Immerse yourself in a virtual adventure dubbed "Hawai'i Kua Uli — The Sweep of Hawaiian Ecosystems" at a free event, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at ING Direct Caf in Waikīkī.

Samuel M. 'Ohukani 'ohi 'a Gon III, a senior scientist and cultural adviser for The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i, will serve as guide for the coast-to-summit trek — from Lake Waiau to streams feeding the sea, and surface waters to subterranean regions. Gon's talk, part of the ongoing Natural Treasures of Hawai'i Lecture Series, offers scientific and cultural perspectives on the systems, plants and animals that reside in the various environments of the Islands.

UPCOUNTRY COLOR

MAUI LAVENDER FARM HAS ROSES, TOO

On a drive to Upcountry Maui we found a hidden secret: Cathy Toda's lavender farm and the Maui Lavender Company. Toda has created the state's first and only purely organic lavender farm, featuring 82 lavender varieties and a collection of exotic roses.

Maui Lavender is the only lavender grown on an dormant volcano — on the cinder-covered slopes of majestic Mount Haleakalā, at an elevation of about 2,400 feet. Upcountry Maui provides a microclimate suitable for the growth of lavender; this drought-resistant plant thrives in colder regions.

Contemporary travelers seek out items that are made in the Islands, and by supporting the Maui lavender Company, they are sustaining a green Hawai'i.

For more video, visit Life is Good on http://pacificnetwork.tv/blog/life-is-good and the green channel http://SCIENCE.pacificnetwork.tv/GreenPicks.

GREEN IS THE GARDEN

WAIMEA VALLEY SPREADS CULTURE

Waimea Valley is launching a Garden Outreach program, to assist schools with creating authentic native Hawaiian and canoe plant gardens. Waimea's cultural programs staff will help schoolchildren care for the gardens and monitor progress. The inaugural garden is slated for Hau'ula Elementary School. For more information, contact Waimea's cultural programs coordinator, Ah Lan Diamond: 638-7766.

— Advertiser Staff