Meet The Team

We have had an amazing group of volunteers, students, visitors and interns assist with Liko Nā Pilina. Mahalo to all who have helped make this project possible!

Alakaʻi

Rebecca Ostertag

Role: I serve as one of the principal investigators of the project, which means I’ve been involved in all aspects of planning, executing, publicizing, and synthesizing the project. From the moment we wrote the first proposal on this project I was enthralled by the hybrid ecosystem concept. 

Why Conservation: The first time I stepped into a tropical forest, I knew that was where I wanted to be and what I wanted to devote my life to learn what it had to teach all of us. I work in conservation and education because I want people to understand that we are nature. It’s most important to me to mālama the ecosystems of Hawaiʻi because they are us–part of our natural, social, and cultural heritage.

Susan Cordell

Role: I’ve been involved in all aspects from idea-forming, planning, executing, publicizing, and synthesizing the project.

Why Conservation: While serving in the Philippines as a Peace Corps volunteer I witnessed extreme deforestation of old-growth tropical forests.  Since then I have dedicated my professional (and personal) life to the conservation and restoration of forested ecosystems. We are privileged in the US that we often don’t have to choose between our livelihood and conservation. It is important to me that when we think of conservation we also think of working lands and healthy people. I am so inspired to live and work in a place (Hawaiʻi and the US Affiliated Pacific Islands) where humans and nature coexist.

Photo of Susan Cordell
Photo of Peter Vitousek

Peter Vitousek

Role: I was involved in the establishment and management of the initial phase of the project, and remain interested in C storage and resource availability in the plots.

Why Conservation: I grew up in Hawai‘i, largely outdoors, and am dedicated to seeing the extraordinary ecosystems of Hawaiʻi and their cultural significance sustained and accessible to all.

Nicole DiManno

Role: I was engaged with the Liko Nā Pilina project as a Senior Research Field Technician from January 2013 – October 2019, working on all aspects of the project and diving into the hands-on field components as much as possible. In November 2019 I moved to Oregon and began working remotely on data management/analyses, manuscript writing, and general project oversight.

Why Conservation: The natural world has always intrigued me and I have always benefited greatly from the experiences of exploring different types of ecosystems. It is extremely important to me that as a community we support conservation; for the preservation of ecosystem health and all the benefits conservation actions will bring to future generations.

Photo of Nicole DiManno
Photo of Konapiliahi Dancil

Konapiliahi Dancil

Role: I am engaged with the Liko Na Pilina project as the current research field technician and am involved in day-to-day operations of all aspects in the project. Operations of the project range from data collection and restoration work in the field to data analysis and data processing for the Liko Na Pilina project.

Why Conservation: I grew up in Maui, Hawaiʻi with an immediate love for the outdoors. I was fortunate to attend Kamehameha Schools and throughout my journey I became dedicated to better understanding our natural resources and the state of Hawaiʻi’s naïve and endemic species. Ultimately, I am in this field to ensure that future generations here in Hawaiʻi have access to the forests that made me fall in love with conservation. 

Amanda Irish

Role: Senior Plant Ecological Research Technician. I worked on the project originally as an intern through the ORISE program and then transitioned to becoming a technician, and now work in agriculture.

Why Conservation: I’ve always loved being in a forest and working with plants. Those two interests have grown into a career that gives me the opportunity to learn about Hawaiian forests, ecosystems, and the invasive species threatening native and endemic species in Hawaiʻi.

Photo of Amanda Irish

Paul Banko

Role: I’ve been involved in planning the project, which was inspired after attending a conference presentation by Becky. Her description of the basic restoration experiment prompted me to wonder how the interactions among arthropods might be affected by the different treatments. I also attempted to see whether we could observe differences in how birds were affected by the treatments, but the plots are just too small to observe any effects. My role presently is to assist with interpreting the results of the project from a food web perspective.

Why Conservation: I became involved in Hawaiʻi conservation partly because of a family tradition due to my dad’s work with endangered Hawaiian birds. I spent many happy days helping him in the field, and together we developed the idea that threats to arthropod prey of birds were important factors in the historical extinction and decline of many forest bird species. That theme continues in my work today.

