hot-spots. We propagate land stewardship and create helpful access to Kauai's mountain forests for locals and visitors.
Each donated dollar and volunteer hour is an investment in Kauai’s rich, rare, endangered native paradise.
$700 preserves one acre on average, and we average 600 acres annually. Costs include volunteers, interns, staff, facilities, and field equipment. Help preserve an acre this year!
$4500 supports one full-time on-site volunteer equivalent (2080 hours per year). We benefit from 8500 total volunteer hours annually. Four 10-hour days of guided conservation work in the far reaches of the rain forest includes a 7-day stay in our historic state park-owned facility. Help sustain our volunteers this year!
$17,000 supports our intern program annually. To date, over a dozen of our interns now work for conservation agencies around the state. Help grow a conservationist this year!
$20,000 covers our annual helicopter rental expense. We target remote locations to increase efficacy such as the line where the most pristine forest meets the invaded forest. We know why birds and butterflies don't wear hiking boots. Help push back time and keep Kauai Jurassic-like!
As environmental funding shrinks, so grows the non-native invasion on Kauai's terrain. These forests stay healthy from volunteer energy. We know many more people care about preserving biodiversity than are able to make it to this special part of the world, to strap on boots and machetes, to nurture native species, to wade through thickets and walk through clouds. We hope this campaign creates opportunities for many more nature lovers to directly impact preservation work with donations that enable old and young from near and far to leave a good footprint here and going forward.
Volunteers, staff and funding are only part of the story. The natural world is the true treasure and Kauai is a jewel. You can also contribute by keeping your eyes open and keeping your hands dirty wherever you are. And please share our campaign with others in your social media circle and in your backyard. The Indiegogo share tools make it easy.