August 10th

“It’s a great job, doing good things, in a great community.” These are the words that Kamaui Aiona uses to describe his position as Director of the Kahanu Garden in Hana, Hawai’i. In his fifth year as director, Kamaui is responsible for the 123 acre site that serves as a branch of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) on the island of Maui. This site was started in 1972 as the second branch location for NTBG, and continues to serve as an important connection to the cultural and botanical features of Hawai’i.

Kamaui welcomed us at the airport and guided us down the road to the entrance of the Kahanu Garden. He led our group through the interior gardens and provided us with great insight and many edible plant samples during our tour. Along with its important plant collections, this branch of NTBG is also a significant site for Hawaiian culture and historical site conservation.

Kahanu Garden has a large emphasis on ethnobotany and houses the collection for the Breadfruit Institute of NTBG. Planted in orchard-style plantings, many of the breadfruit trees are the first plants that visitors see upon entering the garden’s gates. With over 130 varieties of breadfruit collected from over twenty islands, the Institute is working to promote the use of these trees to fight hunger throughout the world. The uses of these trees are varied; edible fruits, wood for canoes and tools, dried flowers to repel mosquitoes, and sticky gum for chewing or catching birds, are just some of the functions. In an effort to distribute these trees world-wide, the Institute is working to put select varieties into tissue culture and has already shipped over 3,000 plants to impoverished countries.

As we walked through the gardens, Kamaui spoke easily about the cultural significance of many plants and the stories that the Hawaiian culture continues to pass down through the generations about their ancestors and their ties to the land. This may be best exemplified by the Heiau at Kahanu Garden. The Heiau, or temple, is an ancient site constructed of black lava rock. Rising from the green lawn, the terraced walls stand in stark contrast to the lush landscape that surrounded our group. While the exact function of this heiau is uncertain, its importance to the local people and their rich cultural heritage is definite. In recent history, the land was donated to NTBG in a joint agreement with the Kahanu family and the Hana Ranch to care for this ancient site. The Garden now works to maintain and preserve the area with “culturally appropriate management.”

Balancing the reverence deserved of a sacred site, along with the needs of plant collections and the impact of visitors, can be a challenge. Kahanu Garden serves as a link between the local Hawaiian residents and their culture, while also serving visitors from around the world. To aid in this, local people are able to enter the gardens without charge. Plus, with little signage or advertising, the garden attracts primarily visitors who are willing to seek them out. The beautiful coastline views, great ethnobotanical collections, and rich cultural history of the Kahanu Garden definitely made it worth our efforts in seeking it out.

Thank you to all of our hosts at the National Tropical Botanical Garden who have graciously taken time out of their busy schedules to talk to us and show us around their beautiful gardens. Mahalo!

August 8th

This morning we departed the town of Kalaheo and headed up the north coast to Ha’ena, home of Limahuli Garden and Preserve, a branch of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG). Limahuli is described as being “a window to ancient Hawai’i.” Director Kawika Winter explained that Limahuli’s mission is both scientific and cultural in nature. The garden staff aims to protect native Hawaiian plant diversity and preserve native Hawaiian culture and traditions.

Making our way through the garden, we were joined by Katie Champlin, Operations Manager, and the newest member of the 15 person staff at Limahuli Garden and Preserve. We toured the five main areas of the garden, each having a distinctive focus, but remaining united by the garden’s overall mission devoted to scientific and cultural preservation.

As we began our tour through the 17-acre garden that cascades down the Limahuli valley, Kawika described the garden as being built on three “foundations” that govern its mission. The first foundation is the 700 year old terraces. These walled platforms serve as a historic record of the traditional agricultural uses of this land for growing taro, sugar cane, sweet potato, and banana. The second foundation is made up of the native Hawaiian plants that exist on the property. Since the garden’s focus shifted towards native plants 15 years ago, its collection has grown to include 39 federally listed endangered species. The third foundation is made up of the connections that the Limahuli Garden and Preserve has with the local community. Kawika indicated that the community surrounding Limahuli has roots over 2,000 years old and that it is the garden’s goal to facilitate the continuing traditions of this community. Because of these strong community traditions, Kawika views himself as holding two very important roles: the “easy” role of garden director and the “more difficult” role of community leader.

The first two sections of the garden focus on educating the public about the way that plants have shaped the cultural heritage of Hawai’i through time. The Canoe Plants section of the garden includes plants that were brought to Hawai’i by the Polynesians as early as 200-300 A.D. These plants have been used for food and fiber since their arrival and shape contemporary Hawaiian culture. The next section, the Plantation Era Garden, informally nicknamed “Hawai’i Today,” represents iconic Hawaiian plants such as the plumeria and mango. Brought to Hawai’i in the 1800s and 1900s, these plants are not considered native, but they illustrate the melting pot of cultures that call Hawai’i home.

