Field Trip to the National Botanical Garden
Reaction Paper #1
Our first Botany field trip to the National Botanical Garden was filled with both captivating views and significant information of plant life. Although I was born and raised on Kaua’i, visiting there was a first time experience for me. It was definitely an awesome opportunity not only because of the free admission, but also to be able to learn about the native and tropical beauty in Hawaii.
We started the morning with delicious malasadas (brain food), and then proceeded to the entrance of the Botanical Research Center. Juliet Rice Wichman funded the Botanical Research Center. The building was the first on Kaua’i to be LEED certified as a “gold” rated building. In other words, it was built tough enough to withstand strong hurricane winds, in order to protect the rare valuables inside. Another interesting aspect that we learned about the Botanical Research Center was its sustainability and environmental-friendly design. Some examples include an outer structure of recycled tropical hardwoods, a roof rainwater catchment system, and photovoltaic panels. Although the view of the outside of the building was definitely a pleasing sight to see, the contents inside the building were what made the center so unique.
While we were inside the Botanical Research Center, we were able to view a few of the specimen from storage. A couple examples were, Plantanthera holochila: an orchid found in the Alaka’i Swamp endemic to Kaua’i, and Nymphaea which is normally found in the Kawaihau district. We were also shown some samples from other countries like Japan and China. I thought that the concept of being able to view samples gathered from all around the world in the convenience of a half an hour drive to the center was truly amazing. In addition to viewing specimen, we were also able to view the storage process of (orthodox) seeds. I learned that orthodox seeds could be stored and preserved at about a -20 degree temperature, while
Our first Botany field trip to the National Botanical Garden was filled with both captivating views and significant information of plant life. Although I was born and raised on Kaua’i, visiting there was a first time experience for me. It was definitely an awesome opportunity not only because of the free admission, but also to be able to learn about the native and tropical beauty in Hawaii.
We started the morning with delicious malasadas (brain food), and then proceeded to the entrance of the Botanical Research Center. Juliet Rice Wichman funded the Botanical Research Center. The building was the first on Kaua’i to be LEED certified as a “gold” rated building. In other words, it was built tough enough to withstand strong hurricane winds, in order to protect the rare valuables inside. Another interesting aspect that we learned about the Botanical Research Center was its sustainability and environmental-friendly design. Some examples include an outer structure of recycled tropical hardwoods, a roof rainwater catchment system, and photovoltaic panels. Although the view of the outside of the building was definitely a pleasing sight to see, the contents inside the building were what made the center so unique.
While we were inside the Botanical Research Center, we were able to view a few of the specimen from storage. A couple examples were, Plantanthera holochila: an orchid found in the Alaka’i Swamp endemic to Kaua’i, and Nymphaea which is normally found in the Kawaihau district. We were also shown some samples from other countries like Japan and China. I thought that the concept of being able to view samples gathered from all around the world in the convenience of a half an hour drive to the center was truly amazing. In addition to viewing specimen, we were also able to view the storage process of (orthodox) seeds. I learned that orthodox seeds could be stored and preserved at about a -20 degree temperature, while