Example of cover-cropping. Credit - UFL
In today's wildfire management world, the word "collaboration" has become the dominant catchphrase. Collaborative efforts are what give all stakeholders a seat at the table and as a wildfire management non-profit, we work to do just that.
On the evening of July 16, we met with members of the Kohala Mountain Educational Farm (a.k.a. the Kohala Mountain Pumpkin Patch that your family may be familiar with) for a community meeting they held at the Kohala Center. The meeting was part of a series of meetings throughout the island meant to bring any community members or organizations to the table to discuss how the KMEF could better assist the community in providing an educational space. HWMO's Pablo Beimler provided information about HWMO and how we could help with KMEF's wildfire hazards, including fuelbreak creation and outreach/education.
The farm is already using practices that not only benefit the soil, but also keep wildfire threats at bay. They are currently using cover-cropping, which is a technique that helps prevent soil erosion and weed intrusion while keeping the soil damp. Naturally, this makes for a nice fuelbreak.
We look forward to potential opportunities to partner with the educational farm. In fact, come October, we will have our outreach booth set-up at their annual Pumpkin Patch fair open to the general public. Stay tuned for updates!
For more information about KMEF and upcoming events including listening sessions, visit: http://www.kohalamountainpumpkinpatch.com/