Dr. Travis Idol, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Tropical Forestry and Agroforestry

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management
The University of Hawaii
1910 East West Rd.
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel. (808) 956-7508
Fax. (808) 956-6539
email: idol@hawaii.edu

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RESEARCH INTERESTS

Nutrient cycling, fine root dynamics, productivity, management, and modeling of Acacia koa forests, dry forests, and agroforestry systems

Current Position

Associate Professor of Tropical Forestry and Agroforestry
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
University of Hawaii-Manoa

Educational Background

B.S. Biology, Wake Forest University
M.S. Forest Soils, Purdue University
Ph.D. Forest Nutrient Cycling, Purdue University

Teaching

NREM 105+L/200: Environmental Service Learning I/II
NREM 380: Tropical Forestry and Agroforestry
NREM 491: Environmental Ethics
NREM 492: Internship
NREM 691: Forest Nutrition and Biogeochemistry
NREM 695/696: Masters Plan B Capstone Experience

Grants (last 5 years)

2010-2014 Sustainable Management of Agroecological Resources by Tribal Societies (SMARTS). P.I. TW Idol. US-AID $1,385,000

2008-2009. Assessment of Acacia koa forest cover and productivity across environmental gradients in Hawaii using fine resolution remote sensing. P.I. TW Idol. Hawaii-DOFAW $20,000

2007-2010. New Innovations in Native Forest Restoration for High-Elevation Rangelands Infested with the Noxious Weed Kikuyu Grass (Pennisetum clandestinum). P.I. TW Idol. NRCS CIG $46,040

2007-2008 Treatment and Reuse of Urban Storm Water With a Customized Constructed Wetland. P.I. TW Idol. EPA P3 $9,968

2005-2008. Developing Effective Silvicultural Guidelines for Productive Koa Forest Management. P.I. TW Idol. USDA, McIntire-Stennis $60,000

2004-2008. Controlling Invasive Species Using Native Plant Agroforestry Systems. P.I. TW Idol. USDA, T-STAR $117,791

2003-2008. Koa Productivity and Nutrient Use Efficiency in Response to Fertilization. P.I. TW Idol. USDA, McIntire-Stennis $82,904

2003-2006. Development of Shade Coffee Agroecosystems in Hawaii. P.I. TW Idol. USDA, T-STAR $144,506

Memberships

Soil Science Society of America, 1996-present
Society of American Foresters, 1999-present
Hawaii Forest Industry Association, 2003-present

University and Professional Service (last 5 years)

Departmental Faculty Search Committee Member, 2 separate faculty positions
Departmental Undergraduate Program Chair, 2005-2008
Coordinator, Sherman Courtyard Relandscaping Project, UH-Manoa Adopt-a-Landscape Program
CTAHR Faculty Senate Member, Instructional Committee Member, Executive Committee Secretary, 2008-present
Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology Program, Graduate Education Committee member, 2003-present

Manuscript Reviewer
Agroforestry Systems
Ecological Applications
Environmental Management
Forest Ecology and Management
Forest Science
HortScience
Journal of Environmental Quality
Journal of Tropical Ecology
Native Plants Journal
New Forests Pacific Agriculture and Natural Resources
Soil Science Society of America Journal
Southern Journal of Applied Forestry
Western Journal of Applied Forestry

Editor, Hawaii Forest Journal, 2008-present
Hawaii Forest Institute, Board Member and Vice-President, 2006-2009; President, 2009-present
Hawaii Forest Industry Association, Interim Board Member, 2006-present

Awards and Honors

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (last 5 years)

Martinez Morales R, Idol TW, Friday JB, and Chen Q. 2012. Remote sensing of Acacia koa forest growth, health and productivity across elevation and rainfall gradients in Hawaii. International Journal of Remote Sensing. 33:3492-3511. doi:10.1080/01431161.2011.629234

Martinez Morales R, Idol T, and Friday JB. 2011. Assessment of Acacia koa forest health across environmental gradients using fine resolution remote sensing and GIS. Sensors 11:5677-5694. doi: 10.3390/s110605677.

Steiman S, Idol TW, and Bittenbender HC. 2011. Shade coffee in Hawaii-exploring some aspects of quality, growth, yield, and nutrition. Scientiae Horticulturae. 128:152-158. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2011.01.011.

Youkhana A and Idol T. 2011. Addition of Leucaena-KX2 mulch in a shaded coffee agroforestry system increases both stable and labile soil C fractions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 43:961-966. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.01.011

Youkhana A and Idol, 2011. T. Allometric models for predicting above- and belowground biomass of Leucaena-KX2 in a shaded coffee agroecosystem in Hawaii. Agroforestry Systems. 83:331-345. doi: 10.1007/s10457-011-9403-6.

