Kawainui Marsh cleanup slated
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
KAILUA — Hundreds are expected to gather at Kawainui Marsh this weekend to remove weeds, clear trash and open a view to the historic resource whose waterways are clogged by invasive plants.
• Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon at Kawainui Marsh. • Meet at 8 a.m. at model airplane field on Kapa'a Quarry Road. Park at Hawaiian Earth Products across the street. • Wear shoes, old clothes, hat. Gloves and tools provided, but pool skimmers sought. • Call Bob Hogue at 587-7215 for more information. • To register for the Na Pohaku o Hauwahine project, call Chuck Burrows at 595-3922 or e-mail ahahui@hawaii.rr.com (it begins at 8:30 a.m.)
Since the effort to remove the invasive weed Salvinia molesta from the marsh began in February, five projects have grown out of the campaign.
Volunteers needed
The projects call for removing three species of invasive plants at two ends of the marsh, restoring a cultural/historical site, opening the view to the marsh and removing trash on Kapa'a Quarry Road, said Sen. Bob Hogue, one of the organizers.
"It's a double-fronted, three-prong attack," said Hogue, R-24 District (Kane'ohe, Maunawili, Enchanted Lake). "It's like we're moving an army."
The project began with a push to remove the salvinia weed from the marsh before it had a chance to take over, like it had at Lake Wilson where the city and state each has committed $500,000 to remove the growth.
But as people came together, they realized that other problems plagued the wetland and the potential for a large-scale, one-time push evolved, Hogue said.
Students will remove water cabbage and water hyacinth from around the levee, and other volunteers will rake salvinia out of drainage ditches along the quarry road, he said.
The city has sprayed herbicide on the plants and hauled away as much as it can; volunteers will remove the small pieces to keep them from growing back.
"After that we have to monitor, and we may have to go back," Hogue said.
Shannon Wood, a community activist, is organizing residents to remove trash from the road, and John King, president of All Pool and Spa, will work with a team that will grub koa haole along the quarry road near Kalaheo High School, with the goal of opening up the view to the marsh.
Finally, Chuck Burrows, with the Kawai Nui Heritage Foundation and 'Ahahui Malama i ka Lokahi, will lead volunteers on a service/learning project at Na Pohaku o Hauwahine, a rock outcrop that overlooks the marsh.
Burrows, who has been leading educational tours and restoration projects in the marsh for years, said this effort could be the beginning of a greater community involvement in the preservation and restoration of the wetland, which was a thriving fishpond at one time.
King, who has opened other views to the marsh, said Ameron Hawaii, Kaneohe Ranch and he will donate the use of heavy equipment for the work. He expects to clear about a 600-foot-long area. King has promised to preserve special trees and a historic rice mill there.
"My thinking is if we make it pretty, people will stop dumping there," he said.
Wood said more people are needed to clean the trash along the quarry road. With batteries, broken furniture, vehicle parts and tons of trash, it's not an appealing task, but it will have the most visual impact for the community.
She also is soliciting donations to purchase snacks, water, lunch and T-shirts for the volunteers.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com. or 234-5266.
