How volunteers are trying to save a remote Hawaiian paradise from invasive species
Amanda Ogle
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Aulani Herrod and interns Makana Naki, Cody Stone and Kanekoa Pawn White pose for a shot. The hard-working crew are showcasing some of the components of the restoration work, including predator control, weed control and native plant out-planting. The crew happened to capture a young axis deer inside the fenced site on Feb. 14, 2018.Courtesy of Molokai Land Trust
On the Hawaiian island of Molokai, a group of visitors, including myself, meet up on a red dirt road for a morning of volunteering. We load into old four-wheel-drive Jeeps and SUVs and make our way through winding dirt paths, bouncing around in our seats like popcorn as the vehicles crawl through narrow passageways and over divots. After passing old ranchland, cows and plenty of dense tree clusters, we make our way to Mokio Preserve, a rolling landscape of coastal cliffs, dune ecosystems, seasonal wetlands a