By Dino W. Buchanan
USACE-Honolulu District Public Affairs
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Volunteers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined forces with local JROTC students and others to clean up the Fort DeRussy area beach and beach berm April 29 as part of Earth Month 2017.
More than 20 volunteers from the Punahou Junior ROTC program (which includes cadets from other area high schools and some home-schooled students) along with Corps employees and their friends and families, cleared trash, debris on the beach area as well as other obstructions on the beach berm behind the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Regional Visitor Center (RVC) in Waikiki.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Rangers Angela Jones and Samantha Vasquez, and Lt. Col. Robert Takao, commander of the Punahou Junior ROTC Program and his cadets, led the sweep of the area collecting more than 20 trash bags of debris and litter along the beach area and beach berm.
Each year Earth Month and Earth Day increase awareness and support for ongoing education and efforts to build partnerships and grassroots involvement to keep the 'aina clean year-round. Earth Day was established March 21, 1970 as an annual event to deepen reverence and care for life on the planet. In honor of the recent Earth Day observance, here are some fun facts about our organization: USACE employs the highest number of biologists/natural resources management professionals (2,766 full-time professionals) in the Federal Government and the second-highest number of Environmental Engineers in the Government. We are stewards of approximately 12 million acres of public lands and waters. USACE is one of the nation's leading federal providers of outdoor recreation, offering more than 7,800 miles of trails, 90,000 campsites and more than 36,000 picnic sites.
The RVC first opened its doors at Battery Randolph in 1983. Its goal is to enhance the public's understanding of the multidimensional role of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Particular emphasis is on Civil Works and water resources development which affect the lives of all the residents of Hawaii and the people of the Pacific.
The Pacific Regional Visitor Center is located on the second floor of historic Battery Randolph at Fort DeRussy, Waikiki. Battery Randolph is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites and is one of 16 coastal fortifications built by the Corps between 1906 and 1917 for the protection of Honolulu and Pearl Harbors.