on Mauna Kea Forest Restoration at the Lyman Museum

HILO, Hawai`i (November 23, 2012) — High above the clouds, the dry forest on the slopes of Mauna Kea is the only home of the critically endangered palila, a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper, or finch. Due to more than 200 years of damage by grazing animals, this mamane and naio forest has been severely degraded—and so too has been the palila population that depends on it. Happily, today the Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project (MKFRP) is actively restoring this special forest, with the goal of improving the habitat and preventing extinction of the palila. The MKFRP benefits from a vast network of volunteers who undertake outplanting and seed-scatter projects.
On Monday, December 3 at 7pm at the Lyman Museum, MKFRP Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator Jackson Bauer showcases the special biology of this rarely visited forest and its feathered inhabitants, underscoring the importance of volunteer efforts in the management and preservation of a singular ecosystem. Admission is $3; free for Museum members. Seating is limited to 65 persons. No tickets for presale; first come, first seated. Additional parking available at Hilo Union School. The nationally accredited and Smithsonian-affiliated Lyman Museum, located at 276 Haili Street in Hilo, is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am—4:30 pm. For additional information, call or visit www.lymanmuseum.org.