Justin D. Kondrat : Next Chapter at The National Tropical Botanical Garden

Welcome to paradise after 21 hours of flying !

After a long journey from New York, I was met with the fabulous fragrant of Plumeria and ALOHA. Once again my love of plants has brought me to a distance land. For the next 3 months The National Tropical Botanical will be my home. With wide eyes combined with jet lag I cherished this moment with gratitude.

I am sure it won't be my last. ooo forgot to mention I have a oneway ticket !

NTBG Logo

After gathering my bags at the Lahui airport I was greeted by 6 other interns that arrived a week early. All of us would be sharing close quarters for the next 3 months in housing provided by the gardens. This is going to be an experience for the record books I just know it !

First week of work

Emerging from the Biodiversity Trail; headed to lunch and cake-cutting.
copyright National Tropical Botanical Garden

Once fully settled in, I began my first day by planting, mulching and weeding with final touches on the new interpretive garden called "The Biodiversity trail". This new garden installation marks the 50th Anniversary of the signing of a US charter in support of the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Cameras on the ground and in the air to help capture #NTBG50 celebrations in the McBryde Garden.

To make the celebration 50 fourth graders took part in celebrating the accomplishments of the NTBG.

NTBG birthday cake... it was fabulous !
copyright National Tropical Botanical Garden

Irene Hirano Inouye and Diane Ragone plant a breadfruit tree in honor of First Lady Michelle Obama.
copyright National Tropical Botanical Garden

NTBG Education Coordinator Meghan Goodale performs "an aerial ballet".
copyright National Tropical Botanical Garden

Botanizing on the edge

The following day the intern group and I took a hike Kokee Native Forest and Waimea Canyon State Park. We hiked 6 miles on the edge of botanical glory !

I didn't fall 2,000 feet to my death !
(Kokee Native Forest)

Don't look down
(Kokee Native Forest)

Where does the water end ?
(Kokee Native Forest)

Seeing the vegetation hanging on for dear life gave me inspiration
(Kokee Native Forest)

Excited to see some interpretive materials

The clouds lifted just in time over the ridge

Endemic, bird pollinated Tetraplasandra waimeae known as Oheohe

The young leaf of False staghorn fern (Dicranopteris linear). Known as Uluhe in Hawaiian

Korthalsella complanata is the native Mistletoe. The local name is hulumoa ("chicken feathers") or sometimes kaumahana ("warm perch")

The 2014 NTBG interns and Coordinator !

Craft session with Hauoli Wichman

On Friday we learned a traditional Polynesian craft known as Lauhala. Lau translates to "leaf" from the Hawaiian language and this refers to the leaves of the hall tree (Pandanus tectorius).Cultures weaves, plait, or braid the leaves to create baskets, mats and hats. We got to make fans and brackets. I spend 4 hours on my creation.