More than 100 volunteers gathered at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Lyon Arboretum in April for Lau Kupu Day, a community-driven conservation event hosted in partnership with Kupu, Hawaiʻi’s leading environmental nonprofit.
Participants included members of the UH community, local business leaders, Kupu alumni and community members, who came together in support of shared goals in environmental stewardship and cultural restoration. Volunteers spent the day removing invasive plant species, pruning native flora and clearing debris to improve ecosystem health and protect the arboretum’s unique botanical resources.
“Lau Kupu Day reflects Lyon Arboretum’s mission to foster conservation through education, research and community engagement,” Lyon Arboretum Grounds and Collections Manager Līloa Dunn said. “It’s inspiring to see so many people come together in shared stewardship of this special place.”
Lau Kupu Day reflects the longstanding collaboration between UH Mānoa and Kupu to protect Hawaiʻi’s natural and cultural resources. Located in the heart of Mānoa Valley, Lyon Arboretum serves as a vital research and education facility that supports native plant conservation and provides hands-on learning opportunities for students and the public.
“We are incredibly grateful for everyone who showed up with open hearts and helping hands,” Kupu CEO and Co-Founder John Leong said. “Lau Kupu Day is a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together with aloha—grounded in our culture, inspired by our youth, and united by a shared passion to care for our lands.”
