Current Grantee Partners
2024 Arbor Day Partners
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Organization: City and Country of Honolulu, Division of Urban Forestry Award Amount: $4,960 Project Title: Mayor’s Arbor Day Celebration Māʻili Community Park Project Category: Arbor Day Location: Māʻili, Oʻahu Project Overview: The Division of Urban Forestry is organizing a tree planting, tree giveaway, and education fair at Māʻili Community Park for 2024 Mayor’s Arbor Day. DUF will collaborate with Māʻili Elementary and community groups to plant shade trees, donate native/fruit trees, and host an education fair. About: The City’s Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Urban Forestry (DUF) is dedicated to protecting and improving Oʻahu’s urban forest and tree canopy. The Honolulu Botanical Gardens (HBG) branch and the Community Forestry section focus on urban forestry education and working with the community to reforest urban ʻāina and facilitate community-informed and community-based stewardship of public spaces.
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Organization: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc. Award amount: $7,000 Project Title: Arbor Day Garden Expo and Hawaiian Tree Giveaway Project Category: Arbor Day Location: Maui Project Overview: The purpose of this event is to increase urban tree cover in residential areas in Maui, encourage Maui residents to value native Hawaiian trees in cultivation and in forests, and promote best tree care practices for urban landscapes. The activities are a Garden Expo and Tree Giveaway held November 2, 2024, where native Hawaiian and non-invasive Polynesian introduced trees are distributed, one per person, with free hands-on Hawaiian crafts using native trees, free tree care and horticultural demos, forest conservation information, a keiki tree climbing activity with certified arborists, and additional ʻōhiʻa trees and ʻōhiʻa related activities and presentations sponsored by partners. About: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is a public native plant garden in Central Kahului with free admission for Hawaiʻi residents. Their mission is to foster an appreciation and understanding of Maui Nui’s plants and their role in Hawaiian cultural expression by providing a gathering place for discovery, education, and conservation. Throughout the year they offer docent- and self-guided tours, cultural workshops utilizing native plants, and free plant consultations. |
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Organization: Garden Island Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. Award amount: $7,000 Project Title: Kauaʻi Arbor Day Free Trees and Tree Information Project Category: Arbor Day Location: Kauaʻi Project Overview: Kauaʻi Landscape Industry Council (KLIC), a project of Garden Island Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. (GIRC&D) has offered free trees since 2006. Members of KLIC plan year-round to offer an educational event with at least 650 free native, canoe and non-invasive trees and shrubs. Plant information is available to show cultural and growing needs for all plants offered. Arbor Day builds a stronger community by educating the public on proper plant selection along with use and care. The health of people and the urban landscape is enhanced and strengthened with thriving plants. About: The mission of GIRC&D is to carry out a plan for the orderly conservation, development and prudent use of natural and human resources to improve economic, social and environmental opportunities for the people of Kauaʻi. |
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Organization: Planting Trees for Hawaii Award amount: $4,763 Project Title: 2024 Arbor Day Fruit Tree Distribution in Nānākuli, Waianae Project Category: Arbor Day Location: Oʻahu Project Overview: In partnership with the Nānākuli Elementary School, the project will enhance local food production in the urban landscape by growing and distributing 200 grafted fruit trees grown through the school’s plant nursery. Trees will be distributed to residents of Nānākuli via a drive-through Tree Giveaway event in November 2024. About: Planting Trees for Hawaii is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering disadvantaged individuals and communities to harness the transformative power of nature by cultivating and planting trees. Our mission is to create a sustainable and greener world while fostering economic, social, and environmental well-being for all. We work throughout the Hawaiian Islands with tree nurseries on Maui and Oʻahu to propagate and distribute fruit trees. |
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Organization: Molokaʻi Land Trust Award amount: $7,000 Project Title: Arbor Day 2024 Tree Distribution Project Category: Arbor Day Location: Molokaʻi Project Overview: Molokaʻi Land Trust will collect and grow out more than 300 seedlings (for example – ʻaʻaliʻi, kou, ʻōhia, koaiʻa, ʻūlei, māmaki and/or ʻākia) for a community giveaway Arbor Day event, 2nd November 2024. The plants will be matched with information about planting and care. MLT will also work with MISC to provide education about invasive species threats to the island. About: The mission of the Moloka’i Land Trust is to protect and restore the land, natural and cultural resources of Moloka’i, and to promote, educate, and perpetuate the unique Native Hawaiian traditions and character of the islands for the benefit of the future generations of all Moloka’i, particularly Native Hawaiians. |
2023 Community Partners
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Organization: National Tropical Botanical Garden Award amount: $18,380 Project Title: Grow Aloha Project Category: Education & Public Outreach Location: Kauaʻi, Maui Project Overview: The Grow Aloha program places community at the heart of efforts to restore Hawaiian plants and their cultural connections in the built environment. The program spotlights a Hawaiian tree each month, gifting the respective native species or heritage crop to kamaʻāina at NTBG botanic gardens on Kauaʻi and Maui. This is coupled with accessible community education in the form of webinars and “how-to” videos, to ensure horticultural success and broader reach across Hawaiʻi. By routinely giving away these trees and empowering our communities to grow them, NTBG is working towards ecological restoration and cultural preservation simultaneously, using the urban landscape as a site for transformation. About: The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) is a not-for-profit dedicated to perpetuating tropical plants, ecosystems, and cultural heritage. We do so through an approach called biocultural conservation that centers Indigenous knowledge and our communities.
