The 30th annual Hawaiʻi Conservation Conference opened at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center on Tuesday.
Hawaiʻi is home to the only seed bank in the country funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. The program operates out of Schofield Barracks Army Base on Oʻahu’s North Shore.
With a budget of $5.5 million every year, the seed bank has had a significant impact on native and endangered plants.
Makanani Akiona, lab manager at the Army’s conservation lab, and Kapua Kawelo, Federal Biologist for the Oʻahu Army Natural Resource program, offered The Conversation a snapshot of the valuable work happening at Schofield Barracks Army Base.
This interview aired on The Conversationon June 27, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
