BYTE MARKS
Let the Web guide you into woods
By Burt Lum
Spending the weekend in one of our Hawaiian forests comes highly recommended. I got to do that recently with my wife and some great friends in Koke'e State Park on Kaua'i (www.aloha.net/~kokee). The forest is the perfect place for recharging the batteries of the soul.
So much of what we depend on or enjoy about Hawai'i comes from the forest — biodiversity, watershed lands, rainfall, native ecosystems and species, just to name a few. All too often we take this for granted as we speed down H-1, chatting on our cell phones.
To bring recognition to one of our unique natural resources, 2003 has been designated as the Year of the Hawaiian Forest. The official Web site is hosted by Malama Hawaii and is found at www.malamahawaii.org. It lists numerous activities occurring throughout the Islands.
In addition to the activities, there's a summary of volunteer opportunities, from service trips to conducting turtle counts. Malama Hawaii pulls together information from a myriad of conservation and grass-roots organizations. Getting involved is just a click away.
Continuing on my Web excursion, I happened onto Nathan Yuen's site, www.hawaiianforest.com. This fellow is a hard-core hiker who takes you on a virtual tour of the Hawaiian forest to demonstrate how to capture the perfect photo. Not recommended for those of us who prefer not to rappel down cliff faces. Nathan does all the hard work and returns with stunning photos.
Back in Koke'e, nature sings her tunes through the 'ohi'a, the 'elepaio, the lama (a native tree) and the breathtaking views of Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali coast. In the mornings and late afternoons, the fog rolls into Koke'e, reminding me that I am living in the clouds. It was my first time along the Awa'a-wapuhi Trail, a hike with untold treasures. As the forest held me in her arms, her sweet perfume filled my senses.
I'm not sure why it has taken me this long to experience this gem. I suppose all things special have their right time. Check out more photos at www.brouhaha.net/gallery/nature. ;-)
Burt Lum is a click away at burt@brouhaha.net.
