Surfrider Maui Chapter is thrilled to be collaborating with Treecovery Hawai`i, whose mission is to keep trees in the fire zone alive and provide trees for no charge to the residents and businesses in Lāhainā and Kula that lost their trees in the wildfire.
Last Friday, May 24th marked our first volunteer workday together. Maui community volunteers, some of whom had lost everything to the August 8th fire, gathered to help steward these trees along their journey to be planted in the burn zones. We transplanted 200 trees (citrus, avocado, wiliwili, alahe`e, `a`ali`i, milo and koaia) from smaller gallon pots and dibble tubes to larger 10-15 gallon pots and lined them up in rows along the Williams family Grow Hub property.
Treecovery currently has eight Grow Hubs across Maui, and is looking to expand to at least 16. Arborists estimate around 25,000 trees were destroyed in the August 8th fires. Treecovery has the goal of growing 30,000 trees to replenish all the trees that were lost and in the process incorporate more climate appropriate native species into the landscape.
Time and time again, the Maui community unites to care for each other. This day was no exception. While we carefully transplanted and cared for these trees, stories of loss and hope circulated through the group. These trees have felt the hands of that hope and will carry a powerful message back to Lāhainā when it is time to be planted.
Williams Family Grow Hub
Kelly and Kevin Williams, along with their two young children and one on the way (now three months old), lost their home and business in the August 8th Lāhainā fire. They shared how the fire robbed them of a sense of purpose and they, like many other families, were tempted to leave Maui. Ultimately, Kelly and Kevin felt the love and support of the Maui community and found there was more keeping them here than pushing them away.
Currently residing in a vacation rental community along with other fire victim families, the Wiliams family recently purchased a lot in Ukumehame to eventually build and live on. They learned about the opportunity to host a Treecovery Grow Hub and immediately felt compelled to utilize their land to help other fire victim families. Community was a large part of why they stayed here and now they get to provide an opportunity to engage the larger Maui community in this healing journey as well as providing a hands-on learning experience.
Want to get involved?
We will be continuing to team up with Treecovery through more volunteer workdays that will be posted as they come up as well as a couple other exciting projects in the works.
If the Williams family story resonates with you and you have property that you are interested in contributing to this effort please contact Duane Sparkman at treecoverylahaina@gmail.com.
If you are a resident of Lāhainā or Kula and lost any trees on your property and have not already, please visit the Treecovery website to request a Tree.
