The Island of Hawaii is full of opportunities and not just for adventures! The sense of purpose that arises when you help protect a special place or help out the people that live there, is a pretty amazing experience!

Nearly twice as big as all of the other Hawaiian Islands combined, the sheer size and diversity of the Island of Hawaii are awe-inspiring. You can see some of the most pivotal sites in Native Hawaiian history and visit an active volcano, all while travelling through all but four of the world’s different climate zones. Wonder at the sheer number of endemic species, which are found nowhere else because they evolved over millions of years right here, on the most isolated land mass on the planet. There is so much to see and do on this rich, storied island – including voluntourism, ecotourism and educational experiences that help preserve its natural beauty.

Stewardship at the Summit
One of the most popular destinations on the island is the breathtaking Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. But what many visitors don’t know is that you can also do your part to steward this invaluable national treasure. Volunteers for the park’s Stewardship at the Summit program are armed with loppers and gloves as they set out on a one-mile forest trek with a 400-foot elevation gain. The target - himalayan ginger (Heydechium gardnerianum) - an invasive plant from park trails! Volunteers work under the shade of the tropical canopy, serenaded by the sweet sounds of evolution’s finest exemplars, Hawaiian honeycreepers like apapane, amakihi and oma'o. There’s nothing that compares to a stroll through primordial, untouched Hawaii, especially as you hike back to the Kilauea Visitor Center knowing your sweat and effort helped preserve the endemic honeycreepers’ habitat and keep this magical place pristine for future generations.

Kahaluu Bay Education Center
No trip to the Island of Hawaii is complete without a visit to the ocean. Did you know that Hawaii is the first state to ban the use of non-reef-friendly sunscreen? You can learn more about the ecological importance of coral reefs - and how to avoid harming it - as part of the reef etiquette and bay orientation seminar offered by the Kahaluu Bay Education Center. The seminar is free with your snorkel rental as you prepare to take in the spectacular, colorful diversity of fish and coral in this breathtaking - and easily accessible - bay.

Waikoloa Dry Forest Preserve
Set in a unique Hawaiian dry forest ecosystem, the preserve is home to several endemic plant species including the wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis) and the critically endangered uhiuhi (Mezoneuron kavaiensis). The knowledgeable staff of the Waikoloa Dry Forest Initiative, a non-profit that seeks to preserve, protect and restore the preserve, leads ecotours that let you commune with these incredible, ancient trees and learn about reforestation efforts to promote natural reforestation. You can also challenge yourself by joining the reforestation efforts on Volunteer Saturdays, from October through June.

Kaua'i Habitat for Humanity
My own visit to Hawaii in 2011 - even though a different island, the Garden Isle of Kaua'i - involved a week-long 14-person (All-Canadian) volunteer build with Habitat for Humanity. Kaua’i is the northernmost of the Hawaiian Islands chain; a small rural tropical island with a population of approximately 56,000 inhabitants whose main industries are agriculture and tourism. With the influx of affluent tourist, vacation homes and rentals, the cost of living and housing in Kaua’i has increased dramatically, leaving a severe shortage of housing for local residents and an even bigger shortage of affordable housing for low-income families. Working-class families cannot find homes to rent and purchasing a home is not possible. Formed in 1993, Habitat for Humanity, have built more than 100 homes to date on the island, working with families who earn between 30-80 percent of the average income. More than 1.75 million people worldwide live in Habitat homes, where the costs of these homes are kept low through volunteer labour and donated materials. The families help to build ("sweat equity" it's called) and repay a no-profit, geared to income mortgage and as mortgages are repaid, the funds are used to build more homes. It was an amazing experience to work alongside the homeowners to help them build a safe, secure and affordable home for themselves and their family!

Why not explore your own eco-tourism adventure, or tell me about your own volunteer travel experience where you helped out with a local project...