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Organization: Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative Award amount: $14,100 Project Title: Wiliwili Legacy Initiative Project Category: Urban and Community Forestry Technology Tools, Education & Public Outreach, Tree Planting & Tree Care Location: Hawaiʻi Project Overview: This project aims to build upon existing efforts of the Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative to provide native wiliwili trees to the community by hosting tree giveaways, producing and disseminating tree care information, and establishing an online system for mapping and tracking these trees in the region of Waikōloa. This project was inspired by the ‘Ōhi’a Legacy Initiative in place on Oahu and aims to celebrate and promote wiliwili trees in a similar manner. In partnership with the STEM coordinator and teachers at Waikōloa Elementary and Middle School, local students will be involved in this project to provide an opportunity for them to use technology to develop an online application that tracks the real-world impacts of native wiliwili planting in the community. About: The mission of the Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative is to preserve and share the rich cultural heritage of Hawai’i through sustainable practices, empowering community members with ancestral knowledge and fostering personal and cultural values. |
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Organization: Aloha Tree Alliance Award amount: $20,000 Project Title: Native plant nursery to promote sustainable urban reforestation Project Category: Tree Planting & Tree Care Location: Oʻahu Project Overview: Aloha Tree Alliance (ATA) has been working to restore the Kuli`ou`ou watershed, a critical source of water for Honolulu utilizing traditional Hawaiian forest management techniques such as kipuka (small, controlled restoration areas) methods that engender long-term ecological resilience and improved forestry stewardship. Progress has been limited by the limited availability of native plants within local nurseries. The project will build a 960 sq-foot nursery within the Kamilo Nui Valley in Hawaii Kai to provide a sustainable supply of native plants for ATA’s reforestation efforts and the community. The project will also offer a local green workforce development opportunity by creating a new manager position for the nursery. About: The mission of the Aloha Tree Alliance (ATA) is to mitigate climate change and protect Oahu’s watersheds by advancing resilient urban forests. ATA has focused on partnering with local community, forest service, and forestry experts to revitalize the Kuli`ou`ou Ridge Trail and watershed, an area that has been severely impacted by climate change, as well as invasive guava and ironwood trees. |
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Organization: Mahana Gardens Award amount:$5,410 Project Title: The Banyan at Mahana – a Molokaʻi arboretum Project Category: Education & Public Outreach, Tree Planting & Tree Care Location: Molokaʻi Project Overview: This is the first phase in the creation of a safe and accessible space for Moloka`i residents to learn about the value and diversity of trees. By securing the tree canopy around the central banyan tree, community members can explore the nearby fruit orchard, walk the paths that showcase mature trees, and receive respite from the arid conditions experienced by much of west Moloka`i. In the process, people will be inspired to be good stewards to their own land and pursue careers in related professions. About: Mahana Gardens is a tree nursery with infrastructure to support propagation, education, and the general enjoyment of nature. For decades it has been a destination for Moloka`i residents who want to plant trees and learn about tree care. |
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Organization: Kaulana Kīlauea Award amount: $6,854 Project Title: Kīlauea Dispensary Park Beautification Project Project Category: Education & Public Outreach, Tree Planting & Tree Care Location: Kauaʻi Project Overview: This project is focused on making one of Kīlauea’s only public green spaces (one of just two), more welcoming and usable for the public by creating shaded areas with native trees that were once abundant in the area, and educating the community about their cultural and historical importance through the creation and installation of interpretive signage. About: Kaulana Kīlauea’s mission is to provide services, resources, and events that educate participants about the unique history of Kīlauea, Kauaʻi and/or promote multicultural unity within, but not limited to, the community of Kīlauea. Kaulana Kīlauea recently executed a stewardship agreement with the County of Kauaʻi to steward Kīlauea Dispensary Park. |
