Welcome to the Liko Nā Pilina Hybrid Ecosystems Research Project Website
Loosely translated, “liko nā pilina” means “Budding (or growing) new partnerships (or relationships)” in the Hawaiian language. We chose this name for the project because our goal is to create hybrid communities to restore degraded Hawaiian lowland wet forest, using both native and non-invasive, non-native species (which we call exotic species). In other words, we are creating new forests using some plants which evolved in Hawaiʻi and others that have come here from around the world. For example, our plots include Hawaiian ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha) and kōpiko (Psychotria hawaiiensis), as well as kukui (Aleurites moluccana, also known as candlenut in Australia) which arrived in Hawaiʻi with the Polynesians, and mango (Mangifera indica) which is a much more recent arrival (and is originally from India).
Latest News! Did you know that the County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Division has expanded its Native Forest Dedication Program with improved financial incentives and expanded choices for preservation and restoration projects? With the recent implementation of Native Forest Bill (Ordinance 20-60), which went into effect January 1, 2021, Hawaiʻi County landowners with a minimum of 2.75 acres of contiguous native forest can receive reduced property tax rates for dedicating their land to native forest preservation or restoration. Some of the parts this Native Forest Bill are based on research from the Liko Nā Pilina Hybrid Ecosystems experiment. Watch [THIS WEBINAR] to learn more about the program and check out our [RECENT POSTS] section to learn more!