Hawai‘i’s State Botanist Takes Audience on Botanical Journey

Botanist Dr. Maggie Sporck-Koeher working in the field at Ko‘olau, O‘ahu. Photo courtesy of NTBG

Join Hawai‘i’s State Botanist Dr. Maggie Sporck-Koehler on Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at the Kaua‘i Community College in Puhi as she takes her audience on a botanical journey of plant discovery on O‘ahu and Maui.

Maggie will talk about her botanical field work in the mountains of O‘ahu and the shrublands of Maui. Learn about plant discovery and documentation in Hawai‘i today and how the islands’ natural features influence discovery. Maggie will discuss her own contributions made while working for the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

Describing how botanizing has allowed her to combine formal training with her passion for nature, Maggie says, “I have been lucky to be in the right place at the right time with just the right amount of curiosity that led to being a part of species discovery.”

Maggie will share her experiences through stories and photos documenting the discovery of plants in the wild, specifically a previously undescribed Cyanea and a Coprosma. She will also address the question of why new species are still being discovered and rediscovered.

The “What in the World” lecture series is one of many collaborations between KCC and the nonprofit National Tropical Botanical Garden. Both share a common goal of quality education to truly change lives. NTBG is a nonprofit institution headquartered in Kalāheo. KCC, part of the University of Hawai‘i system, operates a large campus in Puhi.

Visit www.ntbg.org and kauai.hawaii.edu for more information.