Partner of the month Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project
Founded in 1997, the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project (MFBRP) is dedicated to the conservation of Hawaii’s native forest ecosystems. Driven by science, the MFBRP mission is to develop and implement techniques that recover Maui’s endangered forest birds and to restore their habitats through research, development, and application of conservation techniques. The Hawaiian Islands are one of the most remote island chains in the world, making its ecosystems and habitats extremely fragile. Having suffered more wide-spread extinctions than anywhere else on the planet, effective monitoring and intervention are crucial to the survival of our native forests and forest birds. Thanks to the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, Maui’s native Hawaiian forest birds stand a greater chance against extinction! Focusing on the Hawaiian Honeycreepers like the Kiwikiu. ‘I’iwi, and ‘Akohekohe to name a few, the MFBRP has found that rebuilding Maui’s native forests and restoring these critical habitats is central to the recovery of these native bird populations. The Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project has made great strides in recovering Maui’s native forests and bird populations through reforestation, tagging and monitoring, invasive flora and mitigation, research and education!
At Skyline Eco-Adventures, the work that the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project embodies is central to our vision as well. Our mission is “To provide a safe and exciting means for seeing and experiencing the natural wonder of the Hawaiian Islands, while always aiding in the preservation and perpetuation of the islands unique land and culture, so that they may retain their body and spirit for all future generations.” Preserving our native forests and forest birds means preserving Hawaii’s history and culture as well. As a zipline company, we want our guests to experience Hawaii’s natural and native ecosystems as they adventure with us! On our Haleakala Zipline course, invasive Eucalyptus has been removed and native trees like Koa have been planted as a part of our Skyline Conservation Initiative, but it is an ongoing project! Our Conservation Director Joseph Imhoff plans for our entire Haleakala Zipline course to one day be completely native Hawaiian forest, in turn creating habitat for our native Hawaiian Honeycreepers. In fact, each line on our 5-line Haleakala Zipline course is named after one of the native Hawaiian Honeycreepers, a reminder that we are just visitors in the forest and that we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the forest ecosystems.
Skyline is proud to support the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project for the month of November. When you book a zipline tour with us at skylinehawaii.com/maui for our Maui courses, you can also donate directly to the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project’s efforts on Maui. To learn more about the MFBRP and the ways that you can get involved, check out their website at https://mauiforestbirds.org.