Photo By Cpl. Chandler Stacy | A landscape photo of Nu’upia Fishpond highlighting the invasive plant species...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII – Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) co-hosted a first of its kind community workday, Oct. 7, 2023, to rehabilitate the ecosystem of the Nu’upia ponds wildlife management area (WMA) and enhance accessibility to important archaeological sites in the area.
The workday was the first to occur under the terms of a May 2023 Nu’upia WMA co-stewardship Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between MCBH and local nonprofit organization, Peapae o He’eia. The day saw 19 volunteers converge on the Nu’upia WMA to clean up the wetlands, ponds and beaches of the area.
“I am actually tearing up knowing that I can come back to a place that my ancestors once were.” said singer and songwriter Mailani Maka'inai, who took part in the workday. “Seeing families be together helping clean up this area, bringing my children and husband to this area means a great deal. This continues on the practices of not just Hawaiian culture but the human culture of taking care of the land.”
Commencing at 8 a.m. volunteers and attendees set about to remove the invasive species, pickleweed, off the pond wall. The removal enhanced preservation of the pond while also allowing greater understanding of the archaeological sites within the wall.
“I like to imagine what life was like here and what our ancestors were doing here and how they were moving and using and interacting with the space that they were in.” Said the founder of the nonprofit organization, Hi'ilei Kawelo. “Culture and environment are one in the same, we shouldn't feel the need to have to tease our environment separate from culture because it is the same thing, we can’t have one without the other.”
"Marine Corps Base Hawaii is thrilled by the success of the first community workday, we look forward to deepening ties between communities, building relationships, and protecting precious resources." said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jeremy Beaven, MCBH Commanding Officer. "Together, we will build upon the success we found today to protect these ponds for generations past, present, and future."
Going forward, MCBH will continue to foster stronger community relationships and enhance cultural understanding through ongoing co-stewardship of the Nu’upia WMA.
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| Date Taken: | 10.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.18.2023 23:12 |
| Story ID: | 456085 |
| Location: | MAINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 184 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Paepae o He’eia Nu’upia Ponds Wildlife Management Area First Community Workday, by 1LT Hailey Harms, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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