Native Hawaiian Plant Society

The Native Hawaiian Plant Society (NHPS) is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization based on Maui, Hawaiʻi, whose mission is to conserve, propagate and educate the public about native Hawaiian plants. According to its official website, the society works to inspire others to learn about and care for Hawaiʻi's precious native plants, and it helps preserve the state's remaining natural landscapes through hands-on service trips and NHPS-sponsored conservation projects across Maui. Its activities are organized around three broad pillars: plants, adventures and ʻohana (community). The society describes itself as "a community of friends who find joy in working together to care for native plants." Its stated mission has three parts: to support the preservation and restoration of native Hawaiian plants and ecosystems; to engage in informational and educational efforts that increase public awareness of the unique qualities and biological importance of native Hawaiian plants and ecosystems, as well as the threats to their viability; and to work cooperatively with government agencies, public and private groups and individuals on protection, restoration and educational projects that benefit native Hawaiian plants and ecosystems. NHPS presents itself as a long-standing part of Maui's environmental movement, stating that "over the decades, NHPS continues to be a cornerstone of Maui's environmental movement, preserving the botanical heritage of Hawai'i for generations to come." Its identity is closely tied to Hawaiian cultural heritage. The society's logo features an ʻiliahi, or Hawaiian sandalwood tree, which it says symbolizes cultural heritage, ecological balance and sustainable practices; the tree's significance in Hawaiian culture is rooted in traditional uses for medicine and tools as well as its role in the island's ecosystem. The logo was designed by member Dr. George L. H. LeBouvier (1921–1996), who also created the society's motto, "Nanea nā pua o ka ʻāina aloha," loosely translated as "fascination for the flowering plants of our beloved land." Dr. LeBouvier was a Senior Research Associate at the Yale School of Public Health before his retirement to Maui in 1977, where he lived until 1990. As a nonprofit botanical society rather than a commercial enterprise, NHPS operates through volunteer effort, member community and cooperative partnerships. Its public-facing work combines conservation service trips, educational outreach and propagation of native plants, with a geographic focus on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands.

The Native Hawaiian Plant Society is a volunteer-based nonprofit botanical society based on Maui, Hawaiʻi. Its official materials describe it as a community of friends who find joy in working together to care for native plants, and as an organization that has been a cornerstone of Maui's environmental movement over the decades. The society's mission is to support the preservation and restoration of native Hawaiian plants and ecosystems; to engage in informational and educational efforts that increase public awareness of the unique qualities and biological importance of native Hawaiian plants and ecosystems, and of the threats to their viability; and to work cooperatively with government agencies, public and private groups and individuals on protection, restoration and educational projects that benefit native Hawaiian plants and ecosystems. A notable figure in the society's history is Dr. George L. H. LeBouvier (1921–1996), a member who designed the NHPS logo and created its motto, "Nanea nā pua o ka ʻāina aloha," loosely translated as "fascination for the flowering plants of our beloved land." Dr. LeBouvier was a Senior Research Associate at the Yale School of Public Health before his retirement to Maui in 1977, where he lived until 1990. The logo he designed features an ʻiliahi, or Hawaiian sandalwood tree, chosen to symbolize cultural heritage, ecological balance and sustainable practices; the tree's significance in Hawaiian culture is rooted in traditional uses for medicine and tools as well as its role in the island's ecosystem. Over time, NHPS has carried out its work through hands-on service trips and NHPS-sponsored conservation projects across Maui, alongside educational and outreach activities intended to inspire others to learn about and care for Hawaiʻi's native plants. The society frames its community as an ʻohana built on shared experiences, enjoyment of time together, and celebration of the cultural connections its members have to Hawaiʻi's native plants. Its stated aim is to preserve the botanical heritage of Hawaiʻi for generations to come.

• Dr. George L. H. LeBouvier (1921–1996) retires to Maui, where he later lives until 1990 and designs the NHPS logo and motto.

• NHPS logo and motto "Nanea nā pua o ka ʻāina aloha" are created by member Dr. George L. H. LeBouvier.

• Over the decades, NHPS becomes described as a cornerstone of Maui's environmental movement.

A volunteer-based nonprofit botanical society and cornerstone of Maui's environmental movement, focused on conservation, propagation and public education about native Hawaiian plants.

1. 1Home - Native Hawaiian Plant Societynativehawaiianplantsociety.org
2. 2About - Native Hawaiian Plant Societynativehawaiianplantsociety.org
3. 3Native Hawaiian Plant Society - Wikidatawikidata.org