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Organization: Koali Niu Award amount: $10,000 Project Title: Koali Niu Project Project Category: Education & Public Outreach, Tree Planting & Tree Care Location: Maui Project Overview: The project involves clearing invasive plants, mainly African Tulip, hau, and bamboo from approximately three acres of historically significant ancient lo’i in Koali, Hana Maui, and reforesting following an agroforestry framework. The project includes planting native varieties of niu (coconut), ʻulu (breadfruit) kalo, and other regional fruit trees with the partnership with the community. About: Koali Niu is a center that will provide the community with associated niu knowledge, planting material as well as become a living gene bank for the variety of Hawaiian coconut (niu) and breadfruit (ʻulu). The mission is co-developed with the guidance from Niu Now co-founder Indrajit Gunasekara. |
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Award amount: $5,000 Project Title: Lā Ho‘olulu Pae Moku Project Projecy Category: Tree Planting & Tree Care Location: Maui Project Overview: The project centers on engaging Hawaii’s population, especially school children, in understanding the climate threats and taking steps to address them is the most effective way for the state to mitigate the challenges. The campaign month is November, because plants going into the ground then are more likely to receive rainfall and survive than other times of the year, but some organizations plant with us continuously throughout the year. The model is one of distributed self-service, with each planting site deciding what to plant, how many, how many volunteers to accept and on which date and time. About: Lā Ho‘oulu Pae Moku / ReTree Hawaii was formed in late 2019 to organize a state-wide tree planting day on October 30, 2020 as part of Hawai‘i’s struggle to mitigate climate change. After the initial planting day, the participating organizations and individuals supported the continuation of the program. |
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Award amount: $5,679 Project Title: Hāmākualoa Community Reforesting Project Category: Tree Planting & Tree Care Location: Maui Project Overview: The Hāmākualoa Community Reforesting project will return former agricultural lands (pineapple, mostly) to a state closer to what they were before the plantation era. The Hāmākualoa moku of Maui has been a rich area for hundreds of years and industrial farming had a cultural and ecological impact on the region. Through community involvement, the Hāmākualoa Open Space can be a lasting community and ecological asset by (among other things) removing invasive species and restoring native trees and shrubs. About: Malama Hāmakua Maui (MHM) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit, incorporated in Hawaiʻi in 2016. The founders and board members are all local residents of Haiku and many have family roots going back many generations. MHM has partnered with Maui County to plan and help manage the future of the Hāmākualoa Open Space Preserve, located in Haiku. The vision is to restore the land and cultural uses of the Open Space. |
Past Grantee Partners
Award amount: $50,000 Project Title: Students Propagating ‘Ulu Trees for Schools on O‘ahu (SPROUTS-O‘ahu) Forest Action Plan Priorities: Climate Change, Education & Outreach, Health & Well-being, Urban Tree Care Location: Oʻahu Project Overview: Farm to school engages students and school communities as agents of change for local food systems. As part of the broader farm to school movement in Hawai‘i, the SPROUTS-O‘ahu project will involve students and teachers in the propagation, planting, care, and curricular integration of ‘ulu (breadfruit) trees at Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) public and public charter schools across O‘ahu. Beginning in January 2023 under the guidance of expert staff at the HIDOE Plant Nursery Kaimukī, students from Kaimukī Middle School will engage in the propagation of fifty ‘ulu trees, which will be distributed for planting at twenty five schools across O‘ahu in conjunction with Arbor Day in November 2023. Teams of teachers and grounds staff from each school will be enrolled in a 12-week, credit-earning, HIDOE-sponsored PDE3 course during the fall 2023 semester to equip them with the necessary skills and tools for proper tree planting, care, and curricular integration with students. The initiative has expanded to become an umbrella for a variety of programming and collaborations between researchers, instructors, and extension faculty within the Collage of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) around local agriculture including Farm2School, the Food Systems Working Group, container gardening, local commodities, home and school gardens, healthy recipes, and field day events. Award amount: $50,000 Project Title: Promoting Tree Planting and Care Through Education to Build Resilient Communities