Weed Warriors: High Tech Students Help Preserve Their National Park

November 03, 2017 Posted by: Alex Warneke

The California Coastal Sage Scrub represents one of Southern California’s predominant native plant communities. Unfortunately, this unique ecosystem faces growing threats from continued urban development, global climate change, and invasive species.

Ranger Lonie shows students differences between native and invasive plantsNPS/Chris Millow, Caption: Ranger Lonie shows students differences between native and invasive plants


In an effort to preserve and protect this vulnerable resource, Cabrillo National Monument partnered with students from High Tech High Media Arts (HTHMA) in a large-scale invasive plant removal effort. The eager 12th graders, taught by Chris Millow, began their efforts by visiting the park earlier this fall to learn about natural resource management and the plant communities they would be working to reestablish.

Students then join Cabrillo’s Invasive Species Manager, Ranger Lonie Brown, to learn how to identify the non-native plants from the native plants. Students of High Tech High Media Arts have adopted portions of the Coastal Trail specifically for this project.

Students remove invasive species by the bundle!
NPS/Chris Millow, Caption: Students remove invasive species by the bundle! 

Cabrillo greatly appreciates the work these students have done and will continue to do throughout the fall. Our hope is that with projects and partnerships such as these, we are able to better manage our natural resources and provide students with diverse and meaningful experiences to connect them to their National Parks.

All in a day’s work, High Tech students show-off their hard workNPS/Chris Millow, Caption: All in a day’s work, High Tech students show-off their hard work

Project-based Learning, Stewardship, Invasive Species



Last updated: November 3, 2017

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