(HONOLULU) – Are you a college student or recent graduate interested in exploring the role of trees in our communities? The Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program invites applicants for its Tree Canopy Viewer Fellowship program.

Trees are vital infrastructure that make communities more livable, healthy, and resilient. Specifically, tree canopy (the leaves, branches, and stems that provide coverage over the ground) drives ecological, economic, and human health benefits including improving air and water quality, increasing property values, lowering      ambient air temperatures, and reducing human stress levels. To visualize Hawai’i’s existing tree canopy coverage, DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and the U.S. Forest Service are partnering to create the Hawai‘i Tree Canopy Viewer.

Four fellows will be selected to carry out projects that utilize the Tree Canopy Viewer data to support urban and community forestry in Hawaiʻi. Fellows may explore research questions such as: How do urban trees impact the health of our water, land, and communities?  Which trees might be best for future climate scenarios? Where are the towns, neighborhoods, schools, and parks that should be prioritized for tree plantings?  How and where does Indigenous resource stewardship impact urban trees? Each fellow will receive a stipend of $5,000 and be supported by mentors who will guide their research and connect them to a network of agency and industry partners. Applications must be submitted online by September 15, 2022 at 5 p.m. (HST).

Hawaiʻi Tree Canopy Viewer and Fellowship Information:

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/lap/kaulunani/tree-canopy-viewer-hawai

Tree Canopy Viewer Fellowship Application:

For more information about the Tree Canopy Viewer Fellowship, contact Heather McMillen, Kaulunani Program Coordinator, at heather.l.mcmillen@hawaii.gov.