Photo By Robert Haynes | Nolan Caballeros carefully planting Cyanea superba. Plants were hand carried to the...... read more read more
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — In the rugged embrace of the Waianae Mountains, a quiet victory unfolded on Monday as the U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii's Natural Resource Team took a stand for nature. With careful hands and determined hearts, they planted 100 endangered Cyanea superba plants into their native habitat — a small but mighty step toward safeguarding a species on the brink.
The Cyanea superba, a Hawaiian treasure, is more than just a plant; it's a symbol of resilience. Known for its stunning white, decurved flowers that bloom in maturity, this endangered species holds the promise of a vibrant future — if it can survive. In the wild, its numbers are fragile, vulnerable to threats like wildfires that could wipe out entire populations in a single sweep. By spreading these 100 outplants across the landscape, the Army's team is building a buffer, a living insurance policy against disaster.
Nolan Caballeros, a member of the Natural Resources Team, was among those kneeling in the soil, gently tucking each plant into its new home. His steady hands reflected the care behind this mission — a labor of love for a plant that, when mature, will unfurl its glorious blooms to greet native Hawaiian honeycreepers. These birds, with their long, curved bills, are the perfect partners in this ecological dance, pollinating the flowers and carrying forward the cycle of life.
Getting the plants to the site was no small feat. Natural Resources staff Sophia Schlentz and Jenna Patague, alongside Capt. Madison Schneider and Capt. Angus Paradice — both interning through the Army Career Skills Program — carried the precious cargo by hand across the mountainous terrain. For Schneider and Paradice, this wasn't just another assignment; it was a chance to connect with the land they serve, blending military duty with environmental stewardship.
This out planting is more than a conservation effort — it's a story of hope, teamwork and the Army's commitment to protecting the places it calls home. Each of those 100 Cyanea superba plants represents a seed of possibility, a chance to bolster a wild population and ensure that one day, the Waianae Mountains will echo with the hum of honeycreepers and the sight of white flowers swaying in the breeze. In the hands of this dedicated team, Hawaii's natural legacy grows stronger, one plant at a time.
| Date Taken: | 03.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2025 15:43 |
| Story ID: | 494042 |
| Location: | HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Army Team Plants Hope in Hawaii's Waianae Mountains, by Robert Haynes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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