Lyon Arboretum receives nearly $250,000 for Hawaiian Rare Plant Program

The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Lyon Arboretum has been awarded a $248,952 National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C., for research on rescue, recovery and storage of Hawai‘i’s most critically endangered native plants. 

 

The total project budget, with Lyon Arboretum’s contribution and matching funds, is $422,927. 

 

“To have such a grant awarded to the Lyon Arboretum is a true testament to the value of the statewide and national significance of the work our staff conducts on endangered plants,” says Director Christopher Dunn.

 

Proposed activities for the three-year project will address issues that have the greatest impact on plants in in vitro culture and seed storage, and the management of ex-situ (off-site) collections. The probability of successfully establishing in vitro cultures is directly related to the collection process and handling of field collected plant material.

 

            Staff members engaged in the grant include Dunn, Nellie Sugii, Alvin Yoshinaga, Cindy Nose, Kalani Matsumura and Tim Kroessig.