in Leeward Oʻahu Forest Action Plan Priorities: Education & Outreach, Health & Well-being, Urban Tree Care Location: Leeward Oʻahu Project Overview: Scientists predict that by 2050, impacts of climate change will affect Leeward Oʻahu communities disproportionately with rising temperatures, more wildfires, and increased periods of sustained drought. Composed predominantly of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, many living in poverty, Leeward Oʻahu residents need and deserve support to build resilient communities. This project will provide education, training, and opportunities for mitigating climate change impacts through tree planting. The focal audience will be high school students and their families, giving them meaningful outdoor experiences through work in partnership with schools, clubs, and other groups. The project will give at-risk youth skills in problem-solving and community outreach while learning career-building skills such as growing trees, planting properly, and providing tree care. Through television outreach, thousands more will understand the value of planting trees to improve their health and well-being. About: Mālama Learning Center is a place in West O‘ahu that brings art, science, conservation and culture together to promote sustainable living throughout Hawai‘i. MLC strives to unify area schools, residents and businesses around a shared ethic of caring and conservation. Its mission is to teach and inspire communities to create healthy living environments. Award amount: $50,000 Project Title: Food Trees For Schools Inititative Forest Action Plan Priorities: Education & Outreach, Health & Well-being, Urban Tree Care, Water Quality & Green Infrastructure, Wildland Urban Interface Location: Statewide Project Overview: As part of Bank of Hawaii’s (BOH) 125th Anniversary celebration, BOH is partnering with Hawai‘i Public Health Institute (HIPHI) to distribute and plant food/fruit trees at selected Hawai‘i Department of Education (DOE) schools across six islands to fulfill the goals of BOH’s tree initiative. The objective of this partnership is for HIPHI to develop resources to support DOE tree plantings, and to distribute and plant 30 food/fruit trees and support materials in 2022 with a $30,000 grant from BOH Foundation. During our application period, we experienced a high demand for the project, having received 27 applications from schools across Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island . As stated previously, within our original project scope we will only be able to award 6 schools with tree plantings. The applicant pool is highly competitive, most schools having demonstrated a strong need and institutional/school wide support for a tree planting project. Additional funding will permit us to award more schools with trees. About: The mission is to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s statewide farm to school movement by supporting our Island Networks in the areas of capacity building, resource development and sharing, professional development, and policy development and advocacy. Organization: Pop Up Labs for Sustainability (PULS) Award amount: $6,700 Project Title: Building the Next Generation of Urban Foresters Category: Education & Outreach Location: Oʻahu Project Overview: The goal is to cultivate the next generation of urban foresters through education. PULS will bring our action-oriented unit, Become a Tree-Hugger, which merges STEAM/Sustainable learning, to 4 schools in the 2021-22 academic year. The result will be 200 urban forestry stewards and a suite of tools – a teaching manual & PULS-in-a-Box – to share with other island schools to scale up our impact. The overarching objectives are to increase awareness of urban trees and their benefits to the O’ahu community by focusing on student education. Our approach is to provide a rigorous unit where students return to the lab, on average, four times for integrated lessons on tree ecology, tree health, tree ecosystem services, and tree conservation. About: The mission of PULS is to bridge STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts+design, and mathematics) and sustainable learning to help youth discover their potential in the field while inspiring commitment to protect our Earth among the next generation. Organization: Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo (Kaʻōnohi Farms) Award amount: $7,500 Project Title: Native Restoration Category: Tree Planting Location: Aiea, Hawaiʻi Project Overview: Located in the moku of Ewa and the ahupua’a of Kalauao rests a 2 ½ acre kipuka amonst the sprawl of an urban jungle. Concrete neighbors include a major highway, acres of parking lot, and the second largest shopping mall in Hawai’i. These modern developments were built upon some of the most fertile and intensively cultivated lands on O’ahu. Hundreds of lo’i kalo (taro patches) and loko