The other three sections of the garden focus on scientific and environmental issues facing Hawaiian ecosystems. The Native Forest Walk aims to recreate pristine Hawaiian woodlands and teach visitors about habitat preservation and restoration. This is followed by the Invasive Forest Walk, an area dominated by a monotypic landscape of invasive, alien species. A final area entitled Landscaping with Natives aims to be an example of an attractive native landscape for the homeowner.

As we toured the grounds, it was evident that the interpretive efforts are aimed at teaching the public about Hawaiian culture. On each plant label, the traditional Hawaiian name is the main feature, accompanied by the botanical name and region of origin.

After seeing the impressive displays in the Limahuli Garden, we were then taken to the Limahuli Preserve. This important area is comprised of over 900-acres that were donated to the National Tropical Botanical Garden in the early 1990s. The Preserve had been so damaged by both hurricanes and cattle, that conditions were perfect for exotic species to overrun the area. Mike Wysong, Restoration Project Manager, described that restoration staff members are now removing the exotic species to implement ecological “intersitu” restoration, or returning extirpated species to their native plant communities in 15-acres of the Preserve.

As is the practice at Limahuli, scientific and cultural preservation dictate the restoration projects in the conservation area. In addition to preserving native plants and restoring biodiversity, restoration efforts will re-establish plant species that are utilized by traditional Hawaiian healers in the community.

Learning about the Limahuli Garden and Preserve gave us a greater understanding of the NTBG network and the importance of plant conservation on the Hawaiian Islands. Kawika indicated that the island of Kaua’i is home to 50,000- 60,000 residents; a population that is greatly outnumbered by tourists on any given day. After speaking with the dedicated staff at the Limahuli Garden, we all learned that without appropriate education, both residents and tourists alike may let the Hawaiian Islands lose their native plant species along with their sense of culture. It was truly inspiring to see that NTBG is dedicated to educating the public and the local residents about the importance of preserving Hawaiian ecosystems for generations to come.

August 7th

Today was our second day with our hosts from the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s (NTBG) Allerton site. We met Tim Flynn, the Herbarium Collections Manager, as the garden offices opened on a warm and clear morning. Tim began working at the herbarium in 1981 when the entire collection was held in only three file cabinets. Currently, the collection has around 50,000 specimens and it is continually growing. There are three full-time plant collectors at NTBG who spend the majority of their time collecting within the state of Hawai’i. However, their attention has been shifting to other tropical regions of the world, one reason being that state regulations for collecting rare and endangered species are becoming more restricted.

We were also joined by Amanda Vernon who came to NTBG for a two month internship in 2006 and like many interns, found it difficult to leave. For the past year she has been working as the Seed Project Manager creating a photographic database for The Flora of the Hawai’ian Islands, to be published online by the Smithsonian Institution.

Tim and Amanda led us on an field excursion to Waimea Canyon and Koke’e State Park to experience plants in Hawai’ian ecosystems. Our first stop of many provided a native Waltheria of which Tim and Amanda needed a seed sample. Tim got his specimen kit and took some quick notes while Amanda collected seed. Shortly after the collection process began, we were once again headed to our destination with a new specimen shrub being pressed and dried in the trunk.

Tim provided us with great insight into the plant life as we advanced up the mountain; of interest were the native Koa trees. In order to reestablish this population, the state collected seeds from all over the area, mixed them in a barrel, then spread the seeds. We were all amazed by a unique feature of this tree. What appeared to us as leaves were actually phyllodes, or flattened, leaf-like branches which aid in the prevention of moisture loss.

While the Koa population seemed to be effectively increasing, not every effort to bring back traditional plant communities was working quite as successfully. At a stop on the Kukui Trail, part of the Na Ala Hele Hawai’i Trail & Access System, we learned of an unsuccessful conservation effort involving lantana plants, since many were growing invasively along the trail. While treated as an annual ornamental near the University of Delaware, in tropical regions such a Hawai’i, this plant is highly invasive. On other Hawai’ian islands, a foliage-eating weevil has become as a successful biocontrol for lantana, but this has not been the case on the island of Kaua’i.

