Honolulu, HI

LYON ARBORETUM ASSOCIATION

EIN 23-7429693

Environment & Animal Welfare Wildlife & Habitat Conservation

Mission

The Friends of Lyon Arboretum is a nonprofit organization that supports Lyon Arboretum’s stewardship of Hawai‘i’s biodiversity and its conservation, education, and research activities. FLA engages the community and visitors by providing opportunities to enjoy and learn about this irreplaceable resource and to preserve it for future generations.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity Contributions are tax-deductible

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About LYON ARBORETUM ASSOCIATION

Lyon Arboretum Association (doing business as Friends of Lyon Arboretum) is a membership 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1975 that raises funds and provides volunteer and programmatic support for the Harold L. Lyon Arboretum, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa research unit and public botanical garden in Mānoa Valley, Honolulu. FLA’s work focuses on sustaining the Arboretum’s conservation, education, and research activities — including financial support for the Hawaiian Rare Plant Program, the Seed Conservation Laboratory, education programs, internships, and visitor engagement. Over the past several years FLA has helped fund construction and expansion projects (including the Seed Conservation Laboratory and community trails) and sponsors annual internships and community programming that connect residents and students with native-plant conservation.

Notable achievements

Seed Conservation Laboratory funding

FLA provided funding support for the Arboretum’s Seed Conservation Laboratory and related Hawaiian Rare Plant Program activities, enabling expanded ex situ conservation work and seed banking for threatened native species.

Support for large-scale seed banking

Through grantmaking and member support, FLA helped sustain operations that have allowed the Arboretum’s conservation facilities to bank millions of native Hawaiian seeds and scale propagation and restoration efforts across the islands.

Education, internships and on-site improvements

FLA sponsors an annual summer internship program, funds education and community programs, and has supported on-site improvements such as the Larry Helber trail to increase access and outdoor learning opportunities.

At a glance

Total assets: $701K
Annual revenue: $392K
Tax status: 501(c)(3)Public charity
EIN: 23-7429693
Location: Honolulu, HI
Website: friendsoflyon.org
On Mahalo since: May 2026

Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.

Recognition

Lyon Arboretum’s Seed Conservation Laboratory (supported by FLA) received international recognition in 2024 for its seed-conservation work.

Affiliations and professional memberships tied to the Arboretum include participation in Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the Center for Plant Conservation, and American Public Gardens Association, reflecting recognized institutional standing in the botanic-garden and plant-conservation community.

Recent media and institutional coverage of the Arboretum’s conservation work (including Hawaii Public Radio and University of Hawaiʻi news features during 2023–2025) highlights the program’s role in statewide efforts to preserve Hawai‘i’s rare plants.

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