Agroforestry
Carbon Benefits of Agroforestry Transitions on Fallow Agricultural Lands – New UHERO Environment publication in Scientific Reports
New UHERO Environment publication in Scientific Reports demonstrates important carbon benefits of transitioning fallow agricultural lands into varying agroforestry systems across Hawaiʻi. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-87891-y
Read MoreCarbon benefits through agroforestry transitions on unmanaged fallow agricultural land in Hawaiʻi
There are growing efforts to incorporate agroforestry into ecosystem service incentive programs. Indigenous and other place-based multi-strata agroforestry systems are important conservation and agricultural strategies, yet their ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration benefits, have received little research attention. To fill this gap, we draw on interviews with agroforestry practitioners and ecosystem service modeling in Hawaiʻi […]
Read MorePuʻulani: Biocultural restoration of agroforestry in Heʻeia, Oʻahu
By Leah Bremer, Zoe Hastings, Maile Wong, and Tamara Ticktin Puʻulani (heavenly ridge) sits above the loʻi kalo (taro patches) that Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, a community-based organization in Heʻeia, Oʻahu, has been actively restoring since 2010. Just five years ago, in 2018, 100% of the trees at Puʻulani were non-native species. Since then, a partnership between […]
Read MoreNon-native fallows hold high potential for restoration through agroforestry in a Pacific Island ecosystem
Abstract: Agricultural land abandonment affects millions of hectares of cultivated lands globally. While ending cultivation can lead to spontaneous reforestation and ecological benefits, the resulting landscapes often have lower social and agricultural benefits than the native forests and agricultural systems they replace, especially when non-native species dominate successional pathways. This is the case in many […]
Read MoreRestoring Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity through Cost-Effective and Resilient Agroforestry Systems
Since September 2018, our project team, composed of University of Hawai‘i faculty and students, Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi staff, and other partners have worked together to: 1) design, implement, and monitor 10 agroforestry demonstration plots and buffer areas in He‘eia, O‘ahu (objective 1); 2) publish peer-review and practitioner-oriented material on agroforestry, functional traits, and ecosystem services (objective […]
Read MoreThe Agricultural Economic Landscape in Hawai‘i and the Potential for Future Economic Viability
By Sarah Rehkamp, Michael J. Roberts, and James M. MacDonald In a recent UHERO policy brief, Reviving Agriculture to Diversify Hawai‘i’s Economy, authors pointed to trends in Hawai‘i agriculture and state policies surrounding agricultural land management (La Croix & Mak, 2021). Hawai‘i’s agricultural history has centered around the pineapple and sugar plantations and these are […]
Read MoreNew UHERO publication on agroforestry restoration in Hawaiʻi
Congratulations to former UHERO graduate student Angel Melone and team on publication of her article: “Assessing Baseline Carbon Stocks for Forest Transitions: A Case Study of Agroforestry Restoration from Hawaiʻi.” This publication presents a comprehensive study of carbon stocks as part of a broader collaborative research effort on agroforestry restoration that includes UHERO, UH Botany, […]
Read MoreProject Description: Spatial Planning to Inform Expansion of Agroforestry for Cultural, Ecological & Economic Benefits
Agroforestry systems, along with loʻi kalo and other systems, were abundant in traditional Hawaiʻi, and there is great interest in their restoration today. This project aims to improve understanding of current agroforestry systems and evaluate the costs and benefits of expanding restoration.
Read MoreBiocultural Restoration Workday Draws Community Together to Plant an Agroforest
By Zoe Hastings, Mahealani Botelho, and Leah Bremer 1 “I ola ʽoe, i ola mākou nei.” A community member recites the pule (blessing), “my life is dependent on yours, your life is dependent on mine”, to a native aʽaʽliʽi shrub as she gently tucks them into the ground. The side of the ridge is a […]
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