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 in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park now through June.
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 in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park now through June.
Stewardship dates are:
• Jan. 2, 8, 15, 23 and 30.
• Feb. 5, 13, 20 and 24.
• March 2, 11, 19 and 26.
• April 1, 9, 15, 22 and 30.
• May 6, 14, 18 and 28.
• June 3, 11, 17 and 22.
Stewardship at the Summit volunteers meet at 9 a.m. at the Kilauea Visitor Center on each date and work until noon. Volunteers help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing. 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.
To commemorate the park’s 100th anniversary in 2016, a special centennial After Dark in the Park program, “What Makes a Species Invasive,” is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 26 at the Kilauea Visitor Center.
The event is free, but park entrance fees apply.
“We encourage all who care about our public lands to lend a hand in making sure its natural and native beauty is around for future generations to enjoy,” said project leader and volunteer Paul Field. “It’s fun and fairly easy work. We have people who range in age from 8 to over 80 helping out.”
Volunteers have dedicated more than 5,000 hours of their time and restored more than 35 acres of native rain forest within the national park since 2012. Countless Himalayan ginger, faya, strawberry guava and other invasive, non-native plants that threaten the native understory near the summit of Kilauea have been removed.
In their place, once-shaded amau and hapuu tree ferns have re-emerged, and painiu, kawau and other important native plants are returning to the stewardship plots.
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 and International Biosphere Reserve.