Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative

Name

Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative

Legal name

Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative

Website

https://waikoloadryforest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tree Planting & Establishment Services (Manual/Mechanized) (AFAMACAE), Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Native forest conservation
• Habitat restoration services
• Environmental education programs
• Volunteer conservation work
• Community conservation events

Headquarters

HQ city

Waikoloa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit supported by community donations. Individuals can adopt trees, sponsor acres of forest restoration, or make general contributions.
2. Dusty Donkey Emporium Thrift Shop: A thrift shop located at Waikoloa Stables selling donated goods. Opened in August 2017 in partnership with Waikoloa Village Association. Operated by volunteers, supporting WDFI's restoration and education programs.
3. Events and Festival Proceeds: Annual Wiliwili Festival, Culinary Arts Waikoloa, and other events generate revenue through sponsorships, silent auctions, and ticket sales. The organization serves as beneficiary for these community events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative protects and restores native Hawaiian dry forest on Hawaii Island through a portfolio of programs: native plant propagation and habitat restoration, environmental education (Future Foresters after-school, ʻĀina Explorers Summer Camp), guided hikes and field trips, volunteer stewardship days, and community events (Wiliwili Festival, Biocultural Talk Series, Symposium, Culinary Arts Waikōloa). It also sells tree sponsorship packages (Adopt a Wiliwili, Plant a Grove, Adopt an Acre) and runs the Dusty Donkey Emporium thrift shop to generate funds for its conservation mission.

Product overview

Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization operating a single-location preserve (Waikōloa Dry Forest Preserve) in Hawaii. Rather than a unified software product, WDFI offers a portfolio of interconnected conservation programs and community engagement offerings centered on protecting, promoting, and restoring native Hawaiian dry forest. The core programs include educational offerings (Future Foresters after-school program, ʻĀina Explorers Summer Camp, experiential learning field trips, Biocultural Talk Series), visitor experiences (Huaka'i guided hikes, Virtual Huaka'i), volunteer opportunities (Mālama ʻĀina), special events (Wiliwili Festival, Symposium, Culinary Arts Waikōloa), and tree sponsorship programs (Adopt a Wiliwili Tree, Plant a Grove, Adopt an Acre). Supporting these programs are the Dusty Donkey Emporium thrift shop, the Wiliwili Legacy Map interactive story, and the ʻOli Waikōloa chant. The organization accepts donations through its website and stock donations via Stock Donator, with an email newsletter subscription service for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Future Foresters An after-school program that brings children to the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve to hike, explore, learn, and reflect in nature. It serves 4th and 5th grade students at Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School with science-based curriculum within a biocultural context, aiming to inspire keiki to be lifelong learners and stewards of the land.
• ʻĀina Explorers Summer Camp A free 5-day summer day camp for children entering 4th–6th grade and a separate program for middle school students (7th–9th grade), focused on Hawaiian culture, nature, and conservation through hands-on program tracks such as Geology Rocks, Manu Magic, Camp Kamiki, and Kūkū for Kapa.
• Experiential Learning Field Trips Field trip programs for school groups offering two tracks: 'Explore the Forest' for nature immersion and 'Restore the Forest' for service-learning opportunities including trail building, invasive species removal, and tree planting.
• Huaka'i (Guided Hikes) Guided forest tours across the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve, including sunset tours on the first Friday of each month. Tours visit ancient wiliwili trees, views of Kohala, and revegetated kīpuka areas.
• Virtual Huaka'i A virtual video tour of the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve led by Preserve Manager Rob Yagi, offering an informative virtual walk through the preserve for audiences unable to visit in person.
• Mālama ʻĀina Volunteer Program A community volunteer program allowing participants to build trails, clear weeds, plant trees, collect native seeds, and propagate plants. Regular volunteer days are scheduled throughout the year.
• Biocultural Talk Series A monthly speaker series bringing local experts, practitioners, scientists, and community leaders to the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve to share knowledge on biocultural conservation, Hawaiian culture, and environmental stewardship.
• Wiliwili Festival The 15th Annual Wiliwili Festival, a free community event celebrating Hawaiʻi's native forests and the iconic wiliwili tree. Features guided hikes, workshops, exhibits, native plant giveaways, food vendors, and live music across the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve and Waikoloa Stables.
• Culinary Arts Waikōloa A culinary event featuring local restaurants and chefs hosting food-tasting booths with cocktails and mocktails. WDFI serves as nonprofit beneficiary, with multiple ticket tiers including General Admission, ʻAʻaliʻi, and ʻIlima options.
• Nāhelehele Dryland Forest Symposium An annual symposium event bringing together conservation practitioners, scientists, and community members for presentations and discussions on dryland forest preservation.
• Adopt a Wiliwili Tree Sponsorship of one wiliwili tree planting for $50, including a certificate and GPS location of the sponsored tree, with the option to name the tree or honor a loved one.
• Plant a Grove of Native Trees Grove sponsorship planting 50 native trees, including foundational species like ʻaʻaliʻi and rare species like uhiuhi, for $2,500. Includes GPS location tracking and customizable signage honoring the gift.
• Adopt an Acre Acre adoption package including planting of 300 native trees per acre with ongoing care, weed control, monitoring, seed collection, and pest management within the preserve, on a multi-year contract with custom pricing.
• Dusty Donkey Emporium A thrift shop operated in partnership with Waikoloa Village Association at the Waikoloa Stables, open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 9am–1pm. Proceeds support WDFI's restoration and education programs.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Waikoloa Village AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2017Partnership to operate the Dusty Donkey Emporium thrift shop at Waikoloa Stables. The shop, opened in August 2017, is run by volunteers and supports WDFI's restoration and education programs through proceeds from donated goods sales.
• Hawaii Forest & TrailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides complimentary shuttle service to Wiliwili Festival and conducts weekly giveback tours of the Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve. Their knowledgeable guides serve as forest ambassadors and have helped collect millions of native seeds through regular visits.
• Hawai'i Community FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdministers funding from Hawai'i Tourism Authority for the Biocultural Talk Series as part of the Aloha 'Āina Program.
• Kings' Shops WaikōloaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue host for the Culinary Arts Waikoloa event, a food festival fundraiser where WDFI serves as nonprofit beneficiary.
• Waikōloa Beach MarriottminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue host for the Nāhelehele Dryland Forest Symposium, a professional conference on dryland forest conservation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kamehameha Schools — ʻĀina Engagement & Conservation: Kamehameha Schools stewards tens of thousands of acres across Hawai'i with active land management, native species restoration, and Hawaiian cultural education. Comparable in Hawaiian-focused land stewardship and cultural-ecological programming, but at a vastly larger institutional scale.
• Lyon Arboretum (University of Hawaiʻi): University of Hawaiʻi's Lyon Arboretum operates a tropical plant nursery, native plant conservation programs, and public education in Manoa Valley. Comparable in native plant propagation, conservation, and education mission, though with a university-backed broader institutional scale.
• National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) / Limahuli Garden: NTBG operates tropical botanical gardens and preserves across Hawai'i focused on native plant conservation, research, and education. Comparable to WDFI in plant conservation and education mission, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader research scope.
• The Nature Conservancy — Hawai'i Program: The Nature Conservancy operates globally and runs a substantial Hawai'i program doing native forest protection, watershed restoration, and invasive species control on multiple islands. It is a broad incumbent in the same conservation-restoration space as WDFI, but at much larger scale and across a wider portfolio.

