Experience an Eco-Tour at Shaka Forest Farms

Experience an Eco-Tour at Shaka Forest Farms

Friday, July 3, 2020 | 10am – 12pm

To illustrate the symbiotic relationship between conservation and agriculture, the Volcano Art Center introduces eco-tours featuring locally grown, harvested and produced agricultural products grown in or near Hawaiʻi’s native rainforest. To this end, VAC is collaborating with Shaka Forest Farms LLC, which has a 29-acre agroforestry operation set within an ‘ōhi’a rainforest teeming with a diversity of native Hawaiian plants. SFF’s principal crop is māmaki (Pipturus albidus), an endemic stingless nettle that has many uses in Hawaiian culture. This māmaki is grown for Shaka Tea, the first line of Hawaiʻi-grown, herbal iced teas on the market brewed from this native nettle plant.

The eco-tours, hosted by Shaka Forest Farms’ staff on the first Friday of each month, offer participants a chance to interact first hand with an innovative rainforest farming operation. Agroforestry, a method of agriculture modeled after natural forest systems, are much more biologically diverse than most modern farms, which grow singular plants in a monoculture arrangement. This 1.5 hour-long tour costs $35 ($30 for VAC members) and meets at VAC’s Niaulani campus (19-4074 Old Volcano Rd.) in Volcano Village at 10am where participants will caravan or carpool to the forest farm site (19-4610 Amaumau Rd.) also in Volcano Village. Registration is required as participation is limited. Please call (808) 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org to reserve your space today. This program supported by Hawaii Tourism’s Aloha Aina Program.