Hosmer's Grove, Experimental forest area in Haleakala National Park, Hawaii.
Hosmer's Grove is a forest area within Haleakala National Park on Maui, Hawaii, sitting at around 7,000 feet (2,100 m) above sea level. It features a mix of introduced trees such as eucalyptus, pine, spruce, and cedar growing alongside native Hawaiian plants, with a campground and marked walking trails on site.
Ralph Hosmer planted around 86 tree species from across the world here in 1909, hoping to build a timber industry in Hawaii. The project did not develop as planned, but the mixed forest it created has remained ever since.
Along the trails, introduced trees like eucalyptus and pine grow right next to native plants such as Hawaiian raspberry and silver geranium. This contrast between the two plant groups is easy to notice as you walk through the grove.
The high elevation brings cool and often windy conditions, so bringing warm layers and sturdy shoes is a good idea regardless of the weather lower down. Early mornings tend to be the best time for birdwatching, when the forest is at its quietest.
Only around 20 of the original 86 introduced tree species survived, and some of those survivors are now considered a threat to the park's native plants. A project meant to be economically useful ended up creating an ecological problem instead.
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