Amanda Uowolo

Role: My role with Pilina has varied over the years. At the beginning of the project, I collected the functional plant trait data on a wide range of plant species that were used to run the models to determine our experimental treatments in the project. I helped identify and clear the research plot areas, assist with project outplanting, mentored interns on the project, and have assisted with various field data collections and plot maintenance duties through time. My role has shifted most recently to be more of an administrative function to facilitate internships and logistics support.

Why Conservation: Why I am interested in research and conservation: I entered into this field of work due to my lifelong interest in plants. I care deeply about the habitats that support native plants and the many ecosystem services they provide, not just from a biological diversity perspective, but also from a human perspective. We need plants and forests to survive on this planet, and we need to figure out how they function so we can solve the many challenges they (and we) face to persist.

Photo of Amanda Uowolo

Esther Sebastián-González

Role:  I came into the project when we started wondering about how the different treatments would be affecting higher trophic levels throughout multi-trophic interactions. For this, I was involved in the conceptualization, project writing and idea discussing. I will be leading a network analysis approach to understand how these multi-trophic interactions work.

Why Conservation: We belong to nature and we are nothing without it. Humans have been (and continue) ignoring this and destroying nature, so much more effort is needed to preserve what we have left, and to restore what was lost. I work on conservation because I want to help both in conservation and restoration and because I aim to leave a “greener” world to my son.

Bob Peck

Role: My primary role in the Liko Nā Pilina project is to oversee the entomological aspects of the study. I will be collaborating with others to analyze and synthesize the results of the research. 

Why Conservation: The conservation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems has been a focus of my interest for many years. I have been around long enough to see the tragic loss of much habitat and many species, but also have observed the protection of vast lands and the recovery of extremely rare plants and animals. With increased awareness and a concerted effort, much more conservation can be accomplished. In Hawaiʻi, I believe that protecting and restoring our forests and reefs are the kuleana of residents and visitors alike. 

Trebor Hall

Role: I was an arthropod technician on the project involved in our leaf litter arthropod study and continue to contribute from afar. When I first joined the project, my focus was mainly the field collection of arthropods and the methodology of our arthropod study. As the study has progressed, my focus has shifted primarily to lab identification of our specimens, specializing in macro arthropods.

Why Conservation: As someone who has been captured from a young age by the wonder of nature, it is personally important to me that we conserve and protect our ecosystems both for us and for the well-being of our planet. I am also particularly interested in conservation as an entomologist because insects are often one of the first groups to be affected by the alteration or degradation of ecosystems.

Maya Munstermann

Role: I was a member of the Liko Nā Pilina team as a forest entomology technician employed through USGS and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and am now in a Ph.D. program at Florida State University. The main objective of my position was a focus on microarthropod communities in native forest leaf litter. I mainly sorted and identified the microarthropods present in the soil samples collected from the native forest experimental plots.

Why Conservation: No creature in the history of Earth has shaped animal life as much as human beings. Anthropogenic pressures on ecosystems are expected to result in accelerating loss of biodiversity and concomitant changes in ecosystem structure. I hope to dedicate my career to learning more about the ecological and evolutionary response to global change and how to apply conservation management to species at elevated risk of extinction.

Casey Anuhea Robins

Role: My official role in the Liko Nā Pilina team is a Field Assistant, where I assist with the data collection of the project, and am also working on my M.S. degree. As a kanaka maoli, I also strive to provide a cultural perspective to the project in hopes of bridging the gap between western science and Hawaiian culture.

Why Conservation: I am interested in conservation because it’s a part of my culture; it’s a lifestyle and reflective of my identity as a kanaka maoli. My kupuna were intelligent in their interactions with the ‘āina and understood the importance of proper natural resource management in sustaining the multitude. I hope to embody that same understanding by contributing to the improvement of conservation in Hawai‘i.

Emma Stierhoff

Role: I am an ecological research and outreach technician with Liko Nā Pilina. I assist with ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the hybrid forest experiment, and spread the word about the project. I aim to have people from all different backgrounds engage with the space, and to inspire more lowland wet forest restoration efforts across Hawaiʻi.

