Coastal Restoration Project
Coastal Restoration
Bellows Air Force Station, Hawaii
The common ironwood is an invasive species found throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Once established, it's extremely aggressive, densely rooted, and freely self-seeds in disturbed areas. It can inhibit the growth of natural species by forming dense stands that smother competitors under a heavy blanket of needle-like litter. Ironwood forests cover approximately 32 acres at BAFS, including the coastal strand where the plants inhibit dune restoration. AERC removed portions of ironwoods along the coast and replaced them with more than 35,000 locally sourced and propagated Hawaiian plants, including aki, morning glory, and apaka. These species catch and hold the sand, providing a strong, natural boundary against the tide.
As part of this project, AERC staff surveyed and removed invasive ironwood trees, restored the coastal region by planting local species which capture sand, and provided Bellows Air Force Base managers with a comprehensive guide to protect their coastline from erosion.
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