The National Tropical Botanical Garden Sows the Seeds of Research, Conservation and Education in Quest to Preserve the Botanical and Cultural Heritage of the Pacific

Hawai‘i –Under its Congressional charter, the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) encompasses gardens of extraordinary beauty throughout the Hawaiian Islands and in Florida. However, much more than a network of beautiful botanical gardens, NTBG serves an important role in the protection and preservation of Hawaii’s and the Pacific’s cultural and botanical heritage through research, conservation and education.

Globally, scholars are just beginning to understand the importance and value of tropical plants, some of which may even hold promise for solving crises such as world hunger and disease. Extinction of these significant plants, many of which are used by indigenous cultures, will ultimately lead to the loss of important cultural traditions, including medicinal uses, language and native culinary dishes.

NTBG’s living collections are at the very core of the organization’s mission, with each one offering significant value in terms of conservation, research and education. The collections in the McBryde Garden contain plant species from the Old and New World Tropics as well as the world’s largest assemblage of native Hawaiian plant species. Limihuli Garden and Preserve, as well as McBryde Garden and Kahanu Garden, also contains plants recognized for their ethnobotanical value by ancient Hawaiians. The plants in Allerton Garden were selected primarily for their visual interest, and were brought in from various tropical locations. Kahanu Garden focuses its living collections on plants of value to Pacific Island peoples, such as breadfruit, coconut and ‘awa (kava) while The Kampong contains heritage plants primarily from Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

The living collections at NTBG’s gardens and preserves provide an essential resource for scientific research. For example, a major research collection is the Zingiberales, which include more than 2,000 species in the banana, heliconia, ginger and birds-of-paradise families, and are grown for a number of uses such as for food and medicine. NTBG is also the primary institution in Hawai‘i engaged in an active program to systematically (classification and naming of organisms) collect and conserve the archipelago’s threatened and endangered native flora.

Supporting these research efforts are NTBG’s Loy McCandless Marks Botanical Library and its herbarium, one of the Garden’s oldest scientific collections. The Botanical Library is an extensive research collection on the monographs and floras from throughout the tropical world and rare volumes of herbals, botanical history and voyages of discovery. The herbarium represents a reference collection of over 55,000 permanently preserved, dried and pressed plant specimens. This collection is growing annually at an incredible rate of 2,400 new specimens.

Conservation is another major thrust of NTBG in its efforts to preserve ecosystems and cultural knowledge for future generations. Each of the gardens and preserves contains significant natural resources that lend themselves to conservation and restoration projects such as the native forest and stream ecosystem at Limahuli, the extensive Pandanus forest at Kahanu and the unique dry forest at Ka‘upulehu Preserve. Conservation staff conduct comprehensive botanical surveys resulting in the discovery of new plants, as well as collaborate with other organizations to protect native plants in their natural habitats. In addition, NTBG’s conservation program has resulted in the propagation of many species that have never before been cultivated.

Expanding its reach to worldwide audiences, NTBG offers a host of educational courses, each with its own focus and target market. The Environmental Journalism Fellowship provides working journalists much-needed information about tropical ecosystems to provide them with a better understanding for reporting purposes. The Physicians’ Course provides continuing education in the use of herbal remedies and clinical interactions with patients from indigenous medical traditions. Garden As Classroom affords Kaua‘i students the opportunity to experience a direct connection with the land and its plants and culture.

Research, conservation and education will continue to play vital roles as NTBG strives to preserve the botanical and cultural heritage of Hawai‘i and the Pacific. As a non-profit organization, the Garden relies on support from the community, private foundations, donors and its members to fulfill its mission to preserve and perpetuate tropical plants for future generations. As such, NTBG has launched a new membership campaign—Our Garden. Our World.—with new membership levels and benefits. Members’ dues help support the vital activities that make the difference in saving and understanding tropical plants, which are at the most risk of extinction. Memberships range from $50 to $1,000 and include unlimited admission for garden tours, 10 percent discount at the Garden Shops, members’ publications and invitations to NTBG lectures and events. Supporting Member ($500) and Silver Fellow ($1,000) membership levels offer additional benefits such as special edition Our Garden. Our World. gardening gloves or an Our Garden. Our World. t-shirt. To become a member, call (808) 332-7324 x246 or visit OurGardenOurWorld.com.

Media Contact
Caroline Witherspoon or Danielle Douglass
Becker Communications, Inc. (808) 533-4165