In a celebration of nature, San Benito High School students and teachers ventured to Pinnacles National Park on Saturday, April 22Â to participate in the conservation of nature on Earth Day.
Participants from various communities chose between removing an invasive plant species, known as Horehound, or placing cages around oak saplings in order to protect them from being eaten by local herbivores, such as deer. In total, the students and teachers along with other volunteers removed more than 450 invasive plants, and installed cages around 27 oak trees. The SBHS contingent included students from the Outdoor Club, Key Club, Bioscience Club, the Advanced Placement Environmental Science class, and biology.
Pinnacles hosts various volunteer days throughout the year, and is always in need of volunteers to help keep the park beautiful.Â
After the volunteer work, the students went on a leisure hike. Eight of the 17 students said it was their first time going to the Pinnacles. Although they could only venture so far before turning back, the students were positive every step of the way, and many said they planned to return to the park soon.
Donald “Chip” Gauvreau, the Outdoor Club advisor, called the trip San Benito’s “hike for science,” since it was the same day as the national March For Science. Gauvreau said he hopes to create a bond between the Pinnacles and the various high school clubs that participate in community service in order to allow more students to visit a national park.
Outdoor Club’s motto is to “make every day Earth Day.” The students who volunteered their time and labor on a Saturday said they hope to create a planet suitable for all, not just humans.Â
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