Posted on: Friday, May 25, 2001
Ousted Waimea botanist returns to job
By Yasmin Anwar
Advertiser Staff Writer
The ousted director of Waimea Falls Park's world-class botanical garden returned to his job yesterday, just three days after police escorted him off the North Shore eco-tourist attraction amid a dispute with the park's management.
However, two members of the Stewards of Waimea Valley community group, who object to the park's treatment of botanical and cultural sites at the 1,875-acre preserve, are still banned from the property.
David Orr, director of the Waimea Arboretum, says he appealed to the park's general manager, Ray Greene, to let him return to his job, and finally succeeded.
"I'm very grateful they're allowing me to get back in the saddle, and I promise to be neutral about everything else," said Orr, a 50-year-old Pennsylvania-born plantsman who is employed by the nonprofit Waimea Botanical Foundation.
Greene declined to elaborate yesterday on why he allowed Orr to return to his job, and denied public pressure played a role.
However, Ralph Bard, one of the two Waimea Valley stewards banned from the park, said he believes publicity played a large part in Orr's return.
"They relented to fantastic pressure from the media, a huge number of people on the North Shore who tied up the Waimea Falls phone lines and political pressure," Bard said.
Greene ordered Orr off the park grounds Monday, three days after Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee John Waihe'e IV toured the park with the Stewards of Waimea Valley. Waihe'e has been lobbying OHA to buy the property, which was put up for sale last August.
During the tour, Waihe'e saw buckets filled with labels of plants that had allegedly died because of neglect.
Greene objected to the display of the labels, which Orr had failed to remove, and said Orr and Waimea Valley stewards Bard and Scott Foster were "not working in the best interests of the park."
Orr has worked at the park since 1988 and oversees a collection of some 6,000 species, which includes native Hawaiian plants and species on the brink of extinction.
Orr's return to the job yesterday came as a relief to members of Hawai''s interdependent botanical community.
"When one park goes down and has major problems, it's a concern to all of us," said Ray Baker, a research associate at Manoa's Lyon Arboretum.
New York investor Christian Wolffer bought the spectacular Waimea Valley property in 1996, and set up thrill rides to boost the visitor count.
After years of declining attendance, he put the park on the market last August for $25 million.
The city and county of Honolulu has since initiated plans to buy the property, using condemnation if needed. Some OHA trustees also are looking into having the Office of Hawaiian Affairs buy the park. The Sea World theme park chain also toured the park as a potential buyer, but has not made an offer.
