Annual Meeting & Education Seminar
Invasive Species (BIISC) and Christmas Tree Project Update
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Cooperative Extension Conference Room D202
875 Komohana Street, Hilo, HI 96720
5:30 pm-8:00 pm
SPEAKERS
- Luana Beck, President, Hilo County Farm Bureau: Welcome
- Randy Cabral, President Hawaii State Farm Bureau, State Farm Bureau Update
- Franny Brewer and/or Springer Kaye: Big Island Invasive Species Committee
- Aileen Yeh: Update on HIFA/HARC Christmas Tree Projects
- Luana Beck: 2019 Objectives/Projects and Board of Directors Election
- Networking
The Hawaii Farm Bureau meeting/education seminar was attended by 34 people. Aileen’s presentation centered on on-going demonstrations that conifer species can be grown at mid-to-low elevations, including identifying the species and cultivars that produce acceptable Christmas trees – in pots and in the ground. The project involves collaboration with 12 land owners who are growing seedlings at 12 locations on Hawai‘i Island. This phase of the Christmas Demonstration Project compliments HFIA’s higher elevation Douglas fir plantings. This project’s goals are to help expand a fledgling local Christmas tree industry by identifying a variety of species to replace imported trees at different elevations.
