Stewardship

A Giving Fund to Support Conservation, Culture & Nature Connection

Connect. Collaborate. Conserve. Foraging connections that nurture our ohana, island communities, and natural resources.

Since 1993 Hawaii Forest & Trail’s vision to share the splendor of Hawaii Nei and inspire a deeper connection with nature has guided our success and growth. Supporting our local communities and resources is an integral part of our company mission. As we’ve grown, our ability to support and partner with organizations, communities, and schools in Hawaii has grown accordingly. Now, with our expansion to Oahu and in recognition of our 25 years of operation, we’ve established a giving fund in partnership with the Hawaii Community Foundation. The Iiwi Fund, named after Hawaii’s iconic scarlet red honeycreeper and the featured bird in our logo, represents our continued kuleana to support, care, and advocate for the conservation of Hawaii’s native ecosystems, culture, and natural wonders.

The Ho’omālama Initiative encompasses Hawaii Forest & Trail’s commitment to nurturing our staff through development opportunities, conserving our natural resources with sustainable management practices, and connecting with stakeholders in our community. The seed for this growing initiative was planted in 2008 when Hawaii Forest & Trail launched e ho’omaluō, a program dedicated to promoting the responsible management and conservation of Hawai’i’s natural resources. With time, the scope of this program has broadened to include programs that invest in our staff and community. We believe that by sharing our love for Hawaii’s natural world we can inspire a deep connection between people and place, which in turn leads to a commitment to the conservation of Hawaii Nei. We welcome you to learn more about our programs and join us as stakeholders in the future of Hawai’i.

The ʻIʻiwi Fund

Hawaii’s environment and culture face a myriad of significant and complex threats. At the same time, the public’s understanding of and connection with nature is one of today’s modern tragedies. As an example, the Hawaiian Honeycreepers, a group of birds found only in Hawaii, is the world’s greatest example of evolutionary process among birds. The honeycreepers are also the most endangered with more extinctions than any other tribe of birds on the planet. Few who live here and even fewer who visit here have no clue that these natural wonders exist in our forests and that their survival depends on us. The Iiwi Fund is our small part in making sure the Iiwi doesn’t disappear.

Donate

Support the Cause

Proceeds from our activities and guest contributions support local Non-Profit conservation efforts. We invite each guest to give to support the local conservation organizations (one of our first guest’s donations was $25,000!) Our industry partners and business vendors also donate money to the fund. Initial seed money for the fund of $10,000 came from a personal donation by our founders Rob & Cindy Pacheco. As the fund grows, we will periodically solicit requests for grants from qualifying organizations but will also entertain requests at any time.

How The Fund Works

For each guest on tour, Hawaii Forest & Trail donates $1. We encourage each of our guests to match that dollar if they’d like, or give any amount you choose.

Qualifying organizations must be a 501(c)3 entity and whose mission and work aligns with at least one of the following criteria:

Benefits the conservation of Hawaii’s native ecosystems, species and landscapes.
Shares the understanding and practice of Hawaiian culture and the dissemination and understanding of Hawaii’s natural and cultural history.
Promotes and facilitates an appreciation and interaction with nature especially within youth-oriented programs.

The ʻIʻiwi Fund intends to give preference to entities that are based or whose work is performed in the communities where we operate tours. If you’d like to help with this fund, donations in all amounts are accepted. Mahalo for your kokua.

Donate

Community Outreach

Philanthropy

We contribute to the community through in-kind and outreach programs focused on conservation, including the Grow Hawai’i Festival, Hakalau Forest NWR Open House, Waikoloa Dryland Forest Initiative, the Hawaii Conservation Conference, and more.

Community Support

Hawaii Forest & Trail and Kohala Zipline donate over $28,000 in services annually to local community organizations that are aligned with our Vision and Mission.

Strategic Partnerships

Hawaii Forest & Trail and Kohala Zipline are proud to partner with several local, national, and international organizations devoted to conservation and sustainable tourism. Some of those organizations include the Nature Conservancy, Division of Forest & Wildlife, Hawaii Ecotourism Association, Friends of Hakalau Forest, Kohala Project Venture, and the World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism.

Ho’omālama Programs

e ho’omaluō,: Conserve our natural resources

Environmental Protection

Hawaii Forest & Trail and Kohala Zipline favor reusable, returnable, and recycled/recyclable goods. Meals and snacks served on tour are served in reusable containers, and all beverage containers are recycled.

Sustainable Management

In addition to natural history interpretation, guests also receive information regarding local culture, ecosystems, and local economy. Appropriate codes of behavior are in place to ensure accurate and appropriate information is shared with guests regarding local communities, resources, and ecosystems.

Stewardship Projects

Ongoing Stewardship Projects at our tour locations include invasive species removal at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, bird count surveys at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, Pu’u O’o rainforest and Pu’u La’au dry forest and the restoration of a Hawaiian Lo’i in Kohala.