#National Tropical Botanical Garden

Grow Aloha, the statewide initiative dedicated to restoring Hawaiʻi’s native plants and our relationships with them, announced the extension of its free, monthly plant adoption program through June 2026.

Kupu, Hawai‘i’s leading youth-focused conservation and environmental education nonprofit, is now accepting applications for the Conservation Leadership Development Program. The deadline to apply is July 18, 2025.

The US Senate unanimously passed a resolution led by Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), designating April 2025 as “National Native Plant Month.”

Native Hawaiians have tended a relationship with the critically endangered native Hawaiian plant—Ka Palupalu o Kanaloa (Kanaloa kahoolawensis)— for over a thousand years. Now the rest of the world can experience and learn about it online at a new website dedicated to telling its story of resilience. 

Hawai‘i’s congressional delegation has introduced legislation aimed at protecting more than 10,000 plant and animal species native to the islands. The Hawai‘i Native Species Conservation and Recovery Act, introduced by US Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono and US Reps. Ed Case and Jill Tokuda, would fund conservation and recovery efforts to combat invasive species, habitat loss and climate change impacts.

The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i and Palmyra announced the addition of three esteemed individuals to its Board of Trustees—Jan Elliott, John Sabas and Dan Dunn.

After a hiatus due to COVID-19 closures, the East Maui Taro Festival is back to showcase the best of Hawaiian culture, cuisine, and the community of Hāna, Maui. The 28th event returns on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hāna Ballpark.

Kupu, a conservation and youth education nonprofit, is seeking applicants for the Hawai‘i Youth Conservation Corps Summer Program, which offers an intensive, hands-on experience into the world of conservation. Kupu is inviting applicants to apply for positions on Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. Deadline to apply is Feb. 16, 2024.

“Wiliwili is a keystone species in our dry forests, and nearly every part of this special tree is used by cultural practitioners. The impact of losing this species would have been profound.” — Chipper Wichman, President of the National Tropical Botanical Garden

By September 2016, Maui’s number of red-listed species is expected to increase from 84 to 117, Lāna‘i from 40 to 50, and Moloka‘i from 44 to 66.

A hui of state and federal wildlife and conservation agencies will hold a blessing and name dedication ceremony for the endangered Maui Parrotbill bird this weekend. The Hawaiian Lexicon Committee conferred the Hawaiian name of kiwikiu on the honeycreeper species in May. There are only about 500 birds still existence today. The onomatopoetic name mimics […]

Posted by Wendy Osher The Olowalu Cultural Reserve on Maui will get more than $44,000 in the latest round of grants announced today by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.  The money will be used for the reconstruction of the ahupua’a at Lihau, Olowalu.  The project is aimed at perpetuating traditional and customary practices of Kanaka […]

President Obama signed a bill into law that includes provisions for a memorial at Kalaupapa, an advisory commission for Kaloko-Honokohau, and funding for the National Tropical Botanical Garden. U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka praised the enactment of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146), following his attendance at the Presidential signing ceremony […]