Founded in 1999 by long-time Waimānalo friends Rick Barboza and Matt Schirman, Hui Kū Maoli Ola was formed to help protect and perpetuate Hawaii’s unique natural resources and cultural practices. With his initial interest in native Hawaiian birds, Rick’s education led him to the realization that the peril of Hawaii’s birds has stemmed most directly from the destruction of their native habitats. Similarly, Matt’s education in Hawaiian culture introduced him to the inseparable marriage between cultural practices and the natural environment. In both cases, the perpetuation of their respective passions hinged on the health of native Hawaiian ecosystems and, more specifically,native Hawaiian plant populations. It did not take long for the two friends to realize just how devastated most of Hawaii’s natural environment had become. Centuries of severe habitat destruction and the introduction of countless exotic plants and animals have left Hawaii’s natural environment in a state of despair, with innumerable native plant species pushed to the brink of extinction (or over it!) and largely forgotten by the general public. One of our main objectives as a Company has, thus, been education as a first step to the re-popularization of these vital plants that represent the backbone of Hawaii’s unique and fragile ecosystems.