i’a (fishponds) once thrived here. Today, these lands would be unrecognizable to the people of old who first made this place home. The goal is to create opportunities for contributors to establish a connection to the place they live, create self worth, well-being and pride in aloha aina. East Ewa is densely developed with the rest of ewa moku rapidly catching up. With few spaces for community to access in the central side of `Oahu, this space and project is invaluable. About: KUA is an innovative, community-based initiative for protecting, restoring and caring for Hawaiʻi. Our unique native species, ecosystems and island way of life in Hawaiʻi are deeply interconnected, and are at the heart of what makes these islands “home.” Organization: Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School Award amount: $4,570 Project Title: Kaʻū High School Agroforestry Project Category: Tree Planting Location: Pāhala, Hawaiʻi Project Overview: Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary Schoolʻs AgHui is seeking to plant edible fruit trees including cacao, ʻulu (breadfruit), ʻohiʻaʻai (mountain apple), jackfruit, lychee, moringa, soursop, starfruit, and abiu on our 3.62 acre school farm. Through creating a food forest, we hope to increase food security in Kaʻū and create a living, learning laboratory for our teachers, students, and community members. About: Kaʻū High & Pāhala Elementary School is a small, rural, K-12 school on Hawaiʻi Island. Beginning this year, we are launching our Academy for Agri-preneurship, which prepares students to be engaged community members who practice mālama ʻāina (conservation and sustainability) and contribute to the socio-economic resiliency of Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi, and the world. Organization: ʻOhu ʻOhu Koʻolau, Inc Award amount: $4,000 Project Title: Community Engagement and Volunteer Support at Ala Mahamoe Urban Forest Restoration Site Category: Education and Outreach Location: Moanalua, Oʻahu Project Overview: This project will support ongoing efforts to improve watershed health and recharge at the Ala Mahamoe community dryland forest restoration site in Moanalua. Education of the community and local students increase conservation knowledge, and hosted volunteer workdays allow for access to the urban-wildlands interface and will consist of planting native species, weeding, and watering. Staff and volunteers will work to establish a variety of native Hawaiian plants. Support staff will visit with participating classrooms or organizations to explain the project and the benefits of such work in watershed protection. Education topics will include a discussion of native vs. non-native species and the role native plants play in overall watershed health; and identification of rare and threatened plants as well as common native species at the site. Additional hands-on activities for students will include creating plant and positive messaging signage for the Ala Mahamoe Restoration site and creating native seed balls to disperse in the restoration zone. The clay and soil mix have native seeds incorporated to contain layers of a forest (ground cover, shrubs, and tree). The clay in the seed balls protects the seeds from the heat of the sun and is unaffected by wind and heavy rains. An outdoor classroom event will also be conducted where students can place their signs and seed balls within the restoration site as well as get a hands-on learning experience with planting native trees. These activities will all work in sync with one another to progress the restoration of this community resource. About: ‘Ohu ‘Ohu Ko‘olau, Inc. DBA: Koʻolau Watershed Foundation is the non-profit fiscal sponsor to the Ko‘olau Mountains Watershed Partnership (KMWP). ‘Ohu ‘Ohu Ko‘olau, Inc. works in collaboration with KMWP to foster landowner collaboration and perpetuate the water resources of O‘ahu by protecting and enhancing the forests of the Ko‘olau Mountains and its invaluable native ecosystems. Organization: Dynamic Community Solutions Award amount: $7,383 Project Title: Inaugural Farming Plot of the Puʻuhonua o Waiʻanae Ma Uka Farm Village Category: Tree Planting Location: Waeʻanae, Oʻahu Project Overview: Puʻuhonua o Waiʻanae Ma Uka (POWMU) Farm Village is a planned 20-acre farm and group living facility that will be the permanent home for up to 250 currently houseless residents of the Puʻuhonua o Waiʻanae (POW) community near Waiʻanae Boat Harbor. The proposed project is for tree plantings of niu, maiʻa, ʻulu, mīkana (papaya), and edible fig along the ma uka/northern perimeter of the farm village. This project inaugurates the Village’s agroforestry and farming activities and is intended to support residents’ food security, contributing to their overall nutrition, health and connection to culturally important trees and crops. About: POWMU is led by the nonprofit Dynamic Community