Botanist Works to Save Hawaii's Rare Plants

America’s 50^th state, Hawaii, recently suffered two large, rare storms. The high winds and heavy rains left plant scientists hoping that the islands’ most unusual plants survived. 
The state is home to many native plants. They include 1,200 species, 90 percent of which are not found anywhere else in the world.  But Hawaii also has become the endangered species capital of the United States.  Nearly 40 percent of the plants on that endangered list grow in Hawaii.
Its natural heritage has been disappearing because plants and animals from other areas have invaded. Experts also blame agriculture, development and natural events that cannot be predicted. 
Field plant expert Steve Perlman has led protection of Hawaii’s endangered species for more than 40 years.  He is one of the state’s first ‘rock star’ botanists.  In the 1970s, he rappelled using ropes around his body to swing down from high cliffs to save the Brighamia insignis. People call this rare Hawaiian plant Alula.
“A lot of the botanists in the old days, at least for the first couple hundred years working in Hawaii, would be able to hike around the ridges and the valleys and find their species.  But no one had ever really looked at the cliffs.”
Then Mr. Perlman started to use those same methods of climbing and hanging from cliffs to get to other plants.
He is now in his 60s.  But he is still rappelling off cliffs to save endangered plants.  The rescued plants are varieties, or kinds, that have established themselves in places where hungry animals like goats and pigs could not get them.  He says it is worth it to see a species survive.
“We know the Amazon is losing all these species.  But Hawaii is losing species.  There’s an extinction crisis going on here, and we’ve already had over 100 species go extinct.”
After a long career as a field botanist at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, he is now the statewide specialist for Hawaii’s Plant Extinction Prevention Program.  The program centers on protecting species with fewer than 50 plants remaining in the wild. 
“This Plant Extinction Prevention Program is putting thousands of native plants, critically endangered plants, back out into the areas on the islands where they grew.  And we’re seeing that success.”


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Mr. Perlman also continues to discover new species through his work.  The Hibiscadelphus trees are one example he and others found growing in a steep valley on the island of Maui.  His explorations often take him to places that have not been touched.  He recalls an especially memorable trip to the highest point on the island of Moloka’i. 
“It’s like being someone like a Charles Darwin who’s just gotten to come to an island that no one’s ever been to.  And everything is interesting:  the birds, the insects, the plants.  And you’re like the first person in this kind of place.  We may rediscover something old, or we may find something brand new.  And so it’s like the age of discovery is not really over.”

I'm Mario Ritter.
This story is based on a report by Heidi Chang and was adapted by Jerilyn Watson.
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Words in This Story

native   n., born or grown in a particular place
invaded   v., entered an area by force.  In this story, plants not known in Hawaii began growing in the state and killed off some native Hawaiian plants
botanist   n., an expert in the science of plants
disappear   v., to become unseen, to no longer exist
extinction   n., the state or situation that results when something (such as a plant or animal species) has died out completely

Now it’s your turn to use these words.
In the comment section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on the use of vocabulary and grammar.

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Words in This Story

native   n., born or grown in a particular place
invaded   v., entered an area by force.  In this story, plants not known in Hawaii began growing in the state and killed off some native Hawaiian plants
botanist   n., an expert in the science of plants
disappear   v., to become unseen, to no longer exist
extinction   n., the state or situation that results when something (such as a plant or animal species) has died out completely

Now it’s your turn to use these words.
In the comment section, write a sentence using one of these words and we will provide feedback on the use of vocabulary and grammar.

Earth's Ozone Layer Shows Signs of Recovery

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The new report says the Earth’s ozone layer is showing signs of recovery. Ozone is a form of oxygen. It is found in the air we breathe and in Earth's atmosphere. The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere protects life on Earth.  The ozone there blocks harmful radiation from the Sun. But near Earth, ozone is a common pollutant. It can harm people, crops and other plants.
The UN report says the ozone layer appears to be improving because of a reduction of industrial chemicals into the air.
Scientists say the improving conditions are a result of an international treaty signed in 1987. It is called the Montreal Protocol.
The Montreal Protocol was meant to end the use of or sharply reduce over 100 known ozone depleting substances. It banned ozone-depleting chemicals, including man-made chlorofluorocarbons, also known as CFCs. They were once widely used in refrigerators, spray cans, insulation foam and fire suppression products.
The report comes as good news for Geir Braathen, a scientific officer with the World Meteorological Organization. He says a lot has changed for the better since the UN agency released its last report on ozone depletion four years ago. 

“Now for the first time in this report, we say that we see indications of a small increase in total ozone.  So that means that recovery of the ozone layer in terms of total ozone has just started.  If you go more specifically at the higher level, about 40 kilometers in the stratosphere high above the ground, there one sees a clear increase in ozone in recent years.”
Geir Braathen says this is a sign that the amount of ozone-depleting gases is decreasing and ozone levels are on the way up again. The stratospheric ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas. It protects the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
The UN Environment Program says the Montreal Protocol will prevent two million cases of skin cancer each year by 2030. Officials say it will also help prevent damage to human eyes and immune systems, which protect the body against disease.

The report finds the discontinuation of ozone-depleting substances has been good for the world climate. This is because many of these substances also are strong greenhouse gases -- pollution linked to climate change. But the report shows that some substitutes are themselves strong greenhouse gases that could harm these gains.
The WMO calls international action on the ozone layer a major environment success story. It is urging the same kind of unity to tackle the even greater issue of climate change.
I’m Caty Wever.
*This story came from reporter Lisa Schlein in Geneva. Marsha James adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words In This Story

deplete – v. to use up most or all of something
man-made - adj. made by people, not by nature

fragile – adj. easily broken or damaged
substitute; pl. substitutes – n. a person or thing that takes the place of someone or something elseEarth's Ozone Layer Shows Signs of Recovery Take our quiz
tackle – v. to deal with (something difficult)

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Earth's Ozone Layer Shows Signs of Recovery

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