HFI and Hawai‘i Forest Industry Association’s (HFIA) are working with community partners to create the Honolulu Zoo Children’s Discovery Forest. This forest demonstration project will be created at the Honolulu Zoo, near the zoo entrance, adjacent to the future site of a Native Hawaiian Village.
The Discovery Forest will be a representation of natural systems, creating a scene of Hawai‘i before the arrival of humans. The project will demonstrate culturally significant plant and tree species that once grew near traditional shoreline villages of O‘ahu. This replication of these coastal ecosystems will provide habitat for Hawaiian plants, birds, and invertebrates. The exhibit will be designed to demonstrate culturally significant Hawaiian plant species, the significance of place, and the kuleana of mālama ‘āina by integrating traditional Hawaiian forest ecosystems, forest stewardship opportunities, and innovative land-based education for residents and visitors.
Three award-winning landscape architects, Jason Umemoto, Leland Miyano, and Leonard Bisel created a Schematic Concept Plan (See below) and will be leading the landscape design planning process. Plans for the exhibit include three zones demonstrating native plants, strand vegetation, and Polynesian-introduced “canoe plants” species and cultivars. Community involvement will be a key component in this project and aesthetic appeal will be valuable for zoo visitors. Wilderness is rarely so organized, and a demonstration garden is an effective way for urban visitors to reconnect with the Hawaiian forest and nature in general.
Schematic Concept Plan
The project will start with the strand vegetation of the coast and proceed to the dryland and mesic forest; using examples of indigenous and endemic flora. Plants that are associated with educational stories will be prominently displayed. For example, a depiction of a lowland loulu (Pritchardia palm) forest will be a unique feature. The landscape of the Polynesian introduced flora will be presented and educational programs can be developed related to topics such as evolution, ecological lessons, endangered species, watershed protection, ahupua‘a resource management, and invasive species.
Hawaii’s native forests are our nation’s most endangered, and the lowland ecosystems have been the most severely impacted. By reintroducing elements of the forest, this project will return community rewards in the form of environment and cultural educational benefits, forest stewardship volunteer opportunities, and private and public partnerships. An estimated 750,000 visitors to the Zoo per year will benefit from this high-profile community project.
We envision a place that serves as an outdoor educational setting where visitors can learn about the importance of the sustainability of native and Polynesian plantings within a framework of Hawaiian cultural values. The vast cultural, natural, and historical attributes of Hawaii’s coastal flora and geology will be shared, demonstrating the bond that must be formed between people and ‘āina if both are to thrive.
HFIA was recently awarded a $49,100 Hawaii Tourism Authority Natural Resources grant for the Discovery Forest.
