HCC class an asset to students, forest

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

Sweat drenches David Kramer's face under the yellow plastic hardhat, as the dull roar of his chain saw drowns out the whistle of birds that inhabit this Manoa forest deep in the wilds of Lyon Arboretum.

Honolulu Community College student Ken Williams of Kalihi cuts branches from a tree in the Lyon Arboretum in Manoa Valley during a class in wildland firefighting.

HCC student David Kramer of Kane'ohe cuts down a tree in the Lyon Arboretum. Students are working to clear non-native plants from areas where the arboretum will rebuild ancient taro patches. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

"It could fall anywhere," adds his partner, Ken Williams, who has backed away into a safe range, sliding on the slippery mud in the process.

Kramer carefully angles the saw to cut two notches in a 60-foot albezia tree, then gives a push. With a crash and thud, the tree hits the ground.

Though they're 10 miles from Honolulu Community College, these students learning to use chain saws as part of a weekly HCC class in wildland firefighting are doing more than just hefting big equipment.

The innovative curriculum leading to an associate's degree in fire and environmental emergency response also is providing a labor pool to assist with clearing and planting at the University of Hawai'i's 193-acre forest, which serves as both natural habitat for native species and outdoor classroom for Hawai'i schoolchildren.

With satisfied nods, Kramer and Keith Endow move forward to chop the fallen tree into short, clean logs, piling them in a growing mound of underbrush they've cleared since arriving for their regular Friday morning "class."

Over the past five years, HCC students have provided about $100,000 worth of labor to the arboretum, most recently clearing three of 16 ancient lo'i for wetland taro so that restoration can begin.

As the HCC students clear the heavy timber that has either fallen or is designated for cutting to open the taro to sun and sky, students from Halau Ka Mana charter school have a two-year commitment to clear the weeds and begin planting.

"We're hoping to have taro back in these ancient lo'i by the end of the year," says Kawika Winter, who is coordinating that work for the arboretum. "It's immensely valuable. We get the labor needed to restore the ancient lo'i, and on the high-school side they're developing culture and science into their curriculum."

Farther up the slippery slope from Kramer, Mendiola and Williams have positioned themselves to trim an "octopus" tree that had fallen across the trail, but are cautioned of potential danger by arboretum staffer Ken Seamon, who grew up in the family logging business in the Midwest.

"Watch it," he warns. "When you cut it, it's gonna go someplace."

With 200 students in the program at any one time, HCC has seen 100 percent placement of its trained wildland firefighters, with many taking summer jobs with crews fighting Mainland wildfires in the hot months.

For instance, Williams worked grueling hours in Colorado with the U.S. Forestry Service last summer, spending 14-hour days "hot-lining" — digging a fire line — within a few feet of raging blazes.

He hopes to do it again this year and earn money to continue school. With overtime and hazard pay, earnings can go as high as $20,000 for a summer.

"We do training for in-service firefighters as well as the folks who would like to be firefighters," said HCC fire science professor Stacy Rogers, who has an extensive background in Mainland firefighting. "We also do courses in disaster management, incident command systems, rescue, structural firefighting (and) hazardous material response."

As the 18 HCC students spread out in pockets in the thick undergrowth of the arboretum, the distant whine of chain saws is audible. But only if you're back in the deep woods. From the visitor center, all is silence, except for the rumble of Raymond Baker's green golf cart as he runs the students' equipment deep into the valley.

"It started with Stacy needing a place to teach these students how to safely use chain saws," says Baker, a research associate for the arboretum. "And we've got a backlog of cluttered forest from 50 years ago. We're slowly munching away at it, leaving the native plants and those originally planted, and filling in the gaps with more interesting plants that are part of our collection.

"But that's an awful lot of work, and we use their training to get the weedy stuff out of the way so we can go in and do our job."

As Baker assists with the training where he can, he is admiring of the students' growing abilities.

"These are going to be the guys out in the forest when the forest is burning up," he says. "And one of the tools is the chain saw to clear fire breaks. But you don't want someone out there unfamiliar with a chain saw. It's a very dangerous tool in the hands of someone who doesn't know what they're doing."

The students have learned that. Williams remembers the time he was exhausted and accidentally brushed the saw against his leg, only to be saved by his thick padded chaps.

"Safety is first," he says.

Baker concurs.

"The emphasis of the course is on safety."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.