Resource Management:
Lend a hand in the preservation in preserving Hawaiian culture through
its plants. The fifteen acre thnobotanical garden is dedicated to supporting
Native Hawaiian traditions associated with land use, and conserving the
plant resources of traditional Native Hawaiian culture. The garden is
planted to reflect the landscape of the Kona coast in the era before foreign
contact. Approximately 6000 people visit the garden each year, and it
is used as a resource by schools, traditional artisans, and students of
traditional culture.
There are two positions available:
Propagator. Volunteers will work in the garden nursery propagating native plants and Polynesian crops. They will get hands on experience in all types of cultivation: cuttings, air layering, division, grafting, seed cleaning, pretreatment, and planting. They will also learn other aspects of nursery care: transplanting, repotting, irrigation, fertilization, weed control, pest control, labeling, and record keeping. In the process of learning these basic nursery practices, they will become familiar with a number of native and Polynesian introduced plants and their uses.
Horticultural Aid. The volunteers will assist in maintenance of the garden grounds. They will get hands on experience in all aspects of care of a landscape planted with native and Polynesian introduced plants: planting, pruning, pest control, weed control, fertilization, irrigation, and general garden maintenance. Special attention is given traditional crops, and the intern will help care, harvest, and replant taro, sweet potato, and wauke.
These positions may be combined to suit the interests of the volunteer and needs of the garden. In both cases, the volunteers may become involved in other projects as well, including helping with tours and assisting visitors, mapping and record keeping, equipment maintenance, helping with workshops and presentations, construction of garden paths, maintaining and updating signage, etc.
Volunteer must be at least 18 years old, able to climb, bend, and lift gardening equipment.
Minimum 4 weeks
