The fourth graders visited the Hawai‘i Nature Center in Makiki. The Nature Center educates people about Hawai‘i’s forests, focusing its attention on the Makiki watershed. The students learned the history of the watershed, an area that collects water, and its importance.
Students and parents were divided into two groups. One group pulled invasive vines in a bamboo grove. The other group cleared weeds from Makiki Stream.
Makiki Valley has many non-native plants. Some plants are invasive and they need to be controlled. So, wearing gloves and long pants for protection against mosquitoes, students and parents marched into the bamboo grove to pull out cat’s claw, a thorny vine. Students grabbed handfuls of the vine and pulled them from the bamboo. The pesky vine was everywhere!
Invasive plants also grew in and along the banks of Makiki Stream. Slippery rocks and mud did not stop the other students and parents from pulling weeds and cutting down larger plants. Clearing the area helped the stream flow.
A much larger effort is needed to care for the watershed. However, the students felt their small contribution was worthwhile. It was a difficult and dirty project, but everyone had fun and they learned about helping the environment.
