Kalama Reflections

Plants

The plants in Galápagos are very unique. All of the plants in the archipelago have adapted to its low rain yet high humid climate. A couple prominent plants in Galápagos are cactus, mangrove, scalecia, miconia, and coffee. During this trip I learned about a couple of cool differences between the plants of Hawaiʻi and the plants of the Galápagos. If you have ever heard of miconia in Hawaiʻi, you would know that it is extremely invasive in upland forests because it grows fast, close, and easily overtakes native plants. Lots of effort goes into eradicating miconia in Hawaiʻi. Suprisingly, miconia is native to Galápagos - and it’s an important part of the ecosystem there. In Galápagos, efforts are put into restoring miconia because it is endangered. Another interesting species that is found in both Galápagos and Hawaiʻi is mangrove. For anyone that has been through seventh grade here, you have probably spent hours at Paepae ʻO Heʻeia removing mangrove from the fishpond because it holds so much sediment and creates a poor environment for fishes. By contrast, the Galápagos, mangrove is celebrated as well as protected because it grows along the coasts creating a friendly ecosystem for baby fish to live in with beautiful clear water. If there is one lesson that I have learned while researching plants in the Galápagos islands, it is that a plant that may be considered invasive in one place can be considered crucial in another, and that plants will do good as long as they are growing where they belong.

- Kalama Abad