Help ensure the future of the Hawaiian rain forest at the summit of Kilauea volcano for the next 100 years by volunteering for Stewardship at the Summit programs October through December in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. ADVERTISING Help ensure the
Help ensure the future of the Hawaiian rain forest at the summit of Kilauea volcano for the next 100 years by volunteering for Stewardship at the Summit programs October through December in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Stewardship at the Summit begins at 9 a.m. and ends at noon. The dates through December are: Oct. 28; Nov. 4, 11, 18, 26 and 30; and Dec. 10, 14, 23 and 30.
Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. Meet at Kilauea Visitor Center at 8:45 a.m. on any of the above dates.
Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. No advance registration is required and there is no cost to participate, but park entrance fees apply.
Volunteers have dedicated more than 7,500 hours of their time and have restored more than 61 acres of native rain forest within the national park since 2012.
Excessive amounts of Himalayan ginger, faya, Australian tree fern, strawberry guava and other invasive, non-native plants that threaten the native understory near the summit of Kilauea volcano have been removed. In their place, once-shaded ‘ohi‘a trees, ‘ama‘u and hapu‘u tree ferns have re-emerged, and pa‘iniu, kawa‘u and other important native plants are returning to the stewardship plots.
“The park’s Stewardship at the Summit program is a wonderful example of resource stewardship and community engagement,” said park ecologist David Benitez. “In addition to removing highly invasive weeds from native forests, volunteers learn hands-on how to recognize native and invasive species, how to safely control invasive vegetation and how to sanitize clothing and gear to avoid spreading other pest species, including rapid ‘ohi‘a death.”
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park provides numerous ways for visitors to connect with and appreciate Hawaiian culture, active volcanoes and native plants and animals. It is a designated World Heritage Site (1987) and International Biosphere Reserve (1980).
For additional stewardship planning details, visit www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/summit_stewardship.htm.
