The Hawaii Rare Plant Restoration Group The Plant Extinction Prevention Program (PEPP) was established as the implementation arm of the Hawai‘i Rare Plant Restoration Group (HRPRG). The HRPRG is a consortium of over 60 public and private land management agencies and landowners with a common goal to protect Hawai‘i’s rarest and endangered plant species. With guidance from the HRPRG, PEPP conducts in-the-field (in situ) management actions to preserve the rarest of Hawaiian plants statewide. PEPP's primary targets are the 236 “PEP species” which have fewer than 50 plants remaining in the wild. This designation signifies their imminent risk of extinction and a heightened need to protect all remaining plants. The Plant Extinction Prevention Program operates as a project of the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and is supported by State and Federal funds, grants, and donations from public and private institutions.
Collaborating Programs and Land Owners
Recovery of Hawai‘i’s rarest plants relies on PEPP's strong teamwork and collaboration with organizations across Hawai‘i who share a common goal of preventing the extinction of Hawai‘i’s flora. The breadth of organizations committed to supporting PEPP's mission represents one of the largest rare plant conservation networks in the United States.