We share the Hawaiian skies with some of the rarest winged creatures: iiwi, akepa, elepaio, apapane and omao. These endangered native birds live in the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Hawaii Island, and thanks to the good work of the Friends of Hakalau Forest, the feathered inhabitants-honeycreepers, thrushes and monarch flycatchers among them-are thriving.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established the Hakalau Forest NWR in 1985. The refuge is made up of two separate parcels located on the windward slopes of Mauna Kea and south of Kailua-Kona, in the shadow of Mauna Loa. The combined size of both parcels is over 48,000 acres, and they are home to more than two dozen endangered species, including seven indigenous birds and twenty plants that are found only in Hawaii.
The Friends of Hakalau Forest was created in 2006 to support the refuge and its mission, but volunteers were working long before then to help restore the diverse native Hawaiian habitat. According to longtime volunteer Ken Kupchak, over the last 35 years or so volunteers planted about ninety percent of the trees-some 600,000-that are currently growing in the refuge. "The forest has come back to Hakalau, and with it the birds," notes Ken, who also runs one of Honolulu's largest law firms. "They've come back to new trees, and they've nested."
I met Ken a few years ago when we served as trustees on a nonprofit board, but it was only recently that I learned that he and his wife, Patty, have been planting trees in Hakalau Forest for decades. Scores of other dedicated volunteers also fundraise, provide advocacy support and get their hands dirty propagating and planting rare native plants, clearing roads and fence lines, controlling invasive plants and maintaining refuge structures.
We're inspired by their commitment to repair and rebuild this precious ecosystem. So much so that we selected the nonprofit as the sole beneficiary of our third annual Holoholo Challenge, a virtual race conceived in 2020 as way to foster wellness and social connection at a moment when pandemic-related restrictions were heightening isolation.
The month-long race is also a way to showcase the beauty and diversity of the Islands via treks to landmarks like Haleakala on Maui and the Koolau mountain range on Oahu. Hawaii Island was our featured locale this time around with courses along Saddle Road and across the southern section of Hawaii Belt Road, which connects Hilo to Kona. More than 6,000 walkers, runners and hikers logged 586,141 miles and raised $33,000 for the Friends of Hakalau Forest.
There's another reason supporting Hakalau Forest makes sense. Each aircraft in our fleet has been given a unique and special name that reflects our 93-year legacy as Hawaii's airline. Our Boeing 717s are named after native birds and our Airbus A321neos are named after many of the native plants that grow in the refuge. If you're traveling between the Islands, you might be flying on Uau, named after the Hawaiian petrel, or Ohia Lehua, the iconic evergreen tree with crimson lehua flowers.
"When we received our Boeing 717 aircraft and named them after native birds, we weren't sure we would ever see some of these birds in our lifetime," says Debbie Nakanelua-Richards, director of community and cultural relations at Hawaiian Airlines. Thanks to the Friends of Hakalau Forest, these native birds are returning to the skies.
If you'd like to learn more about the Friends of Hakalau Forest or support their efforts, I encourage you to visit their website, friendsofhakalauforest.orgOpens external link to page that may not meet accessibility guidelines.
From our ohana to yours,
Peter Ingram, Chief Executive Officer, Hawaiian Airlines
