Bye-bye Brushfire

Crews successfully removed more than 9,800 flammable plants and bushes from Kalaupapa National Park (KNHP) last month in an effort to prevent brushfires. Flown in from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, about 10 workers focused on invasive species including Christmas berry, lantana and java plum within 100 feet of structures. The project was the first of its kind in KNHP in a century, helping to restore the settlement to what it looked like in the early 1900s before invasive species became overgrown and endangered the settlement’s residents, graves and historic structures. At its monthly community meeting Sept. 13, residents thanked workers and project leader Paul Hosten, terrestrial ecologist for the National Park Service, for their efforts.

Photos at left:

Top, crews from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park work to remove flammable brush from within Kalaupapa National Park. Bottom, the same area after the brush was cleared. Photos courtesy Paul Hosten.