HAWAI’I — Gina McGuire, Kyson Keli'ialoha Dunn, and Kealoha Kinney are passionate about conservation. They share a deep reference for the land upon which they grew up and a lifelong respect for the communities who helped sustain them. Living near the Pacific Ocean, they spent their childhood feeling their feet sink in the sand, listening to the roar of waves, and breathing in the salty air. The outdoors was as much a part of their lives as the families who raised them. Nature was with them always. Those childhood experiences shaped who they became as adults and led to their careers at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.

All three hail from different areas in the Puna district of Hawaiʻi Island. McGuire grew up on a farm where her parents spent time actively restoring a native wet forest. Dunn is from a small town called Kaimū, where his was one of five families. Kinney’s earliest memories are rooted in places like Pahoa, Kapoho, and Kalapana that sit on the southeast side of Hawaiʻi island.

All three credit their families for instilling them with a reverence for nature.

Kinney remembers spending time with his dad, who worked with Native Hawaiian farmers as a community organizer with Puna Hui Ohana. As a family, they’d break ground, sow seeds and harvest crops. “These moments are etched in my memory—the sun breaking through after rain, steam rising from the landscape and the awe-inspiring sight of lava flows from Kilauea,” Kinney stated.  

His mom was another positive influence on his life. She was a nurse, hula dancer, lei maker and more, who taught him to swim, love the ocean and listen to the stones (pohaku) and trees. “My mother would often ask me to gather hundreds of kupukupu ferns for her lei-making. She always reminded me to thank the plants, instilling a deep respect for nature,” Kinney said.

Like Kinney, McGuire also feels grateful for her tightknit family and growing up exploring rainforests and mucking around a farm with a dog, cat and horse. She remembers going out on the land with her dad, who grew and gathered a native vine—Alyxia stellata (maile)—which they used, and still do, to make lei (garlands). “I feel very blessed to have grown up within the forest and with parents who are so passionate about the care of our lands and waters,” McGuire said.

Similarly, Dunn’s family exerted a strong influence on him. “My family expected we treat others with respect and kindness. My grandfather would always say Aloha Kekahi I Kekahi, meaning love one another,” Dunn stated.

Dunn’s connection to nature motivated him to pursue an academic degree in tropical forest ecosystems and agroforestry management. He still remembers his first summer internship with the institute in 2014. Working with research ecologist Flint Hughes, he studied Ceratocystis fimbriata, the fungi that causes rapid ʻōhiʻa death, which is ravaging ʻōhiʻa—one of Hawaii’s most important native trees. In 2023, he became a biological technician for the institute and continues his work on rapid ʻōhiʻa death.

“I feel very fortunate to have worked with Flint Hughes on ROD and other projects,” Dunn said.

As Dunn feels grateful for Hughes’s support, McGuire is appreciative of institute Director Christian Giardina’s mentorship. She first started at the institute in 2022 while pursuing her doctorate at the University of Hawaiʻi through an ORISE fellowship.

“My dissertation focused on a rural coastline here on Hawaiʻi Island and the state of 'ola.' or well-being, as we understand it from a Hawaiian world view, held within this coastline,” McGuire said.

McGuire is currently continuing her post-doctoral work at the institute, where she’s supporting the development of a ridge-to-reef hydrological decision support tool for Hawaiʻi Island.

Like Dunn and McGuire, Kinney works closely with the community in his research at the institute, where he has served for over 15 years. As a research ecologist, he and his team are working to protect and restore native ʻōhiʻa.  

“I’m committed to studying and conserving these unique environments,” Kinney stated.

Kinney and his team focus on understanding wild pigs’ role in infecting native ʻōhiʻa with rapid ʻōhiʻa death. Tramping through the forest, wild pigs can spread spores that cause the deadly disease through their hooves. Using artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies, Kinney and his team are tracking their movements and populations. Local hunters are also integral in helping Kinney gather data about wild pigs.

“Our ultimate goal is to support land managers in preserving Hawaii's native forests, ensuring these vital ecosystems continue to thrive for future generations,” Kinney said.

Doing work that makes a positive difference to the environment and the community is something Kinney shares with McGuire and Dunn. Respecting all living things and giving back to their communities were lessons they learned as children. And they’ve never forgotten them.

“Experiences with my parents and the strong connection to the land and community they fostered have deeply influenced my values and outlook on life,” Kinney stated.