{"id":82852,"date":"2018-08-06T15:39:35","date_gmt":"2018-08-07T01:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=82852"},"modified":"2019-04-04T15:42:26","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T01:42:26","slug":"lyon-arboretum-turns-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2018\/08\/06\/lyon-arboretum-turns-100\/","title":{"rendered":"M\u0101noa\u2019s hidden gem, Lyon Arboretum turns 100"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"1930
View from Kanana, showing lower part of Eucalyptus grove on left, with Waih\u012b Nui above, Waih\u012b ʻiki<\/span> in middle and Naniuʻapo<\/span> on right. (Photo by E.L. Caum, 1930, courtesy of Lyon Arboretum)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Here then is a golden opportunity to build in upper M\u0101noa Valley, a vast botanical garden of native and introduced plants and at the same time carry through a project in water conservation that would prove of immense value to Honolulu.”
\n— Harold L. Arboretum (“Honolulu Can Have a Botanical Garden,” 1956)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"photo
Looking up M\u0101noa Valley from a point near end of street car line. (Photo by H.L. Lyon, courtesy of Lyon Arboretum)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
\"Lyon
Looking from behind Lyon Arboretum’s main greenhouse over taro patches with Tantalus in background. (1972, courtesy of Lyon Arboretum)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
\"aerial
Lyon Arboretum ethnobotanical garden, greenhouse and parking lot. (Photo by Lydi Morgan, 2003, courtesy of Lyon Arboretum)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s Harold L. Lyon Arboretum<\/a>, the only university botanical garden in the U.S.<\/abbr> and one of the largest located in a tropical rainforest, is celebrating its centennial year (1918–2018).<\/p>\n

The arboretum kicked off the year\u2019s planned activities with a Centennial Hoʻolauleʻa<\/span><\/a> in August. Upcoming events include the Lyon Centennial Symposium<\/a>, “Aʻohe<\/span> Pau Ka ʻIke<\/span> I Ka H\u0101lau Hoʻokahi<\/span>: Celebrating 100 Years of Research” on September 13–14, an Arbor Day tree giveaway on November 3, and the popular annual plant sale on November 17.<\/p>\n

Lyon Arboretum Director Rakan Zahawi<\/strong><\/a> is excited for the future of M\u0101noa\u2019s hidden gem. “Today, Lyon is at the forefront of conservation of native Hawaiian plants,” said Zahawi. “We\u2019d like to showcase what we do and increase the visibility of the arboretum as we go forward.” <\/p>\n

A long history of research<\/h2>\n

The nearly 200-acre tropical rainforest botanical garden has a long history of research. In 1918, the Hawaiian Sugar Planters\u2019 Association (HSPA<\/abbr>) purchased 124 acres in upper M\u0101noa Valley for research and restoration efforts of the watershed, which was damaged due to cattle grazing.<\/p>\n

Harold Lyon<\/strong> was a plant pathologist hired by HSPA<\/abbr> to lead the reforestation project. He concluded that the heavily damaged native forests could not recover on their own, and damaged watersheds could be restored with introduced plants. The planting project began in 1920 and was completed in 1945.<\/p>\n

Lyon strongly believed that Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> needed a botanical garden and saw this as an opportunity for the state. In 1953, the UH<\/abbr> Board of Regents accepted the land from HSPA<\/abbr> for a fee of $1 to use as a botanical garden with a mission of research, education and community service. <\/p>\n

Lyon used his own money to fund the arboretum operations, and when he died in 1957 he left part of his estate in the trust to help fund the arboretum. The Board of Regents renamed the M\u0101noa Arboretum to the Harold L. Lyon Arboretum.<\/p>\n

100 years later<\/h2>\n

\"Lyon<\/p>\n

Today the Lyon Arboretum continues to fulfill its mission. It welcomes 50,000 visitors annually to participate in classes, research projects, volunteer and other community activities, or to explore the extensive trails and plant collections.<\/p>\n

Lyon Arboretum is one of two Level IV<\/abbr> arboreta in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> accredited by Morton Arboretum\u2019s ArbNet<\/a>, the world\u2019s only arboretum accreditation program. The UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa campus<\/a> is the other arboretum that holds the distinction.<\/p>\n

It boasts more than 5,000 tropical plant species from around the world. The Hawaiian rare plant program includes a micropropagation laboratory and seed conservation laboratory, which houses the largest collection of Native Hawaiian plant species. A new $2.5 million facility was constructed in 2017.<\/p>\n