Check out the Lyon Arboretum's trail restoration project for the month of October!

Lyon Arboretum 

TRAIL RESTORATION - OCTOBER 2015

On Saturday, October 3, 2015, a trail restoration project continued at Lyon Arboretum, in Manoa Valley. The project aims at clearing away fallen limbs and overgrown vegetation that cause obstructions along hiking trails in the valley. The trails are then evened out and the banks are reinforced to prevent further erosion and create a better defined path for all visiting hikers. Due to the high winds during the past month, a large limb had fallen across the beginning of the trail. Appropriate tool choice is necessary when removing an obstruction this large. A chainsaw was definitely needed in this case! The limb was broken down and placed aside for future use along the trail. Debris was raked aside and the path was leveled. Further along the trail, a muddy and slippery climb was encountered. Steps were installed using stones in the immediate area. This required an intricate process to prevent the steps from washing away during a heavy rainfall. First a depression was dug, slightly larger than the stone being used. Smaller rocks were placed in the base of the depression and covered with mud. The stone was then put in place. And smaller rocks and mud were tightly hammered into the gaps surrounding the stone. This was repeated a second time above the first step. The newly installed steps were quickly put to work as vegetation was cleared along the path. In that same area, heavy plant growth hindered travel along the trail. Grasses, weeds, and invasive ginger blocked travel. With some quick and thorough work immediate progress was noticed. After clearing was completed, the trail needed to be clearly defined. Stones were placed along the edges of the path to signify the recommended boundaries. Weeds were pulled to prevent overgrowth from reoccurring. All of this work could not be completed without volunteers. This trail restoration project had three volunteers for the month of October! Anna, a botanist at Lyon Arboretum and new transplant to Hawaii. Danny, a student at Pacific Rim Christian University and photographer. Tristan, an arborist at Lyon Arboretum and lead volunteer for this project. The first Saturday of each month, volunteers step out into the rainforest to restore these hiking trails. The ultimate goal is to make more areas available to hikers throughout the valley that have been inaccessible to the public for many years.