Land Economics Foundation (LEF) Grant:  Along with payment of dues, LAI members are annually given the opportunity to make a separate donation to the LEF, a not-for-profit charitable foundation and sister organization to LAI which provides grants to advance the land economics-related goals of LAI.

We’re pleased to report that a $19,962 grant was recently awarded due to the efforts of Aloha Chapter member Dan Dinell, who advocated for the funding of research being conducted by Dr. Andrew Kaufman in the College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources at UH Mānoa.  Dr. Kaufman’s work is focused on increasing the urban tree canopy in built environments while addressing uplifting of sidewalks, root growth, and how best to plant such infrastructure to preclude underground problems. The grant money will help to conclude what has been a $276,000 multi-year project with prior funding by Hawai‘i State DOT, CTAHR and other sources.

In awarding the grant, one of the largest offered by LEF in many years, the LEF board noted that its decision was influenced by the Aloha Chapter’s having the 2^nd highest percentage of voluntary donations to LEF in 2019, among all chapters worldwide.   Mahalo to all members who have donated to LEF over the years, and to Dan for being Dr. Kaufman’s LAI liaison!