A new geographic information system (GIS) device being employed at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Harold L. Lyon Arboretum allows users to locate plants on its property and view metadata gathered over 100 years.
“This new interface opens up 100 years of Lyon’s collections history right onto your laptop,” said Rakan Zahawi, Lyon Arboretum director. “It is a great tool for both researchers and avid plant enthusiasts, and we hope that it will get a lot of use.”
The lab is headed by Jessica Adinolfi, who was a GIS analyst with the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
“I am excited to help upgrade this critical part of managing the arboretum’s living collection,” said Adinolfi. “By bringing the information into this platform, we are making the work of so many dedicated people available to everyone.”
Funded by donors, the arboretum acquired the latest equipment and tools to develop a new online interactive map as well as other mapping projects. The lab uses the latest Trimble GPS (GIS) unit, which maps the living collection and other features.
