Biocultural restoration of Hawaiian tropical dry forests

Abstract

Biocultural conservation approaches recognise the relationships between nature and humans, and are built on local cultural perspectives. Hawai‘i has been described as a model for biocultural conservation, and a biocultural approach can be applied in endangered ecosystems such as tropical dry forests that are often found in human settlement areas. The extent of native tropical dry forest cover remaining in Hawai‘i is as low as 1% on some islands, with 45% of the tropical dry forest plant species at risk of extinction. Despite the long-running relationship of tropical dry forests with ‘Indigenous people and local communities’, there has been little assessment of the potential social–ecological outcomes of a biocultural approach to tropical dry forest restoration. Two Hawai‘i forest restoration projects, located within Ka‘ūpūlehu and Auwahi, have been excluding ungulates and removing alien plant species for >20 years, and have applied biocultural approaches. Drawing on these two sites as case-studies, we explore the motivations for, and components of, a biocultural approach, and highlight four categories (ecological, social, cultural, and spiritual) of biocultural measures of success. We show that a biocultural approach to restoration can provide purpose and meaning to a person’s relationship to place, and can transform conservation biology through Indigenous perspectives. We also address challenges and provide recommendations to those interested in engaging in a biocultural approach.