Our travels continued to the Waimea Canyon Lookout. Tim explained that the State of Hawai’i is trying to educate the public about the benefits of using native plant species in the landscape. One of the ways that they are doing this is through the removal of non-native ornamentals in public areas such as parking lots. After enjoying the amazing views at 3,400 feet, we continued our journey to Koke’e State Park. This popular tourist destination was enhanced by a native plant trail; yet another example of the state reaching out to educate the public about their native plant efforts.

At the park, we were lucky enough to run into Sherri and Augusto, two Department of Forestry and Wildlife employees. We were invited to visit a ten-acre preservation area under their management. This was the Department’s high elevation preservation site, and was planted with native, rare, and endangered species grown from seeds and cuttings. The site was completely fenced in seven years ago to keep goats, pigs, and other trespassers off of the property.

The ascent ended at the mountain’s peak at the Pihea Trail, which supplied a fantastic view of the valley and Pacific Ocean below. The return to NTBG gave us time to reflect upon the many lessons we were able to take away from this extraordinary opportunity.

August 6th

A Dream Fulfilled

Today we left Oahu to explore the south shore of the island of Kaua’i. Our home for the next few days is the small town of Kalaheo, the location of the headquarters of the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG). Chartered by Congress in 1964, NTBG is comprised of a network of five gardens and three preserves within the Hawai’ian Islands and totals over 1800 acres. The network includes the McBryde Garden, Allerton Garden and Limahuli Garden and Preserve on Kaua’i; Kahanu Garden on Maui; the Kampong in Florida; and two preserves on the Big Island of Hawai’i.

The gardens at Kalaheo encompass nearly 350 acres defined by two distinct sites, the McBryde Garden and the Allerton Garden. Both gardens exemplify the extraordinary history that pervades this valley.

We were soon greeted by Chipper Wichman, CEO and Director of NTBG who spoke about the rich history and mission of NTBG. Chipper is extremely passionate about biodiversity and NTBG’s role in stemming the plant extinction process, and he enthusiastically professes the organization’s goals of discovery, research, conservation, and education.

NTBG is an active participant in botanical exploration, headed by field botanist Ken Wood. Research efforts focus on in-situ and ex-situ conservation projects, taxonomy, Polynesian ethnobotany and ethno-medicinal research.

NTBG has extensive educational outreach programs that reach out to students in grades K-12, high school and college interns, teachers, college professors, physicians, and environmental journalists, just to name a few. NTBG strongly believes in “invigorating science” and the trickle down effect that can occur when people are excited about science.

NTBG is adding a fourth building to the already existing campus. This new building will centralize research and education while giving NTBG the needed space to grow as an organization. The future Botanical Research Center is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building, which will include a photovoltaic roof and will be built from recycled wood.

Chipper spoke with us about the challenges of being the CEO of NTBG, which include keeping the five NTBG pieces part of a whole, the battle between the visitor experience and generating revenue, and picking up the pieces after the devastation of Hurricane Iniki in 1992.

Rick Hanna, NTBG Librarian, also shared with us wise words about botanical garden management, likening NTBG to a three-legged stool supported by the herbarium, the library, and the living collection. Lose the support of one, and the institution falls. The NTBG library houses over 15,000 botanical and horticultural titles and the research herbarium is the most active herbarium in the Pacific.

At lunch, we were shown NTBG’s emphasis on the preservation of the Hawai’ian culture. We were welcomed by Director of Education, Dr. Namulau’ulu Tavana with kukui nut necklaces followed by a ceremony of song and dance performed by two local Hawai’ian women

After lunch, we were introduced to NTBG’s plant collections that include a diversity of tropical species and native Hawai’ian plants. Mike DeMotta, Assistant Director of Living Collections and Horticulture; Erica Lindelof, Conservation Technician; and Dave Bender, Restoration Ecologist toured us through the McBryde Garden. There are approximately 4,000-6,000 species of tropical plants in the McBryde Garden. The majority of the plants are endangered and rare.

We also met with Bob Nishek, Nursery Manager, who shared with us the challenges of growing rare and endangered species for the collections. We were most impressed when he showed us his simple potting mix of light, rough, black cinder.

Richard Kanahele, Lead Gardener; Janet Mayfield, COO and CFO; and Rick Hanna, toured us through the Allerton Garden. This garden has nine gardeners on an 80 acre, intensely planted site and was Robert Allerton’s attempt to defeat the tropical conditions and create formal gardens. One of the highlights of this garden include the world’s rarest plant, Kanaloa kahoolawenis.

We went from formality back to nature when Emory Griffin-Noyes, Conservation Technician showed us the ongoing Beach Restoration Project. He explained the negative effects that harsh coastal conditions have on establishing an understory. The highlight was viewing sea turtle nests that have been absent from this beach for almost a decade.

