Parker School Students Work to Reduce Threat of Wildfires
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Grass-fueled wildfires used to be rare on the Big Island. Now, the spread of invasive alien grasses provides fuel for blazes that threaten every suburban and rural community on the dry, leeward portions of Hawai'i.

Fuel breaks can offer a level of protection for island residents: they slow fires by depriving them of extremely flammable vegetation to burn. “Living” fuel breaks, made up of fire-resistant plants, go further, offering protection from wildfires while restoring native plants, improving water quality, re-establishing habitats, and minimizing erosion.

Parker School students recently worked with the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization to establish such a living fuel break, and organizers hope the one-acre pilot project will be replicated in other fire-prone areas. The pilot, funded by the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, is the first of its kind in the state, says Miles Nakahara, the organization’s board president.

Second-graders, led by teacher Cherry Sanford, planted kou, kamani, noni and beach morning glory seeds along the coast. Within nine months, these new plants should outnumber flammable weeds and decrease wildfire danger. Within three years, they should create a buffered microclimate that retains moisture and provides a home for rare and delicate plants endemic to the coastal zone.

The opportunity to learn about native Hawaiian plants and help the environment couldn't be missed, Ms. Sanford says, especially with the wildfire situation being so acute in this area.

"Students learned a lot about the plants that are indigenous to the coastal areas of the island and how useful they are in protecting the environment," she says. "In the spring we're going to go again and see what progress was made; how the plants have grown and how far along the way they are in becoming a fuel break."

Hawaii Wildfire Management is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting communities and natural resources from wildfires. For more information about the project, contact them at (808) 885-0900.