Ahua Reef

On Saturday, November 22, 2014, the Tree Huggers headed to Ahua Reef on Hickam to participate in a wetland restoration project. The students removed invasive pickleweed and planted native coastal plants including ʻĀkulikuli (Sesuvium portulacastrum), ʻAhuʻawa (Cyperus javanicus), and ʻIlima (Sida fallax).

The Tree Huggers had previously visited Ahua Reef last school year. The results of last year's planting were mixed One area in which pickleweed was removed and that floods with really high tides did not do so well with the plants that had been planted there. While we thought the 'ahu'awa and others would work well in that area, the only native thriving seems to be the ʻĀkulikuli. So, we focused all the new cuttings in that area.
The 'ahu'awa was planted around a drainage ditch as it should be able to withstand flooding events and the hope is that it will help to remediate the water from that drainage area before it enters the rest of the wetland and the ocean.

For more information about the importance of wetlands, check out this publication from NOAA.

Good work Tree Huggers! See you in January!