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Puu Waawaa Experimental Forest Unit
Hawaii County, Hawaii
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Overview

The Puu Waawaa Experimental Forest Unit is located on the North Kona coast on the Island of Hawaii. This 38,885 acre (15,743 ha) unit lies on the northern flank of Hualalai volcano, extending from sea level to within 1 mile (1.6 km) of the mountain summit.

The landscape consists of exotic-dominated grasslands, tropical dry and moist forests. Tropical dry forests are among the most endangered forest types in the world and in Hawaii the few remaining remnants are severely threatened by wildfire, invasive species, and land cover changes. There are no tropical dry forests represented on any forest experiment station in the United States of America and very few across the world, even athough they are the most widespread of tropical ecosystems. The watershed (Ahupuaa) has an elevational range from sea level to 6,400 feet (1,951 m). It covers the gradient of the major dry and mesic forest types in Hawaii (5 Holdridge life zones). It contains examples of highly degraded as well as intact forests. Rainfall ranges from an average of 11 inches (279 mm) on the coast to about 49 inches (1,250 mm) at the highest elevations.

Customized identification guides
under development

Checklists with images, maps, and links

Albums of site participants

More information


   

Contacts

  • Mel Dean, US Forest Service -- mkdean@fs.fed.us --
  • Dr. Christian Giardina, Acting Program Manager, Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest -- cgiardina@fs.fed.us
  • Dr. Susan Cordell, Science Leader, Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest -- scordell01@fs.fed.us
  • Nancy Lowe, Outreach Coordinator, Discover Life -- nancy@discoverlife.org -- 404-272-4526
Updated: 19 October, 2010
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