Youkhana A and Idol T. 2011. Growth, yield and value of managed coffee agroecosystem in Hawaii. Pacific Agriculture and Natural Resources 2:12-19. [pdf]

Scowcroft PG, Friday JB, Haraguchi J, Idol TW, and Dudley NS. 2010. Is poor stem form a potential obstacle to private investment in plantation koa forestry in Hawaii? Small-Scale Forestry 9:243-262. doi: 10.1007/s11842-009-9107-1

Youkhana A and Idol TW. 2009. Tree pruning residues increase soil carbon and nitrogen in shade and full-sun coffee agroecosystems in Hawaii. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41:2527-2534. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.09.011

Meason DF, Idol TW, Friday JB, and Scowcroft PG. 2009. Persistence of elevated phosphorus availability after fertilisation in the volcanic soil of a managed tropical forest. Forest Ecology and Management 258:2199-2206. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2009.04.001.

Book Chapters

Idol T, Haggar J, and Cox L. 2011. Ecosystem services from smallholder forestry and agroforestry in the tropics. In WB Campbell and SL Lopez (eds.) Integrating agriculture, conservation, and ecotourism: examples from the field. Springer, New York. in press.

Conference Proceedings Papers

Idol TW, Steiman S, Bittenbender HC, Gautz L, and Jackson, M. 2007. Not all shade is created equal: reflections on shade management based on preliminary studies from Hawaii. Second International Symposium on Multi-Strata Agroforestry Systems with Perennial Crops. Sept. 17-22, 2007. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica.

Steiman S, Bittenbender HC, Idol TW, Gautz LD, Jackson MC. 2007. Shade coffee in Hawaii -- the impact of light on coffee quality. 21st International Conference on Coffee Science, Montpellier, France, 11-15 September, 2006. Paris: Association Scientifique Internationale du Cafe (ASIC), p.1214-1216.

Steiman S, Idol TW, Bittenbender HC, Gautz LD, Jackson MC. 2007. Physiological response of coffee to different shading regimes. 21st International Conference on Coffee Science, Montpellier, France, 11-15 September, 2006. Paris: Association Scientifique Internationale du Cafe (ASIC), p.1212-1213.

Jackson MC, Steiman SR, Gautz LD, Bittenbender HC, Idol TW. 2007. Quality determination and group discrimination of shade grown coffee using solid phase microextraction as a means of coffee discrimination. 21st International Conference on Coffee Science, Montpellier, France, 11-15 September, 2006. Paris: Association Scientifique Internationale du Cafe (ASIC), p. 306-309.

Technical Papers, Trade Journals, & Other Reports

Radovich T, LJ Cox, J Sugano, and T Idol. 2009. Benefits and costs of using perennial peanut as living mulch for fruit trees in Hawaii. SCM-27. University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Soil and Crop Management report.

Friday JB, Leary J, Idol T, and Vickers K. 2008. New CTAHR projects help restore koa forests. Na Leo O Ka Aina (Voices of the Land) 3 (2):5.

Idol TW, Scowcroft PG, Dudley N, Dancil K, and Simmons P. 2007. The value of managing Acacia koa forests. Hawaii Forest Journal. 2:8-11.

Vickers K, Friday JB, and Idol T. 2006. Helping the koa regain ground. Agriculture Hawaii April-June: 10.

Book Reviews

Idol TW. Rev. of Tropical homegardens: a time-tested example of sustainable agroforestry. Edited by B.M. Kumar and P.K.R. Nair. Forest Science 53:710.

Idol TW. 2005. Rev. of Profiles in the history of the U.S. soil survey. Edited by D. Helms, A.B.W. Effland, and P.J. Durana. Journal of Southern History 71:971-972.

Selected Professional Presentations(last 5 years)

Idol T, Friday JB, Scowcroft P, Meason D, and Martinez Morales R. Phosphorus nutrition and biogeochemistry in Acacia koa forests of Hawaii. Society of American Foresters 90th National Convention. 27-31 October 2010. Albequerque, NM.

Friday JB, Idol TW, Scowcroft PG, Meason DF, and Martinez Morales R. Carbon sequestration in koa forest restoration. Hawaii Conservation Conference. 28-30 July 2009. Hawaii Conservation Alliance. Honolulu, HI.

Idol TW, Elevitch C, and Friday JB. Carbon sequestration in agroforestry systems. Hawaii Conservation Conference. 28-30 July 2009. Hawaii Conservation Alliance. Honolulu, HI.

Martinez-Morales R, Idol T and Chen Q. Acacia koa forest classification and productivity assessment across environmental gradients in Hawaii using fine resolution remotely sensed imagery. Hawaii Conservation Conference. 28-30 July 2009. Hawaii Conservation Alliance. Honolulu, HI.

Youkhana A and Idol TW. Biomass and soil carbon sequestration in a Leucaena agroforestry system in Hawaii. Hawaii Conservation Conference. 28-30 July 2009. Hawaii Conservation Alliance. Honolulu, HI.

Martinez-Morales R, Idol T and Chen Q. Acacia koa forest classification and productivity assessment across environmental gradients in Hawaii using fine resolution remotely sensed imagery. American Geophysical Union Joint Assembly, May 23-27, 2009. Toronto, Canada.