Why Conservation: From a young age I felt a deep connection to nature, and an intense sense of responsibility to prevent the destruction of this beautiful, diverse planet. I am driven to protect the ʻāina that has nurtured me in so many ways, and give back as much as I can.

young woman stands in a forest holding a bowl full of Hala seedlings

Hui

Kūpono Aguirre

Role: I participated in Liko Nā Pilina as a student assistant who carries out the field and lab work with my team members.

Why Conservation: I enjoy building connections between people and the rest of the world. My passion for conservation stems from the understanding that humans have a role in nature because we are a part of it.

Sophia Montoya

Role: I am a forest field technician. Fieldwork consists of surveying weeds and plants, collecting materials like leaf litter, collecting data such as phenology, seedling, and greenhouse work of taking care of plants, starting saplings, and out planting. Lab work consists of data entry, processing field collections, and preparing them for analysis. I also help to lead groups of volunteers for the project.

Why conservation: Growing up, I was always outdoors with my family, and my dad would tell us about our ancestors from the Tortuga Pueblo and what they did with the land around them. That is what got me into plants and their significance to the people around them. Wanting to get into conservation started when I went back to New Mexico and saw what had happened to all the agricultural land and all the knowledge that was lost. One of the main goals I aim to achieve in conservation is to recover knowledge that has been forgotten and help keep what we have left. 

Visit our hui i hala page for information about previous team members.