Regional players

• Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi: A statewide environmental advocacy and education organization focused on protecting native species and ecosystems across Hawai'i. Comparable mission in Hawaiian conservation and community education, but advocacy-oriented rather than direct land restoration.
• Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project: A volunteer-driven native forest restoration effort on Mauna Kea focused on outplanting wiliwili, māmane, and other endemic species. Highly comparable to WDFI in restoration methods, species focus, and volunteer-led operating model, but on a different island and ecological zone.
• Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project: A Maui-based non-profit doing native forest restoration to protect endangered Hawaiian forest birds. Directly comparable in restoration of endangered Hawaiian species and use of volunteer/community engagement, but focused on avian habitats rather than dryland forest.
• East Maui Watershed Partnership: A coalition of public and private agencies doing forest restoration, fencing, and invasive species management in East Maui. Directly comparable conservation-restoration activities to WDFI but focused on a different Hawaiian island and watershed.
• Hawaiʻi Wildlife Fund: A Hawai'i Island-based non-profit doing habitat restoration, marine and coastal conservation, and native species protection with a strong volunteer and education component. Comparable community-engagement and conservation model to WDFI, though focused on coastal/marine ecosystems.

Direct peers

• Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT): HILT is a Hawai'i-focused 501(c)(3) that conserves and stewards culturally and ecologically significant lands across the islands through easements, land acquisition, and restoration. It is the closest direct peer to WDFI in mission (land conservation, restoration, Hawaiian cultural stewardship) and geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOFeNIfMQHvdMnBOJn5UzrA
• Facebookfacebook.com/WaikoloaDryForest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waikoloa-dry-forest-initiative
• Instagraminstagram.com/waikoloadryforest

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative