PUHI — The National Tropical Botanical Garden and Kaua‘i Community College have announced a new lecture series, which begins Tuesday with a presentation by renowned British botanist and rainforest explorer Professor Sir Ghillean Prance. The free public lecture — which
PUHI — The National Tropical Botanical Garden and Kaua‘i Community College have announced a new lecture series, which begins Tuesday with a presentation by renowned British botanist and rainforest explorer Professor Sir Ghillean Prance.
The free public lecture — which kicks off the “Around the World of Plants” series — begins at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at the KCC Campus Center.
Prance, one of Britain’s most celebrated modern botanists, has explored tropical regions of the world — including large portions of the Amazon — in an effort to better understand the vital relationship between people and plants.
In addition to his field work, Prance served as the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London and helped establish both the Millennium Seed Bank Project and the Eden Project. He is a trustee of the NTBG on Kaua‘i and serves as a scientific advisor to the institution.
“The NTBG is extremely fortunate to have someone of Professor Prance’s caliber associated with the garden,” said Janet Leopold of NTBG. “We are sure that everyone who attends the lecture will appreciate the knowledge he is sharing with us.”
In his lecture, titled Ethnobotany of the Guarani of the Argentina Rainforests,” Prance will discuss the intimate relationship this indigenous group has with its natural environment, the challenges they face and lessons to be learned from them as they fight to preserve their surroundings and way of life.
“The main issue I’ll be talking about is how (the Guarani) can use the forest sustainably and how the forest can be conserved for them,” Prance said over the phone Thursday.
The Guarani, who live in what little remains of the Atlantic rainforests in Argentina, face threats to their sacred sites and native biodiversity as development and climate change alter the fragile region. Over the years, Prance has played an active role in partnering with the Guarani to establish conservation practices.
Much like in the Atlantic rainforest, Prance said protecting Kaua‘i’s rare and native species, as well as its culture, is crucial.
“The conservation of the plants and culture go together,” he said. “It’s very important to try and conserve the biodiversity of the island.”
Prance said that invasive species on Kaua‘i must be addressed, as they are the largest threat to the island’s native plant populations. He applauded Green Energy Team of Kaua‘i’s planned $90 million biomass-to-energy facility near Koloa, which, when finished, will harvest and burn invasive Albizia trees.
“That’s just what one should do,” he said. “Use (the invasive species) up in a useful way.”
Prance said he first came to Kaua‘i in 2000 and lived here for an entire year. Since then, he has returned to the island every year, usually staying for up to two months at a time.
“I love this island,” he said, adding that there is a lot to be learned from the island’s native culture.
Prance’s lecture Tuesday is the first in the “Around the World of Plants” series, which will continue April 23 with a presentation by NTBG CEO and Director Chipper Wichman, followed by a showing of A King in China: The Life of Joseph Francis Rock.
On May 21, Richard Hanna will present Captain Cook’s Artists in the Pacific.
All events begin at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at the KCC Campus Center.
For more information visit www.ntbg.org or call the NTBG Headquarters at 332-7324.