Niu (Coconut) — Cocos nucifera Family: Arecaceae Polynesian-Introduced Habitat: Dry to mesic, coastal Elevation: Sea level to 600 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: Not only an excellent food source, niu can also be used for oil, rope, weaving, thatching, and endless other possibilities. Ka niu peʻahi kanaka o Kaipalaoa (1502) The man-beckoning coco palms of Kaipalaoa
ʻUlu — Artocarpus altilis Family: Moraceae Polynesian-Introduced Habitat: Mesic to wet, coastal Elevation: sea level to 650 m Outplanted in: Moderate Redundant, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: An ʻulu tree is traditionally planted when a child is born to ensure that the child has a lifetime of food. ʻAʻohe ʻulu e loaʻa i ka pōkole o ka lou (213) No breadfruit can be reached when the picking stick is too short
ʻŌhiʻa ʻai — Syzygium malaccense Family: Myrtaceae Polynesian-Introduced Habitat: Mesic to wet, high humidity Elevation: sea level to 600 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant Fun Fact: ʻŌhiʻa ʻai, also known as mountain apple, not only has delicious fruits, but can also be used medicinally. Traditionally, the bark is used to treat sore throats and deep cuts, and the leaves can be crushed and injested as a treatment for bronchitis. ʻŌhiʻa noho malu (2362) Mountain apple in the shade (Said of a beautiful person compared to an ʻōhiʻa ʻai that ripens perfectly in the shade)
Noni — Morinda citrifolia Family: Rubiaceae Polynesian-Introduced Habitat: Dry to wet, coastal Elevation: 1 to 800 m Outplanted in: Slow Complementary Fun Fact: Noni is not known for being particularly tasty. However, it is well known for its medicinal properties, used to treat a variety of ailments. The roots and bark can also be used to create a dye for kapa. Noni is the kinolau of Kū, the Hawaiian god of war. He noni no Kaualehu, he pūhai aʻa (845) It is a noni tree of Kaualehu whose roots are in shallow ground
Milo — Thespesia populnea Family: Malvaceae Indigenous Habitat: Dry to wet forest with volcanic soil, coastal Elevation: Sea level to 150 m Outplanted in: Slow Complementary, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: Milo flowers start out bright yellow with a maroon center in the morning, and fade to orange throughout the day. Milo is traditionally used in cordage, to produce tannin, dye, oil, medicine and gum, and also skillfully crafted into food bowls called ‘umeke ‘ai. He milo ka lāʻau, mimilo ke aloha (818) Milo is the plant; love goes round and round
Manakō (Mango) — Mangifera indica Family: Anacardiaceae Introduced Habitat: Dry to wet, coastal Elevation: Sea level to 1,200 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant, Moderate Redundant, Slow Complementary Fun Fact: Mango was introduced to Hawaiʻi in the late 1800s. Although the fruit is delicious, you must be careful when picking it! The white sap that oozes from the fruit and stem during harvesting is toxic and can cause rashes or blistering, much like poison ivy, which is in the same family.
Monkeypod — Samanea saman Family: Fabaceae Introduced Habitat: Dry to wet forest, riparian corridors Elevation: Sea level to 300 m Outplanted in: Moderate Redundant, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: Native to South and Central America, monkeypod trees are stars when it comes to carbon sequestration. One mature tree can absorb 28.5 tons of carbon per year!
Pea (Avocado) — Persea americana Family: Lauraceae Introduced Habitat: Mesic to wet forest, well drained soils Elevation: Sea level to 2,500 m Outplanted in: Moderate Redundant, Slow Complementary Fun Fact: There are 107 varieties of avocado grown on Hawaiʻi Island. Not only are they delicious, but you can also use the pits and skins to make a dusty-rose colored dye.
Kukui — Aleurites moluccanus Family: Euphorbiaceae Polynesian-Introduced Habitat: Mesic to wet forest, gallery forests Elevation: Sea level to 800 m Outplanted in: Slow Complementary, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: Kukui has an abundance of uses, from creating lei with the leaves and nuts, to spreading the oil over the surface of the sea to allow fishermen to see the fish more clearly. The most well-known use, which Kukui gets its name from, is lighting the oily nuts to use as a light source. Ka malu hālau loa o ke kukui (1474) The long shelter of the kukui trees
False Kamani — Terminalia catappa Family: Combretaceae IntroducedHabitat: Mesic to wet forest, coastal Elevation: Sea level to 400 m Outplanted in: Moderate Redundant Fun Fact: False kamani was introduced by the first European settlers for shade and as an ornamental. It is native to southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Kamani — Calophyllum inophyllum Family: Calophyllaceae Polynesian-Introduced Habitat: Dry to mesic to wet forest, coastal Elevation: Sea level to 200 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant, Slow Complementary Fun Fact: Kamani was brought to Hawaiʻi by early Hawaiians for the utility of the wood, which could be fashioned into waʻa, ʻumeke, and food vessels. In kapa making, the fruit can be used for dye, the flowers for scenting, and the oil for waterproofing.
Hame — Antidesma platyphyllum Family: Phyllanthaceae Endemic Habitat: Mesic to wet forest Elevation: 500 to 1,100 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant ** No longer present in the plots due to high mortality Fun Fact: Hame has edible fruits that can also be used to make a red dye. The wood is traditionally used as an anvil to prepare wauke fibers for kapa.
