Our first COVID safe `ohana planting is bringing hope to Honouliuli Stream! Planting ma`u akiaki, ahu awa, building terraces and nurturing native species that have popped up since our invasive mangrove and pickleweed removal weʻre grateful to Justin, Carrie and David for their efforts. Shout out to the Leeward Community College Kilo `Aina Scholars who helped to propagate the native plants we used in this small out-planting pilot. Our goal - "carpets" of native species growing along the entire length of Honouliuli Stream as weʻve started to accomplish along the shoreline.

On June 6th, we started with a small, professional group of volunteers to continue removing invasive mangrove from the banks of the Honouliuli Stream. Maintaining strict COVID-safe work protocols, the volunteers - members of the Navy Construction Battalion, worked in the `Ewa heat to mow down mangrove with chainsaws. HOH808 is grateful to this amazing team as their work is also uncovering Hawaiian fishponds - a key part of our vision of Mālama Pu`uloa - restoring Pearl Harbor to abundance.

With viral safety protocols in place, this small but mighty group from the Hawaii Tech Academy worked hard to clear the way for native plants as part of the Honouliuli Stream Restoration at Kapapapuhi. Led by KUPU Environmental Educator Lucas McKinnon, this group also practiced nā hopena a`o - teaching and learning. We applaud this group of young leaders....and wish them a happy, safe and well-deserved spring break!

UHWO Education Faculty Rick Jones has the vision to connect students - teachers in training - to `āina-based education! Working with Project Learning Treeʻs Hawaii Coordinator, Michelle Gorham, Rick brought his amazing students to Kapapapuhi to learn how to engage their future students outside of the classroom. Participants practiced kilo observations, learned mo`olelo, Hawaiian place names and jumped in to pick up rubbish and help grow `ākulikuli - our favorite native groundcover plant! Letʻs hear for our next generation of teachers and those who are empowering them!

Mahalo to Greystar-Kapiina Beach Homes for sponsoring HOH808! We were invited to set up a community outreach booth at their weekly farmerʻs market last night and we now have several keiki growing native akulikuli (our favorite restoration groundcover plant) and sharing information with their ohana about Mālama Pu`uloa!

John Rogers, an all star HOH volunteer is also on the `Ewa Neighborhood Board.  In his "spare time" he is an active member of the Hawai`i Bicycle League.  He cooked up the idea to have folks stop by to learn about our Mālama Pu`uloa Program as they rode the historic Pearl Harbor Trail during the "Bike to Train" event.  To learn what the Hawai`i Bicycle League continues to do in our community check out their website!

J. Campbell HS Sophomore Trinity McLean was at the "We Grow" student conference today inspiring her peers (and several adults) to get involved in Mālama Pu`uloa! As part of an AVID class project, mentored by her teacher Janice Duldulao and KUPU environmental educator Hulali Alford, Trinity has been growing native akulikuli plants to contribute to our restoration effort! She has also joined us on community work days, removing invasive mangrove to make room for this important native ground cover....and sheʻs dreaming up even bigger ways to contribute... along with so many amazing youth at the conference today. Way to show us how itʻs done Trinity!

Led by their loving kumu, Maile Pokipala with the support of KUPU educator Hulali Alford, students from Kapoleiʻs Ho`ola Leadership Academy spent the day learning at Kapapapuhi. Practicing kilo, learning mo`olelo, and ancient place names, as well as analyzing human impacts and restoration efforts were all important parts of the training. And today, these young leaders are taking all they have been learning about Kapapapuhi and Mālama Pu`uloa and teaching it to all the adult staff at Kapolei High School. Letʻs hear it for our next generation of leaders and those who are empowering them!