End of the Tour

Doubling back and heading down the trail will take you back to the parking lot and greenhouse. From there, continue up to the main trail. Looking to the right, you will find the great lawn. Up the trail further leads you to numerous smaller trails that access other specialized sections of the arboretum. Notable sites include a palm section, home to one of the largest palm collection in the world, a Hawaiian section, full of more native Hawaiian species, and the Economic section, an area dedicated to plants that yield fruit including guava, durian and star fruit. Each of these “sections” are representative of a specified niche in the Hawaiian culture and environment. If you wish to continue down the main trail, you will encounter an abandoned seismograph station, and even further down a small waterfall that is active during the rainy season.

Unfortunately Hawaii has the distinction of being the “Endangered Species Capital of the World.” While the Lyon Arboretum’s efforts to preserve the species on our islands are great, much work still needs to be done. 303 plant species are currently listed as being endangered or threatened in Hawaii, with 268 said to be declining. These numbers are incentive to begin more work on helping these species thrive once again in Hawaii. The importance to the culture is too great to show no interest in preservation and sustainability. In addition to cultural reasons, a majority of Hawaii’s income originates from tourism. Should we wish to continue having millions of visitors coming to our islands each year, maintaining an aesthetically pleasing environment is a key priority. Without many native plant species thriving, the image of Hawaii could change drastically for the worse. The Lyon Arboretum’s efforts in plant species longevity are helping make Hawaii a culturally-thriving environment that benefits both locals and tourists alike.