LIHUE — In the more than two years Andy Jasper has lived on Kauai, he had never experienced the Na Pali Coast by sea. Until last Friday, that is. He and his family took a boat charter and spent the
LIHUE — In the more than two years Andy Jasper has lived on Kauai, he had never experienced the Na Pali Coast by sea.
Until last Friday, that is.
He and his family took a boat charter and spent the afternoon gazing at the glorious ocean and mountain views many families spend thousands of dollars to see during their visits.
The difference, however, is that Jasper is leaving the island and going back home to England.
It’s not that he hadn’t noticed Kauai’s beauty before, but that he’d just been so focused on projects during his 2-year contract as the National Tropical Botanical Gardens Southshore director.
“It’s amazing how leaving gets you to start doing all the things,” said Jasper, who was appointed in 2013 by NTBG Director and CEO Chipper Wichman, after spending three months on Kauai in 2012 on a sabbatical to lay the groundwork for projects to come. “We’ve always done the Na Pali Coast, but not like this.”
Champagne and sunsets on the beach are just the start — before he departs Nov. 11, he’ll spend the last week in style with his wife Justine and two little girls, Grace and Eve, at the Grand Hyatt like tourists.
Originally from Cornwall, England, Jasper said he’s celebrating this way partially because he’s spent so much time in the last two years getting projects such as the new biodiversity trail, which boasts more than 500 orchids throughout, off the ground as part of the NTBG 50th anniversary, or trying to get the visitor center improvements completed.
“I like the fact that people on this island get on it and do it,” said the 44-year-old. “Right now, we’re just finishing up the visitor center project, enlarging it. It won’t be quite finished when I leave, but it will be almost finished.”
It’s bittersweet to be leaving Kauai and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Jasper said. In 2011, after being headhunted from another project called Eden, Jasper worked as a consultant for NTBG. The position of Southshore director was created in 2013 specifically with him in mind.
“It was an awesome opportunity to even work in Hawaii,” he said. “I’ll miss being able to go for a walk on the beach. Oh, and I’ll miss my truck.”
Jasper said the driftwood his team used for the biodiversity trail was found at Lydgate Park. After speaking to John Lydgate, he arranged to haul loads of beautifully shaped driftwood pieces back to the gardens, some of which he even hauled on his 2001 red Chevy Silverado.
But projects like that are what he lives for, Jasper said.
And it’s the can-do attitude of people on Kauai he will definitely take back home with him, he said.
“I will obviously miss the people,” he said. “I’ll be taking back some of that aloha spirit. Like paying things forward and not hoping to receive things back.”
His staff, he said, has also been incredible, and without their commitment, some of the projects might never have been finished.
Tessa McSwain is part of the management team, which also includes Scott Sloan, Chris Ryer, Gwen Silva and Nani Kaluna, who will help run the Southshore Gardens when he leaves.
McSwain, marketing director at NTBG for 11 months, said although the Southshore gardens has an interim director now, whoever takes over “will definitely have big shoes to fill.” She referred to Jasper as the male version of Leslie Knope from NBC’s “Parks and Recreations.”
“He’s that kind of positive,” she said. “He’s quick with a compliment. He’s so appreciative. It feels like you’re doing good when you work with him. He makes coming to work fun and engaging. I think Andy really really believes in NTBG. He’s accessible to people and he demonstrates the great things and all the things we do for plants.”
Wichman agreed.
“Andy’s energy and enthusiasm was evident to all,” Wichman said. “We wish Andy and his family well as they return to England.”
Jasper said he was most excited to be a part of such a devoted team, who have helped “thrill and delight thousands of visitors from all over the world, helping them discover and experience through scientific research and conservation how this unique national organization perpetuates the survival of plants and ecosystems from tropical regions for future generations.”
Even though Jasper said he’ll miss Kauai, he’s ready to move on to other projects around the world. He’s headed to Great Britain in December to head the Capital Investment Program at the Royal Horticultural Society.
Still, Jasper will miss the commitment of his hard-working staff, the hundreds of volunteers who put in long hours at NTBG, the Kauai schools, Myles Domingcil — who he said epitomized the Hawaiian generosity of spirit and true aloha for his help at the gardens — and all the other folks he met along the way during his time on Kauai.
“We’ve done so much in a relatively short period of time, and we’ve felt like we’re having the time of our lives here, hard work but doing what we love, on Kauai, in such a beautiful location with people who have wanted to be part of making the gardens and the islands more beautiful, more sustainable and more welcoming to everyone. It’s been a pleasure.”
