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Hawaii Heritage Seed Project

Aloha!
 
My name is Ilana Stout, I am a Master's Degree Candidate in the Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science  program at the University of Hawai'i at Hilo.  I am studying heritage varieties of food and medicinal plants that were brought to Hawai'i during the plantation era.

If you are reading this, you have probably already watched the video description of my thesis research . But, in order to understand my connection to this project, it may help to know a little more about me. 

Background
I have been an avid gardener for all of my  life, and some of my earliest memories are of working in the community garden with  my mother. In the garden I feel a deep connection to both nature and to past generations of gardeners and farmers. I am fascinated by the ways that people and plants have shaped each other over the past 10,000 years.

I moved to Hawai'i Island in the Fall of 2000, and for 8 years I worked as a science teacher in a  low-income public high school here.  While teaching, I incorporated garden-based lessons into my curricula. Agriculture brings human history and natural history together in a way that makes it a powerful learning tool, and I used the garden as a way to start conversations about larger issues and to build community. 

During this time, I was also learning  about one particular aspect of the garden: Seeds. As I learned more about seed industry consolidation and the staggering loss of varietal diversity in our food crops,  I began  to experiment with saving my own seeds. I coordinated seed exchanges in my community and attended seed saving classes and workshops. But I wanted to do more. 

In 2013 , I decided to pursue graduate study related to preserving seed diveristy. I knew that many old varieties of seeds were being lost and that documenting their stories could help to preserve them. 

Throughout my first two years of my grad school, I have worked as a science lecturer at Hawai'i Community College . I also work with the Hawai'i Public Seed Initiative, a non-profit organization that focuses on promoting sustainable seed systems in the Hawaiian Islands and public access to high quality, locally adapted seed.  One recent product of my work with HPSI is our Seed Variety Selection Tool for the Hawaiian Islands , which helps local farmers and gardeners to share information about which crop varieties work best for them in their specific microclimates.

Unfortunately, the combination of these two jobs has not been enough to support me while in school, and  I have had to supplement my income with student loans . This has been a significant financial burden  and, while I am dedicated to completing my graduate studies, Ihave decided to take out no further Student loans .

I am asking for organizations and individuals to contribute so that I can dedicate more time to both classroom lessons and seed keeper interviews.

The Budget :
U.H. Hilo Graduate Student Cost of Attendance : $20,854  - $5004( I receive a tuition waiver for working the community college)= $ 15,850

Transportation: 
Gas for ~ 40 trips to schools/interviews at an average of 50 miles roundtrip per trip, $0.15 per mile: $ 300

Supplies to provide schools:
Paper & ink for curricular supplies/ teacher PD support/ student community surveys: $500

Incentives for teacher/student participation( School garden support or School Seed Bank Kits): $1000

Interview participant incentives ( thank you gifts): $200

Wish list items ( not included in budget at this time):

Digital recorders for student-led interviews: $200
Undergraduate intern stipend  for audio transcription support: $1000

Total: $17850

Final Thoughts
This project will connect youth and elders in an effort to preserve both cultural history and unique varieties of food and medicinal plants. In addition to collecting seed keepers' stories , I will also be offering an opportunity for them to donate seed samples for seed increase or to  a seed bank for long-term preservation.

This project will also examine whether or not secondary school level community surveys are an effective method for identifying seed keepers in Hawai’i. Researchers at the University of Georgia  have used similar techniques to identify heritage varieties brought to the United States by Vietnamese immigrants. This technique may  have broader applications across the state and may serve as a useful tool for identifying not only what varieties are saved, but also demographic information about seed keeper distribution. 

Increased knowledge of varietal distributions will aid in both in efforts to increase food (and seed) security in the islands and to help Hawaiian agriculture respond to environmental change.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or suggestions about this project.

Thank you for your support!
-Ilana

Organizer

Ilana Stout
Organizer
Hilo, HI

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