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Conservation, Remediation and Reforestation Efforts: Why?

…because we exist at a crucial moment in human history where protection of plant and animal species is vitally important.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the earth has lost about 50 million acres of forest in the last five years. The ripples of this loss are felt through erratic weather patterns, desertification, soil erosion, intense flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and much more.

Climate change is everywhere and it is a major consequence of deforestation and poor agricultural practices.

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Solution: Protection and Propagation of Native/Endemic Plant Species

Each plant and tree has its own unique medicine to impart to humans and animals alike.

It is important we honor our standing people (trees) by propagating, planting, and protecting them in areas where improper management techniques have been utilized. Many of Hawaii’s endemic plants have been driven to extinction due to a number of human-induced forces including deforestation, urbanization, agriculture, ranching, and over-harvesting.

Biodiversity is key to a resilient and harmonious ecosystem. All of our food forest designs incorporate a conservation zone dedicated to native/endemic perennial plants that dwelled there prior to clearing and cultivation. These plants are naturally suited to the surrounding environment and can provide a host of benefits for native bird, bee, and insect populations, as well as increased oxygen in the atmosphere.

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Solution: Bamboo Forests

We incorporate bamboo forests in each of our designs above 1 acre. Bamboo is a miracle grass that produces more oxygen than trees and grows rapidly. Bamboo can thrive even in erratic weather, mediocre soil, and with very little care (once established). For landscapes which have been depleted by human improper management, bamboo is an incredible tool to bring health back to the ecosystem, oxygen back to the atmosphere, and moderation of our climate.

In our tropical environment, the most sustainable type of construction material is bamboo. It boasts many other virtues as well, including serving as a windbreak, nutritious shoots for consumption, material for textiles and clothing, adding specific nutrients back into depleted soil, suppressing grasses and other weedy species, and adding to the aesthetic beauty of a property. There are so many gorgeous bamboo species to choose from, and we recommend planting a variety to make use of its differing purposes and continue to bring diversity to the system.

We are grateful to purchase incredible non-invasive bamboo stock from growers at Quindembo Bamboo Nursery.