08/28/16 – Growing Native Plants To Protect Land And Watersheds
DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR
SUZANNE D. CASE
CHAIRPERSON
MEDIA ADVISORY
GROWING NATIVE PLANTS TO PROTECT LAND AND WATERSHEDS
WHAT: With the unfortunate distinction of having an extremely rare flora, Hawai‘i is often referred to as the ‘endangered species capital of the world’. Species such as Silene perlmanii, which may otherwise have gone extinct, have been brought back from the brink by the work of dedicated conservationists. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife operates numerous plant nurseries around the state which support this work. The rarest of the rare plants are grown in collaboration with the experts of the Plant Extinction Prevention Program in cutting-edge facilities for eventual outplanting back into the wild, once threats have been mitigated. Apart from work with rare species, nurseries such as the State Tree Nursery exist to provide high quality native, endangered and windbreak trees and plants for both the public and DLNR-state sponsored out-plantings and reforestation projects. One such project includes the attempt at restoring an entire forest on leeward Haleakala which had been lost to invasive species. Over 64,000 native plants have been planted by volunteers within the Nakula Natural Area Reserve, with another 50,000 in the adjacent Kahikinui Forest Reserve.
WHEN: Sunday, August 28, 11 a.m.
WHERE: DLNR, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu (first floor makai breezeway)
WHO: Susan Ching Harbin, O‘ahu Plant Extinction Prevent Program coordinator
Lara Reynolds, DOFAW O‘ahu district botanist
WHY: This is the 7th of 19 daily DLNR & YOU news conferences associated with the IUCN World Conservation Congress Hawai’i 2016, Sept. 1st-10th. Complete media packages with HD Video, photographs, and a video news release will be available.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Dennison
Senior Communications Manager
(808) 587-0407
