Corridor of koa trees at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (koa-rridor)

Over three decades, the refuge’s planting of koa trees has established a native plant corridor facilitating bird migration to higher elevations. Koa trees, the foundation for the thriving forest that the forest birds need, have grown in abundance at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. The koa tree is the largest and one of the most culturally important native tree species in the Hawaiian Islands. The tree’s beautiful and highly valued hardwood is a symbol of royalty and has long been used by native Hawaiians to build canoes, surfboards and ukuleles.