Research conducted on the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest contributes to the understanding of tropical forest conservation and management. HETF celebrated its 10-year anniversary on March 23.

“Hawai'i Island, along with many of its neighboring islands, has seen an unprecedented increase in environmental change and threats,” said Ric Lopez, director of the Forest Service’s Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry in Hilo, which oversees the experimental forest.

“The Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest gives us a unique opportunity to study how the land responds to these challenges and develop methods for land managers that can help sustain these ecosystems and ecological functions for future generations.”