Mike Atherton’s employees call him "Coach" for good reason. Since he bought Maui Tropical Plantation in 2006, the affable entrepreneur has been overseeing a comprehensive game plan to re-energize the 26-year-old attraction.

"We’ve painted the buildings, pruned the trees, spruced up the landscaping, basically given the grounds a complete makeover," Atherton said. "I’m an outdoors, hands-on guy; I get as dirty as my gardeners do, and I love it!"

A native of Stockton, Calif., Atherton comes from a distinguished family. His maternal great-grandfather was Benjamin Holt, founder of the Caterpillar equipment company. His paternal great-grandfather, the Rev. Isaac Warren Atherton, was a missionary in the Hawi-North Kohala area of the Big Island from 1878 to 1880. His paternal grandfather, Warren Atherton, was an attorney, judge and politician who’s best known for authoring the G.I. Bill.

Atherton and two partners have owned and operated Jesus Mountain Coffee Co. in Nicaragua for 30 years. They acquired the Coffees of Hawaii plantation on Molokai in 2002, and Atherton came to Maui three years later, seeking land to start a similar venture there.

"At the time, C. Brewer & Co. was shutting down and selling all its assets, including Maui Tropical Plantation," Atherton recalled. "The plantation was an agri-tourism attraction that had been open since 1984, so it had a lot of established growth. It also had a big parking lot, a store, a restaurant, dedicated employees and a good reputation. It was perfect; it just needed some tender loving care."

Armed with enthusiasm and fresh ideas, Atherton and his hui bought the 60-acre plantation and the surrounding 1,940 acres. Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. grows sugar cane on 1,600 acres of the parcel. Horses, goats, sheep and 125 head of cattle roam on the remaining land.

Maui Tropical Plantation, the property’s centerpiece, is an Eden in bloom year-round with 40 varieties of fruits and flowers. Visitors enjoy close-up looks at the crops during a narrated 35-minute tram tour that includes a coconut-husking demonstration.

New at the plantation are five zip lines ranging from 300 to 900 feet in length. On two tours offered by Maui Zipline, participants glide over the gardens and orchards and marvel at spectacular views of Maui’s north and south shores, Haleakala Volcano, the West Maui Mountains and the Central Maui isthmus. The finale of the five-line Tropical Adventure tour takes them through a stand of palm trees, over a lagoon and into a treehouse overlooking the water.

Atherton hopes to add more zip lines to the course, "including the longest one in the world, going from the top of the West Maui Mountains all the way down to the plantation." He also would like to introduce new cultural activities, including one revolving around taro.

"We’ll talk about taro’s importance in ancient times and how it’s cultivated," Atherton said. "We’ll have a poi-pounding demonstration and sell fresh poi and taro in the store. I’m excited about all the possibilities that will bring people to the plantation to learn about and enjoy the beauty of Maui. I’m lucky; I have a pickup truck for an office and a job that keeps me in touch with nature every day. I’d love to share that experience with visitors, even if it’s just for a few hours."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won multiple Society of American Travel Writers awards.