Mesic (Forest to Forest): 

Develop ability to source seeds from drought-tolerant populations

 

Placing outplants into favorable microclimate sites is a common practice, but creating suitable micro-sites remains challenging. Various methods were discussed, including seasonal outplanting, increasing soil water retention, adjusting planting density, manipulating weeding intervals, microbiota restoration, and direct seeding. Participants identified that they were still figuring out how to source seeds from drought-tolerant populations. They raised concerns about species survival when moved outside their historical ranges, which was added as a strategy.

 

The second part of the conversation focused on sourcing seeds from drought-tolerant populations. This would entail developing climate-adapted seed zone maps, seed banking, tracking phenology of seed sources, developing provisional guidelines based on existing research and practitioner experiences, and protecting and sourcing seeds from unexpected areas, i.e., lower or higher elevation populations.

 

Phenocams were proposed as a tool to support the tracking of seed source phenology. Developing provisional guidelines was indicated to be an easily accessible step. While a network connecting large organizations may not be in place, individual connections between smaller groups were seen as an existing resource. Key partners to build this network and develop provisional guidelines included HARC (the Hawaiʻi Agricultural Research Center), the Nursery Hui, HAWP (the Hawaiʻi Association of Watershed Partnerships, Laukahi (the Plant Conservation Network), and researchers with the University of Hawaiʻi and other federal partners (USGS, etc.)

 

Participants expressed an interest in staying connected, perhaps as a Mesic Forest Restoration Hui, and shared their email addresses so they could keep in contact. This demonstrates the desire to initiate a network to exchange information and develop resources to support Mesic forest restoration.