At our last stop, we visited the Lane Visitor Center, located in a restored 1920s sugar plantation home on ten acres of cultivated gardens. NTBG hosts 50,000-60,000 visitors annually, of which 30,000 partake in volunteer led garden tours.

After visiting the magical Kalaheo gardens, we are really looking forward to our visits at other NTBG gardens as NAX continues!

August 5th

After an eleven hour flight, we had a day of rest to acclimate ourselves to the six hour time change. We officially kicked off N.A.X. with a packed day on the island of Oahu. We were met at our hotel by Dr. Richard Criley, a horticulture professor at the University of Hawai’i and native Pennsylvanian. He has lived in Hawai’i for thirty-nine years and is very familiar with the flora of the state; he was also kind enough to set-up our travel destinations for the day. Dr. Ken Leonhardt, another University of Hawai’i professor, joined us for the day.

Our first stop was the home of Leland Miyano. As Leland toured us around his one-acre garden, which encompassed his entire property, we all began to see the true beauty of this naturalized, “experimental landscape,” as he would say.

The garden is a true gem! What stood behind his fence cannot be given proper justice with words. Leland, trained in the discipline of fine arts, is an accomplished stone sculptor, creating pieces of life-like and abstract art. Although Leland has a fine arts background, he has always been interested in nature, and thus began to branch out in the world of garden design. The garden, started twenty-five years ago, has grown from a common backyard into a lush tropical landscape containing many beautiful plants including some endangered native Hawaiian species.

We walked along the dry-laid stone paths. Many stone sculptures were placed with precision and care to be integrated into the plantings. Leland described the issue of using exotic versus native plants in the landscape, something which many of us are familiar. Leland tries to stay more in the middle of this issue, but his personal home garden is definitely showcasing the beauty the natural Hawai’ian plant life has to offer.

After the garden tour, we were treated to a wonderful brunch prepared by Leland’s wife, Karen, an accomplished chef. Leland described some of the accolades his garden has been given, including a xeriscape award, articles in many garden books, and even a visit from the staff of Martha Stuart Living magazine, who is featuring his garden in an upcoming magazine article.

After touring Leland’s we headed to Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden, one of five botanical gardens run by the city of Honolulu. While walking through the garden, Ken and Richard took us on a tour pointing out trees, some beautiful, and some in danger of extinction. One such endangered tree is the Erythrina abyssinica, which is currently combating a nasty Kenyan gall wasp, which lays its eggs in the foliage and defoliates the entire tree. The University is currently investigating ways in which to counteract these predators, and has located five potential solutions in the form of parasitoid wasps. In the not too distant future the University plans to release two species of wasp, and record their effectiveness in controlling the defoliation issue.

We made a quick stop at the garden’s visitor center where we toured their art exhibit space. This area features a constantly rotating exhibit of local artists who display paintings and photography work of Hawai’i’s flora and fauna.

After this restful stop it was on to the garden’s large lake, which was formed in the early 1970s when the US Army Corps of Engineers created a dam in occurrence with a massive flood that sweep the area. In fact, the botanic garden itself was formed as a byproduct of the Army’s damming effort. While at the lake we saw many more trees species. There were also locals enjoying a relaxing Sunday morning in the garden while feeding Tilapia fish.

Our last stop of the day was H & R Nursery, a tissue culture and orchid production facility run by orchid growers Harry Y. Akagi, and Roy S. Tokunaga. H & R has close connections to Longwood, as Roy has traded orchid species with the organization, and Harry has attended the Longwood Orchid Show put on in the spring. He plans to go back this year, so keep an eye out for their booth; the nursery was unbelievable!

With a minimal staff of twelve, H & R are able to house anywhere between four to five hundred species of orchid and over one thousand hybrids in their facility. H & R’s orchids undertake from seed to sale is a ten to twelve month, three-step process. These growers are not supported by fancy equipment or technologically advanced greenhouses. Old fashioned know-how and surviving while being economically conscious was the philosophy Roy shared with us.

Roy and Harry took us around their facility showing us many of these unusual and delightfully ornate plants. We were more and more amazed as we traveled from the seed production room up through to the experimental house that Roy uses as his orchid playground. The highlight of this genuinely awesome nursery was arguably one of the world’s largest orchids, a towering Grammatophyllum scriptum specimen, which gave off countless flower stalks and rose vertically to about five feet.

Our first day was a full day, but an educational and exciting day; a perfect start to what is surely to be a never forgotten, North American Experience.