UH Herbarium Infrastructure Development Case Study

Founded in 1911, by Hawaii's first botanist Joseph F. Rock, the University of Hawaii's Herbaria incorporates the Lyon Arboretum herbarium specimen collection. For almost 100 years, the collections held in the University of Hawai'i herbaria have been a focal point for teaching, training and education on the flora of Hawai'i and the Pacific. The collection maintains dried plant specimens of leading botanical researchers in the Pacific and the collection continues to expand.

In 2004, the Lyon Arborertum herbarium was identified to be at-risk due to an insect infestation and deteriorating environmental conditions of the storage facilty. The collection was relocated to the Manoa campus. It was treated for insect infestation through freezing and integrated with the existing University collection.

In 2005, the herbarium received a National Science Foundation Biological Research Collections infrastructure improvement grant (#0447413). As a result, the facility was remodeled (paint, flooring, furniture) and new herbarium cabinets and SpaceSaver compact storage system were installed to maximize the existing space and create a more suitable laboratory environment. The following images detail the redevelopment procedure and process.

Subsequently, in the Fall of 2005 an IMLS Conservation Assessment Program grant adminstered through the Heritage Preservation was awarded to the Botany Department. The review assessment was completed in 2006.

Read more about the Herbarium sucess in the Summer issue of Kaunana: Volume 2, Number 1.