Loulu — Pritchardia beccariana Family: Arecaceae Endemic Habitat: Dry to mesic to wet forest, coastal Elevation: 300 to 1,270 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant, Slow Complementary, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: In Molokaʻi moʻolelo, a person could use loulu leaves as wings to glide on the wind from Molokaʻi to Maui. However, they would only succeed if they were good with their naʻau and ʻaumakua.
Kōlea lau nui — Myrsine lessertiana Family: Primulaceae Endemic Habitat: Mesic to wet forests Elevation: 300 to 2,290 m Outplanted in: Moderate Redundant, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: A red dye made from the sap of Kōlea is traditionally used to dye kapa. Evidence of Kōlea char in ancient oceanside fire bits on Oahu show that it once grew at much lower elevations than it is found at today.
Hāpuʻu — Cibotium spp. Family: Cibotiaceae Endemic Habitat: Mesic and wet forest Elevation: 250 to 1,700 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant, Moderate Redundant Fun Fact: Our plots have two endemic species of hāpuʻu: hāpuʻu pulu (C. glaucum), which is known for the golden hairs at the base of the fronds, and hāpuʻu iʻi (C. menziesii) which is characterized by black hairs at the base of the fronds. Hapuʻu is considered a famine food because it takes so long to prepare. He hāpuʻu ka ʻai he ʻai make (568) If the hāpuʻu is the food, it is the food of death
Alaheʻe — Psydrax odoratus Family: Rubiaceae Indigenous Habitat: Dry shrubland, dry to mesic forest, sometimes wet forest Elevation: 10 to 860 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant, Moderate Redundant, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: Alaheʻe is the kinolau of Kanaloa. Its leaves can be used to create a black dye, resembling the ink of its ocean counterpart, the heʻe (octopus). The dense wood is often used to create fishing implements.
Hala — Pandanus tectorius Family: Pandanaceae Indigenous Habitat: Coast or slopes of mesic valleys Elevation: Sea level to 600 m Outplanted in: Slow Redundant, Slow Complementary, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: Lei hala are traditionally used for funerals and to honor the dead. The leaves are often used for weaving; people once demonstrated their wealth based on how many woven hala mats they had stacked in their home. He iki hala au no Keaʻau, ʻaʻohe pōhaku ʻalā e nahā ai (624) I am a small hala fruit of Keaʻau but there is no rock hard enough to smash me
Māmaki — Pipturus albidus Family: Urticaceae Endemic Habitat: Mesic to wet forest Elevation: 70 to 1,870 m Outplanted in: Slow Complementary, Moderate Complementary Fun Fact: Māmaki can be made into a tea that is both calming and good for the circulatory system. The fruit is traditionally eaten by women to aid in child birth. Māmaki is the host plant for the increasingly rare King Kamehameha butterfly.
Neneleau — Rhus sandwicensis Family: Anacardiaceae Endemic Habitat: Dry to wet disturbed areas Elevation: 150 to 750 m Outplanted in: Moderate Redundant, Slow Complementary Fun Fact: Neneleau was one of few native plants that was able to re-colonize old sugar cane fields in which the soil had been severely degraded and contaminated with toxins like arsenic. Pua ka neneleau, momona ka wana (2696) When the neneleau blooms, the sea urchin is fat
Hawaiʻi ʻOhe — Polyscias hawaiensis Family: Araliaceae Endemic Habitat: Mesic to wet forest Elevation: 150 to 800 m Outplanted in: Moderate Redundant Fun Fact: The ʻOhe is among trees at Maunaloa, Molokaʻi posessed by the poison gods, Kāneikaulanaʻula and Kahuilaokalani, and the goddess Kapo. To tamper with the wood is to invite serious trouble. The berries are traditionally eaten by mothers to help produce milk that improves the growth and health of their baby.
Lama — Diospyros sandwicensis Family: Ebenaceae Endemic Habitat: Dry to mesic forest Elevation: 5 to 1,220 m Lama was already present at the project site and was left during clearing; it is therefore found in all treatments though none were outplanted. Fun Fact: The wood of lama is traditionally used medicinally and to fence off areas that are kapu such and for heiau construction. The small, red fruits are edible when ripe! Lama translates to “light”, as the plant is associated with enlightenment.
Kōpiko — Psychotria hawaiiensis Family: Rubiaceae Endemic Habitat: Dry, mesic, to wet forest Elevation: 150 to 1,590 m Kōpiko was already present at the project site and was left during clearing; it is therefore found in all treatments though none were outplanted. Fun Fact: Kōpiko has a hard, dense wood that is traditionally used for beating kapa. Kōpiko is named for the the distinctive line of glands along the bottom of the central vein (piko) of each leaf. Ke kōpiko i ka piko o Waiʻaleʻale (1756) A kōpiko tree on the summit of Waiʻaleʻale (A boast about an outstanding person)
‘Ōhi‘a lehua — Metrosideros polymorpha Family: Myrtaceae Endemic Habitat: Dry, mesic, to wet forest Elevation: Sea level to 2,500 m ‘Ōhiʻa was already present at the project site and was left during clearing; it is therefore found in all treatments though none were outplanted. Fun Fact: While in a jealous rage, Pele transformed her romantic interest, ʻŌhiʻa, into this gnarled tree. The lover of ʻŌhiʻa, Lehua, asked her ʻaumakua for help, so they transformed her into the flower to keep the lovers together. It is said that if you pick the lehua, it will rain because the lovers mourn their separation. Welehu ka malama, liko ka ʻōhiʻa (2932) Welehu is the month the ʻōhiʻa put forth leaf buds