Malamalama Waldorf School’s fifth- and sixth-graders recently took part in a service-learning project in Pu’u Wa’awa’a as part of their botany section of study.
Malamalama Waldorf School’s fifth- and sixth-graders recently took part in a service-learning project in Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a as part of their botany section of study.
The students participated in a “web of life” activity highlighting the interconnections of ecosystems, helping the young, budding botanists understand that all parts of an ecosystem relate to each other.
Students also engaged in an out-planting of endangered, native hala pepe, uhiuhi and wiliwili seedlings, led by Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a coordinator Elliott Parsons. Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a is part of the USDA Forest Service Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest.
Susan Cordell, research ecologist from the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry in Hilo accompanied the students. Cordell studies dry forests in Hawaii and spoke to students about endemic and invasive plant species and the importance of tropical dry forest conservation and restoration.
“It’s so nice when the children are given the opportunity to leave the classroom and gain hands-on experience in the field,” Cordell said.
Malamalama Waldorf School is the only nonsectarian, nondenominational independent school offering the internationally recognized Waldorf curriculum in Hawaii County. Visit www.hawaiiwaldorf.com.