As I walked through Waikamoi Preserve, an 8,951-acre forest on the East Maui mountains, Kerri Fay, a science specialist and Maui program lead for The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and Palmyra, passionately pointed out the splendor of its biodiversity. Native cyanea horrida hovered above the ground, while yellow-faced bees hummed in the distance. The boardwalk on which we traversed creaked as an iʻiwi bird sang its distinctive tune. We closed our eyes and listened carefully. It was bittersweet.
These protected grounds revealed healthy, functional layers of a native forest—fern ground cover, mosses, lichens, mid-layer shrubs, sub-canopy, and koa trees—that contribute to the overall synergy of the island’s ecosystems. But beyond the fences where meticulous protection isn’t enacted, those sounds, and those sights are slowly disappearing. The dichotomy of the two areas brought the purpose of conservation into clear view, that biodiversity simply must be safeguarded.
Hawaii is known, sadly, as "the endangered species capital of the world." Many things can easily harm the native ecosystems of islands in the middle of an ocean. And in Hawaii, there’s also human intervention and development, invasive ungulates (Axis deer, goats, and boar), and noxious weeds compromising flora and fauna. The term "invasive"—which is critical here—means a non-native species taking over or dominating an environment and landscape. If and when native habitats fall to invasive species, biodiversity dies off.
Continue reading: https://fortune.com/2022/04/26/tech-forward-everyday-ai-hawaii-biodiversity/
These protected grounds revealed healthy, functional layers of a native forest—fern ground cover, mosses, lichens, mid-layer shrubs, sub-canopy, and koa trees—that contribute to the overall synergy of the island’s ecosystems. But beyond the fences where meticulous protection isn’t enacted, those sounds, and those sights are slowly disappearing. The dichotomy of the two areas brought the purpose of conservation into clear view, that biodiversity simply must be safeguarded.
Hawaii is known, sadly, as "the endangered species capital of the world." Many things can easily harm the native ecosystems of islands in the middle of an ocean. And in Hawaii, there’s also human intervention and development, invasive ungulates (Axis deer, goats, and boar), and noxious weeds compromising flora and fauna. The term "invasive"—which is critical here—means a non-native species taking over or dominating an environment and landscape. If and when native habitats fall to invasive species, biodiversity dies off.
Continue reading: https://fortune.com/2022/04/26/tech-forward-everyday-ai-hawaii-biodiversity/
