Hawaiian rainforests – the isolated, rich ecosystem supporting thousands of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world – are under threat. For centuries, the glorious rainforests of Hawaii have been at the center of Hawaiian culture and tradition; their abundance and biodiversity nurture human inhabitants and have inspired the evolution of the locals’ deeply engrained spiritual philosophy.
Travelers have been awed by the rich tropical rainforests of Hawaii for hundreds of years, but the dense and vast forests are diminishing at an alarming rate – fires, invasive species, overdevelopment, and feral animals are only a few of the causes of the forests’ rapid erosion. Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water’s Kokua Initiative has partnered with the Stewardship at the Summit organization to remove invasive plant species that choke essential native rainforest vegetation.
Hawaiian rainforests – the isolated, rich ecosystem supporting thousands of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world – are under threat. For centuries, the glorious rainforests of Hawaii have been at the center of Hawaiian culture and tradition; their abundance and biodiversity nurture human inhabitants and have inspired the evolution of the locals’ deeply engrained spiritual philosophy. Though humans have lived and worshiped among the forest’s broad leaves and been sustained by its life-giving water for countless generations, human intervention is nonetheless at the root of its destruction.
The introduction of destructive development and non-sustainable agricultural practices have caused significant damage to the native forests, but invasive species brought by humans continually destroy forests from the inside, changing the soil composition, eating native species, spreading infections, and inhibiting the growth of native plants. More than one-third of the birds and plants on the United States Endangered Species List are Hawaiian, and an estimated 60 percent of the Island’s native plants and animals are declining at an alarming rate. Preserving and restoring native Hawaiian flora and fauna will not only protect endangered species, it will be a massive economic benefit, as countless industries – and the human population in general – rely upon the health of Hawaiian forests. Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water’s Kokua Initiative has volunteered with Stewardship at the Summit to remove invasive Himalayan ginger that displaces native vegetation. This partnership marks the Kokua Initiative’s first anniversary.
The Kokua Initiative was launched to support Hawaiian nonprofit organizations whose focus is environmental preservation, the education of underserved youth, the empowerment of communities, and the reduction of substance dependency. Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water is proud to be the first Hawaiian beverage company to offer employees full compensation for a minimum of 8 hours of volunteer work every month with nonprofit organizations.
To learn more about Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water and the Kokua Initiative, please visit the Waiakea Water home page.
