In honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month this May, we are highlighting three parks rich in AANPHI history and culture that our SCA crew members are helping to protect.
The Ala Kahakai Trail was established as a National Historic Trail in 2000 to preserve, protect and interpret traditional Native Hawai’ian culture and natural resources. The name Ala Kahakai means “Path near the shore” and the trail network stretches from the northern tip of Hawaiʻi Island, along the western and southern coastline, to the eastern boundary of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Before becoming an official national park, a crew of primarily U.S.-born and immigrant Chinese workers built the 56-mile Great Sierra Wagon Road. Today, most of that original road exists as Tioga Road, one of the most famous scenic drives in Yosemite.
During World War II, the United States government ordered more than 110,000 Japanese Americans to leave their homes and detained them in military-style internment camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten former internment camps now managed by the National Park Service in Independence, California. Visitors can learn about daily life at the camp through guided tours and exhibits showcasing historic photographs, barracks, a mess hall, a reconstructed women’s latrine and more.
SCA members assist with preserving these and many other cultural and natural resources. You can help with a donation to the Student Conservation Association that will be matched, doubling your impact.
*Source: National Park Service, nps.gov
