FLA Sponsors KUPU Interns at Lyon Arboretum
The Friends of Lyon Arboretum (FLA) supports the Lyon Arboretum’s internship programs to educate, inspire, and foster the next generation to learn about plants and care for their environment. In addition to supporting the Summer Intern Program for the 8th year starting in June, FLA is now also sponsoring KUPU interns at the arboretum. KUPU is a local non-profit organization that matches qualified applicants with host organizations. With the help of your generous donations, interns spend 6 months to 1 year gaining in-depth learning and experience within a department under the guidance of skilled managers and staff. We’d like to introduce you to the two KUPU interns currently sponsored by FLA, Garrison Ishikawa-Gonzalez and Dorian Bertero.
Garrison Ishikawa-Gonzalez grew up in Kaimuki, but had never been to Lyon Arboretum until he went there to interview with Tim Kroessig, Horticulture Department Manager, for this internship. He was impressed with the beauty of the arboretum and with Tim, whom Garrison describes as the ultimate mentor. Under Tim’s guidance, Garrison is gaining valuable experience both in horticultural nursery work and field work as he learns about biodiversity, conservation, and native plants through caring for greenhouse collections, out plantings, and research projects.
Garrison’s family will be homesteading on Hawaiʻi Island so grafting fruit trees is one of the many skills he’s learning that will come into good use, as well as native plant propagation and the ability to air layer plants. He looks forward to applying these new skills in helping to establish their farm. He also plans to continue his education at UH Hilo. Successful completion of this internship at Lyon Arboretum satisfies a criterion for an educational grant from AmericCorps, one of KUPU’s major partners.
Garrison air layering an ʻŌʻhia tree
Garrison has many passions including surfing, playing music, culinary, woodworking and photography, all of which he continues to do as he undertakes this internship. One of the projects he’s planning in his internship is to make a display of the various woods found at the arboretum to show grain patterns in fully milled and finished samples. He’s thankful for FLA’s support and says this is one of the best experiences in his life.
Dorian Bertero is now in his second KUPU internship with Lyon Arboretum and says it has changed his life trajectory. Although he had some experience in agriculture, landscaping, and ranching growing up in Texas, his internship under the direction of Līloa Dunn, Grounds and Collections Department Manager, is exposing him to another level of complexity with native and endangered species at the arboretum. He finds the management of this large part of the mountain, about 200 acres, with a small dedicated crew, impressive. Important learning for Dorian has been the organization and prioritization of native plant restoration and protection centering around the most valued plants and what needs to get done to manage invasive species, their removal, and proper disposal. Time management and awareness of the safety and aesthetics of the grounds as they work are also important since it’s an arboretum open to the public, school tours, and researchers.
Many short-term and long-term interns, students, and volunteers from all over the world filter through the arboretum and the department. Dorian appreciates the professionalism of the Grounds and Collections team and the efficient on-boarding process that allows people to open up, feel comfortable, and flourish to take on tasks and challenges while being supported and encouraged.
Working with and learning from the department’s arborists, Dorian obtained his chainsaw certification. By the end of the successful completion of his term at Lyon Arboretum, he’ll be eligible to take the test to become a certified arborist having the necessary experience including tree climbing and felling, chainsaw use, safety protocols, and tool maintenance–all the things that come into a full day’s work.
This internship has made Dorian aware of the many career path options in conservation that are open to him. When he returns to school, he’ll decide on which specific area he’ll focus his studies. He’ll be eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award, which will help make that possible.