A Hawaiʻi arborist is helping to keep a Pacific treasure on the World Heritage List. Nan Madol is an archaeological stone complex in Pohnpei dating back thousands of years. The Micronesian cultural site, which once served as a religious and political seat of power, is being threatened by invasive mangroves.
Kailua arborist Kevin Eckert had been tapped to help the local government save the site. When we last talked to Eckert, he was about to head over to Pohnpei, but the pandemic halted the work. It resumed earlier this year. Eckert said the good news is that some of the arbor training in the region may get a boost from a $9 million grant from the federal government.
Eckert is with Arbor Global and the co-founder of Smart Trees Pacific. He will take part in a conference with the Pacific Island Forestry Committee on the Big Island next month.
This story aired on The Conversation on Nov. 20, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
