PA'IA — Rene Sylva, the first person to champion the preservation of native Hawaiian endemic plants, died Sunday at his family home on Pa'ia Bay. He was 79.

Sylva — a charter member of the Native Hawaiian Plant Society and a mentor to many Isle individuals and groups involved in environmental work — was hailed by peers as an "amazing, forward-thinking" conservationist.

His legacy includes developing the unprecedented native plant collection that evolved into the Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, and starting a Kaho'olawe revegetation program a decade before the Navy returned the former Target Isle to the state of Hawai'i. He also inspired Anna Palomino of Ha'iku to start Ho'olawa Farms, the first nursery of native Hawaiian endemic and indigenous plants; and guided the Honokowai Valley restoration project.

Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, followed by a potluck lunch and sharing of stories, family members said.

Rene Donald Sylva was born Jan. 27, 1929, in Pa'ia. He served eight years in the U.S. Army, including 22 months in the Korean War. Later, he worked for Fong Construction; then served as groundskeeper for the county Zoological and Botanical Gardens, forerunner of Maui Nui Botanical Gardens.

Kupuna Ed Lindsey of Makawao said Sylva was "an icon ... a living treasure in Hawai'i. He singlehandedly brought the plight of the endemic plants to the consciousness of many people, including government."

"His love for plants was paramount, and the environment for Maui was especially important to him," Lindsey said.

"One of his favorite sayings was: 'The result of nothing is nothing; so let's do something about it.' "

Art Medeiros, research biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said his own work restoring ecosystems "was based on the inspiration of Rene."

"He was one of the finest Native Hawaiian biologists that ever existed in modern times. When I say biologist, he was involved not just with plants, but Rene had regard for every Hawaiian bird, insect and snail. He had total respect for the 'aina, and total knowledge of it in its original form. He is completely irreplaceable."

A principal recipient of Sylva's knowledge was Palomino, co-owner of the two-acre Ho'olawa Farms, a repository of up to 150 native species.

"Rene just had lots of foresight," Palomino said. "Rene understood the plight of native plants many years ago, before anybody talked about them.

"I'm going to miss him a lot. He was just an environmentalist, always into conservation, an avid fisherman. He loved history. Rene was a lot of things to a lot of people."

Lisa Schattenburg-Raymond, eight-year executive director of Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, saluted Sylva's passion, exemplary spirit of collaboration and vision.

She recalled how he had "looked at the topography of the (Maui Nui Botanical Gardens) area ... and said, 'Oh, that would make a wonderful amphitheater.' "

She recounted when Sylva and a visiting botanist had discussed a "particular fern. They got up in the dark of night and went out to find this fern. This kind of excitement, that's just so rare."

Lucienne de Naie of Huelo, state chairwoman of the Sierra Club, paid tribute to Sylva's ability to nurture the endangered and forgotten.

"He was definitely one of the inspirational forces" of the Honokowai Valley restoration project, one who asked, "Can we take a place that's been forgotten by time and had deep importance and still has a vital place to play in living Hawaiian culture?

"There's so much here that's his legacy," she said.

Sylva is survived by a sister, Vera DeMello; two brothers, Randal "Buster" Sylva and Cecil "Tootsie" Sylva; and 50 to 60 nieces and nephews, according to nephew Robert Lopaka Aiwohi, who learned fishing in Pa'ia Bay at his uncle's side.

"They're all close to him. He was always single, but he was the uncle that everyone always respected, just because of his demeanor, his stature. There was only one way to do things, which everybody knows — it's his way or no way," Aiwohi said.

"A lot of his friends came over the last few days from the plant world. Yeah, he had a lotta love and attention before he left."