Zane Hoover collects trash left behind by others

Hawai‘i Volcanoes News Release

Recently the park recognized the selfless act of a father and his 14-year old son who went far beyond what’s expected of most park visitors.

David Hoover lugs a can full of trash

Volcano residents, David and Zane Hoover, removed a large amount of trash from the park’s Puna Coast Trail—a throw net, tarp, propane lantern, propane canister, blankets, canned food, ten pounds of salt, cooking items and more.

According to Park Ranger John Broward, “David and his friends do this kind of thing on a regular basis and their actions help preserve the pristine nature of Wilderness.”

Rangers use Hoover’s reports of human impacts in the backcountry to document and mitigate damage to park resources. His routine trail reports contribute to the monitoring of social trends in remote sections of the park.

The Hoover’s are humble in accepting the park’s appreciation for their hard work.

David Hoover offered, “I’ll continue to do what volunteering I can.”

True to his word, he recently hiked 12-miles cross-country along the park’s western boundary in Ka‘u, hauling out discarded bottles and cans and letting rangers know that the boundary fence from shoreline to the Great Crack was in good condition.

And just as it should be, Hoover reported that the park’s Wilderness was “pretty nice and wild down there!”