11/13/14 – Nominations Sought For The Hawaii Big Tree Competition

Posted on Nov 13, 2014 in Forestry & Wildlife, News Releases

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
News Release

NEIL ABERCROMBIE
GOVERNOR
WILLIAM J. AILA JR,
CHAIRPERSON

For Immediate News Release November 13, 2014   

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR THE HAWAII BIG TREE COMPETITION 
Nomination Deadline:  Dec. 31, 2014   

 
HONOLULU – The holiday season marks the beginning of the annual Hawaii Big Tree Competition.  Sponsored by the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife and American Forests, the program focuses attention on the largest trees in each species, as a way to raise awareness about the importance of healthy trees and forests. In 2014, a coconut palm in Hawaii Kai, Coco, was crowned the national Big Tree winner and the National Ultimate Big Tree after several weeks of online voting. 

The Hawai‘i Big Tree Competition does not have a champion for the following Hawaiian species that are eligible for the National Big Tree Program.  Therefore, any tree nominated from the following list will likely be crowned a champion.

Hawaiian Tree Name Genus & Species
Lama Diospyros sandwicensis
‘Ohi‘a ha Syzygium sandwicense
‘Ohi‘a ai Syzygium malaccense
Koki‘o ke‘oke‘o Hibiscus arnottianus
Ma‘o hau hele Hibiscus brackenridgei
Aloalo Hibiscus clayii
Kāwa‘u Ilex anomala
Nenelau Rhus sandwicensis
Lonomea Sapindus oahuensis
A‘e Zanthoxylum oahuense
Wauke Broussonetia papyrifera
 
The 10 current Hawai‘i champions are listed below. To replace a current champion, the challenger tree must have more total points.  Total Points = Trunk Circumference (inches) + Height (feet) + ¼ Average Crown Spread (feet).   
  
Niu (Cocos nucifera) in Hawea Heiau Complex and Keawawa Wetland, O‘ahu 
(Circumference: 13.5) (Height: 112) (Crown Spread: 16.42)

Wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis) in Waikoloa Dry Forest, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 186.96) (Height: 40) (Crown Spread: 43.50)

Olopua (Nestegis sandwicensis) in Pu‘u wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 204.52) (Height: 32) (Crown Spread: 42.58)

Pāpalakēpau (Pisonia brunoniana) in Pu‘u wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 52.46) (Height: 28) (Crown Spread: 15.25)

Māmane (Sophora chrysophylla) in Pu‘u wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 165) (Height: 24) (Crown Spread: 25.5)

Kōlea lau nui (Myrsine lessertiana) in Pu‘u wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 85.14) (Height: 32) (Crown Spread: 25.5)

Koa (Acacia koa) in Kona Hema Preserve, South Kona, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 343) (Height: 115) (Crown Spread: 93)

Hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus) in Hulihe‘e Palace, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 110) (Height: 20) (Crown Spread: 25)

A‘ali‘i (Dodonaea viscosa) in Maui Nui Botanical Gardens, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 23) (Height: 17) (Crown Spread: 16)

Mānele (Sophora chrysophylla) in Volcanoes National Park, Hawai‘i Island 
(Circumference: 30) (Height: 73) (Crown Spread: 57) 

 

To nominate a tree, contact Hawai‘i Big Tree coordinator Kylee Ah Choy at (808) 587-0164 and provide the tree height, trunk circumference, and average crown spread.  Also, please know your tree’s specific location (GPS coordinates are appreciated). 

For more on the Hawaii Big Tree Program: dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/info/big-tree/   
For more on the National Big Tree Program: www.americanforests.org/bigtrees/bigtrees-search 
For a video on Coco: https://vimeo.com/90280740 

# # #

Dan Dennison                                 
Senior Communications Manager                 
Office of the Chair
Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 130 
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 

Tel    808-587-0407 
Cell   808-295-8749 
Fax   808-587-0390 
[email protected]