Safeguarding Punahoa: A New Fence for Forest Resilience

This past month marked an exciting milestone for the Punahoa Heritage Forest (PHF) — the completion of a new ungulate-proof fence enclosing approximately eight acres of native forest within a small kīpuka in the Punahoā area of Hilo. Built in collaboration with local contractors and guided by PHF’s Forest Stewardship Plan, this project represents a major step in restoring and protecting the forest’s delicate ecosystem.

A New Ungulate-Proof Fence Safeguards Punahoa’s Native Ecosystems

Ungulates such as pigs and goats have long posed serious threats to Hawaiʻi’s native forests — uprooting seedlings, spreading invasive species, and disturbing the soils that sustain native plants like ʻōhiʻa lehua, hāpuʻu, and amaʻu. By fencing this area, PHF and its partners are creating a safe refuge for native species to regenerate and thrive.

This kīpuka will serve as a living classroom for community learning, where cultural practice, ecological restoration, and healing intersect. Each fence line, seedling, and restoration effort reflects PHF’s mission to advance Mālama ʻĀina, Mālama Kanaka — caring for both the land and the people. The Pūʻā Foundation remains deeply committed to this work, recognizing that the health of the ʻāina and the well-being of the community are inseparable. This project marks another step forward in protecting Punahoa’s legacy for generations to come.