Living Magazine Spring 2019 doTERRA Living Magazine | Page 14

Waimea Kona Airport Hilo Kailua-Kona H AWA I I A New Safe Haven Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Kealakekua Bay an opportunity to redefine the future of the islands’ native trees—especially the Sandalwood. Lani Yamasaki, a respected native Hawaiian practitioner notes, “By reforesting the land with iliahi [Sandalwood] and other native plants, iliahi becomes a symbol of regeneration, health, and healing for both the land and the community.” The reverent approach to Sandalwood management on the Kealakekua Mountain Reserve represents Ka Lā Hiki Ola or The Dawning of a New Day. Sandalwood’s Storied Past Located near the western coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, Kealakekua is a region whose history is deeply intertwined with the many unique and endemic species of Hawaii. “Kealakekua [translated, the Pathway of the Gods] Bay and the surrounding land area have been recognized as one of the most, if not the most, significant historical places in Hawaii. Supported by the abundance of agricultural products from the upland Kona field system and the rich marine resources of the bay, the Kealakekua area became a densely populated settlement and a religious political center.”— Excerpts from The State of Hawaii’s Kealakekua Stewardship Area Management Plan. Kealakekua Moutain Reserve (KMR) is located on an old ranch, which was overgrazed and overlogged, inhibiting natural regrowth. To form the Kealakekua Mountain Reserve, a conservation easement was signed to protect these precious native plants, including Sandalwood trees. This management plan outlines harvesting limitations that must be followed at KMR to guarantee the regeneration and prosperity of the forest At the outset of our efforts, only dead or severely damaged trees will be collected, which will allow existing, healthy trees to grow to full maturity before they are harvested at the appropriate time, under sustainable tree management practices. With these reforestation efforts in place, Sandalwood harvesting will become sustainable and the native groves will flourish once more. Together, the KMR Reserve, the management objectives, an extensive nursery, and our ambitious reforestation efforts will help Sandalwood and other native Hawaiian species thrive for years to come. We anticipate that KMR will be the largest native forest planting effort in the state of Hawaii starting in 2020. Shortly following European contact in the early 1800s, the Sandalwood trade with China boomed and King Kamehameha I himself became heavily involved in the enterprise. The astounding revenue flowing from this trade led to the exploitation of the harvest workers. The Hawaiian natives were compelled to labor in extreme conditions, but the people were not the only ones taxed by the overharvest. The Sandalwood groves in the Kealakekua region were becoming sickly and sparse. Hope on the Horizon Being mindful of the past is essential to dōTERRA and the Hawaiian people. dōTERRA’s involvement with the Kealakekua Mountain Reserve is 14 / SPRING 2019 LIVING MAGAZINE KMR Nursery Seedling Production