MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Kaneohe Bay -- More than 60 local second graders joyfully left their dry, air-conditioned classrooms May 14, to splash in the humid, muddy foot trails of the Nuupia Ponds Wildlife Management Area here and learn about the watershed's many unique traits and species.
The students from Puohala Elementary School in Kaneohe began their tour of the ponds at Muli Wai, the trail located adjacent The Lodge guest facilities, led by Dr. Diane Drigot, Marine Corps Base Hawaii senior natural resources management specialist at the Environmental Protection and Compliance Department, and led by Marines from the Base Inspectors Office.
As the explorers trekked through the lush green undergrowth of the trail and stared wonderingly at the many forms of wildlife hidden in the trees and ponds, Drigot described the Nuupia Ponds of the past. They were once a part of an ancient Hawaiian fishpond.
"There are a total of 50 different species who take refuge on Mokapu [Peninsula], but it is actually preserved for native Hawaiian birds, primarily the Hawaiian Stilt," said Drigot. "But, we taught the students about all the different types of plants and wildlife we have here, including predators that prey on the native species."
As students were led through the thick bush of the ponds, Drigot continuously pointed out the many types of native plant species that have grown naturally or have been planted in the area. She also invited them to taste a leaf or two of the pickleweed, an invasive plant species that layers over and crowds out native plants and waterbird species.
Named for the shape and taste of its leaves, the pickleweed is basically a weed, and a troublesome one at that.
The base community and volunteers regularly clear pickleweed from the ponds area with great success, but the clearing process is a continuous effort.
"We wanted them to know how they can help the native plants by removing these invasive plants, or weeds, like the pickleweed," said Drigot. "We want them to know they can make a difference, so we invest a lot of time into our teachers and students. They are the ones who will pass on this knowledge to the generations."
Before the students headed for their next stop, they were surprised by one of Mokapu's most notorious predators, the mongoose. Gordan Olayvar, the program manager for conservation law enforcement, safely caught one of the little critters to show the students. He explained that the mongoose prey on species such as Hawaiian Stilts or Wedge-Tailed Shearwaters, and can pose a great risk to other native birds. He also discussed problems with wild cats on Oahu, and the risks they pose to both birds and humans.
At the final stop on the tour, students took a short walk down the Nature Trail Bridge behind the pass house, where they learned about the mangrove, another invasive plant species. They learned the base and the community successfully removed 25 acres of mangrove during the last 20 years, helping to make the Nuupia Ponds what they are today. Before leaving, many students pulled up a mangrove plant to take back to school as a sample from their field trip.
The 482-acre Nuupia Ponds are managed as protected wetlands and as an endangered Hawaiian waterbird habitat by the Environmental Department in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.