MAY PROGRAMS

* VOLUNTEER FOREST RESTORATION PROJECT
8:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. Saturday, May 14

Volunteers are needed to help remove invasive, non-native faya plants that have grown in the Keanakakoi Special Ecological Area since Hawaii Volcanoes National Park cleared the area a few years ago.

Most faya are seedlings that pull easily; a few are maturing trees that we will cut with saws. We’ll also learn about the park’s native forest restoration program and control of invasive plants in Special Ecological Areas.

Keanakakoi has a wonderful ohia forest with a nice variety of native under-story plants and cindery soil. Volunteers should be at least 12 years old, and be able to hike at least one mile over uneven terrain. Our goal is a crew of 16 people, and pre-registration is required.

To register, contact Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at (808) 985-7373 or forest@fhvnp.org. For more info, visit www.fhvnp.org

* NATIVE INSECTS: A FIELD DISCOVERY
9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Sunday, May 22

Join Hawaii insect specialist David Foote to look for Kamehameha butterflies, longhorn beetles, fruit flies, and happyface spiders in Kipukapuaulu (Bird Park).

Hawaii’s native insect fauna has undergone many examples of spectacular adaptive radiations, and we’ll look for examples of these evolutionary processes in some of the more common native insect species. We’ll also talk about the functional role of insects in Hawaii’s native ecosystems, the impact of invasive alien insects, and the conservation of native Hawaiian insects.

Sponsored by Hawaii Volcanoes Institute, part of Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Cost per person is $35 for Friends members and $50 for non-members. Students (K-12 and college with valid student ID) are half-price. Non-members are welcome to join the Friends in order to get the member discount.

To register, call (808) 985-7373 or visit www.fhvnp.org