sustainable forestry

[Mitzi M]

If you are interested in something that will increase in value, then I would think about what plants will be the most valuable to you in the future - perhaps fruit trees or ornamental flowers that will certainly increase your property value, but more importantly, give you and your family pleasure. In my opinion the idea of "sustainable forestry" or growing timber for harvest simply doesn't make sense in Hawai'i, especially in Puna where we have very poor soils. It would take quite a while for any valuable timber wood to grow to maturity here, and then you would have to deal with the expense and hazard of felling and then milling a large tree near your house. Other options might be palms - to be harvested and sold for later landscape use (you could line your driveway with these and sell them in eight or ten years). The best way to have anything approaching an ecological balance here is to preserve the native plants already on your land and control the invasive alien species. Keeping the ohia is a great idea - its also good to learn to identify the weeds so that you can control them, and become familiar with what will run rampant - and not plant that... Also remember that weeds can overtake your plantings very rapidly here, so if you plant something and nobody is around to tend it then you may lose it to the weeds in a pretty short time. Good luck in your endeavors!

Mitzi

Uluhe Design
Native Landscape Design
uluhedesign@yahoo.com