The Tropical Hardwood Tree Improvement and

Regeneration Center

Mission Advance the science of tropical hardwood tree improvement, utilization, conservation genetics and genomics, protection, and regeneration by: • Developing and disseminating knowledge on improved and elite

tropical hardwood tree species and germplasm for sustainable production of forest products

• Improving tropical hardwood tree lines for restoration, maintenance of genetically diverse ecosystems, and the goods and services that they provide

• Increasing knowledge and developing systems for nursery production and plantation establishment

• Increasing knowledge and developing strategies for conservation, restoration, utilization and marketing of tropical hardwood resources

Partners • University of Hawai'i, Mānoa • University of Hawai'i, Hilo • Natural Resource Conservation Service • The Nature Conservancy • Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources • Department of Hawaiian Home Lands • Hawai'i Division of Forestry and Wildlife • Hawai'i Agricultural Research Center (HARC) • Forest Solutions • Hawai'i Forest Industry Association • Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (HTIRC) • USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Region 5, Region 6 • American Forest Management • National Park Service • Forestry Management Consultants • Future Forests Nursery, LLC • American Forest Management

• Only species of Acacia native to Hawaiʻi • Distribution • 1000 – 7000 ft elevation • Rainfall typically

between 75 – 100 in / yr • Usually found in mixed stands with Ohi’a (Metrosideros polymorpha)

• Tone woods, architectural

& furniture woods, novelty items

• Important cultural items – canoes, paddles

• Native forest and wildlife

• Premium Curl Instrument Grade Heavily figured and vertical grain • $100.00 per BF • • Premium Full Curl Heavily figured, not vertical grain • $65.00 per BF • • Premium Curl Highly figured • $50.00 per BF • • Medium Curl Medium figured • $40.00 per BF • • Select Curl Partially or lightly figured • $30.00 per BF • • Select & Better Good quality, no curl/figure • $20.00 per BF

• 2011 ‐ $ 3.50 per board foot stumpage (Quinn) • 230 % increase in 25 years – over 100% real price increase

Koa can have astronomical value ‐ Price quotes from a HI vendor

Current Koa harvesting is primarily salvage of dead and dying trees but is moving toward a managed harvesting and regeneration system.

Many historical Koa habitats have been degraded by agricultural practices

P Scowcroft

Cattle Culture on the Big Island

Exotic Invasive Species occupy thousands of acres of potential Koa habitat, or present regeneration challenges for reforestation efforts

Introduced grasses present barriers to plantation establishment and serious competition to seedlings or natural regeneration

• Area of Research: Mitigate Threats – Koa Wilt • Fusarium oxysporumf. sp. koae(FOXY) • Causes vascular wilt disease

Causes high mortality in plantings and regen below 2500 feet. Some Koa families demonstrate potential resistance.

• Disease Resistant clone at 1 year

Disease Resistant clone at 2.5 years

• Koa psyllid – tip dieback resulting in poor tree form and reduced growth.

The impact of heavy psyllid feeding

Area of research – Genetics

• Investigate genetic diversity of koa and other trees

• Develop standardized seed collection zones • Develop molecular tools to ID important traits • Select and breed for improved characteristics

(growth, environmental tolerances, disease resistance, wood quality - figure)

• Develop vegetative propagation techniques

Identify and test potential superior trees from populations across the islands and ecological types where Koa grows.

• Vegetatively

Propagated 30-yr-old Koa

• Root-sucker cuttings from superior koa

• Outplanted at 5000 ft in Laupahoehoe F.R.

• Plus-tree traits retained

• Koa is a pioneer species but also long-lived

• Large Gross Volume, But Low Net Volume Due to Multiple Defects

• Seams • Bark pockets • Flutes • Holes • Hidden decay • Improved management

practices and genetics are needed

Area of research – Silviculture

• Develop site selection guidelines

• Link nursery practices with field performance

• Improve site preparation • Improve weed control • Improve seedling nutrition

• Typical Stem Form of Plantation Koa

Area of research – Nursery production

• Increase seed availability • Develop seed orchards • Develop improved nursery production

methods • Network with public and private

nurseries

• Progress • Seed orchards (O Rueda) • Developing fusarium resistance in Koa

(N.Dudley) • Wood quality in young koa trees (E Lowell) • Improving seedling stock (D Jacobs, J Pinto) • Genetics of figured wood and

elevation/precipitation adaptations (Lawson) • TropHTIRC.org

Key Findings 2000 to Present

• Extensive progeny trials indicated that – bole form, fluting, and limbiness, – growth rate, – wood properties - figure, – resistance to koa wilt (maybe), – phyllode and pod shapes, and – seed size and arrangement

• are heritable characteristics

• Ola ka `āina, ola ke kanaka • (Healthy/Living Land, Healthy/Living People) • The good of the land results in the good of

the people.

Mahalo and Aloha