Marsh Tree Planting Set For Saturday

Several community groups will band together from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday with the goal of planting hundreds of native Hawaiian trees and shrubs in Kawainui Marsh.

Led by Chuck Burrows, volunteers from Kailua Hawaiian Civic Club, Le Jardin Academy and other schools and groups are committed to work that morning at Na Pohaku o Hauwahine State Park Reserve, located off of Kapaa Quarry Road. The native plantings will honor Earth Day, Arbor Day and Church of the Crossroads’ mission to plant 1,000 trees across the nation.

Also on the national level, Burrows’ church has vowed to engage in 1 million hours of earth care and write 1,000 letters and petitions on environmental concerns.

A ubiquitous marsh caretaker who also chairs the Peace, Justice and Steward-ship of the Creation committee for Church of the Crossroads, Burrows noted the long history of stew-ardship that already has impacted Na Pohaku o Hauwahine.

“For the past 15-20 years, the Hawaiian cultural and environmental organization Ahahui Malama I Ka Lokahi (with others) has transformed this sacred 15-acre site with trails, observation viewpoints and the planting of 2,000 to 3,000 native plant species,” he stated. “In addition to the restoration of a lowland forest ecosystem, a 2-acre wetland bird habitat has been created for our native wetland birds, such as the alae ula (common moor-hen).”

Saturday’s effort is supported by Hawaiian Electric Co., First Insurance Co. of Hawaii and a $2,500 donation from Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program to purchase the trees from Hui Ku Maoli Ola nursery in Kaneohe. For more information on the project, call 372-7594.