Solutions, created by and for residents using a “community first” model, where relationships form the basis for healing, hope and housing transition. With more than 75% of residents identifying as Native Hawaiian, the Farm Village blends traditions of communal living with innovative approaches to affordable housing, services, and community. Organization: Better Block Hawaiʻi Award amount: $5,325 Project Title: Trees for Kalihi Category: Education and Outreach Location: Kalihi, Oʻahu Project Overview: “Trees for Kalihi” is a community-driven effort that will take place in the Kalihi neighborhood. With less than 20% of tree canopy, Kalihi has the lowest level of tree canopy on Oahu. Due in part to its lack of greenery, this area is also one of the hottest neighborhoods on island, with an afternoon heat index of over 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Through the installation of street trees and public seating, this project aims to increase the health and wellbeing for all who live in or visit the area by increasing exposure to trees and public artwork, and providing opportunities for social interaction. This project also supports equity and access goals by focusing its activities in an underserved neighborhood. Additionally, through community outreach, this project aims to raise awareness and interest for planting more trees in the Kalihi neighborhood. The highly visible tree planters and seating will be painted and branded “Trees For Kalihi”, along with matching social media accounts, to demonstrate demand for trees in this area. About: Better Block Hawaiʻi is a 501(c)3 non-profit Community Development Organization. By facilitating “light, quick, cheap” placemaking projects, we educate and equip communities to reshape public spaces to promote healthy and vibrant neighborhoods. Most recently, we worked with community partners in Kaimuki to install three “parklets” to support local businesses and create more usable public space. Award amount: $7,500 Project Title: Kuliʻouʻou Trail Restoration Category: Tree Planting Location: East Honolulu, Oʻahu Project Overview: The Kuliʻouʻou trail suffers from degradation due to invasive species, erosion, heavy use, and lack of state funding. ATA will bring together East Oahu residents, environmental groups, schools and tourists to plant trees, reduce runoff, increase diversity and build resilience in the face of climate change. Objectives: About: Aloha Tree Alliance (ATA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to preserve and restore Hawaii’s forests for future generations through native tree planting and environmental education. ATA aims to reconnect people with nature through aloha and malama ʻāina. Its first restoration project at Kuliʻouʻou Ridge trail will benefit East Honolulu forests, Maunalua Bay, and the Kuliʻouʻou community. Organization: Hui o Hoʻohonua Award amount: $30,000 Project Title: Hui Alaloa – Creating New Pathways for Abundance in the ʻEwa Moku Category: Tree Planting (Level II) Location: ʻEwa Moku, Oʻahu Project Overview: Honoring traditional Hawaiian systems of resource management, this demonstration project brings together community partners in a single biocultural restoration project. This project seeks to create a demonstration agroforestry project based along a quarter mile stretch of the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail (Puʻuloa Alaloa) based on our project pillars: community activation (via community work days, education, school-based leadership opportunities and cultural mural project), placemaking (enhancing community identity and public spaces, decolonizing place names and integrating Hawaiian moʻolelo and manaʻo), equitable food security (establishing a place with access to food and culturally relevant plants for community use) and mobility (providing improved safety and public use of the Pearl Harbor Bike Path for walking, biking and related wellness activities, providing a sustainable transportation alternative for those commuting to jobs and schools in the area). About: Hui o Hoʻohonua (HOH808) is a 501 (c)3 non-profit created by members of the ʻEwa community. The primary mission is to end the perpetuation of historical trauma to the land, water, and people in the ʻEwa Moku on Oʻahu. The development of our mission was motivated by our observations of environmental neglect and pollution in Pearl Harbor (Puʻuloa), as well as the social needs of the people who live in the surrounding moku. Award amount: $154,000 Project Title: Land Accountability to Our Ancestors Category: Education and Outreach (Level II) Location: The ahupuaʻa of Kalihi, Kona moku, Oʻahu Project Overview: Land Accountability for Our Ancestors is a two-year project to Promote the Role of Urban and Community Forestry in Human Health and Wellness. The project will be led by Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services (KKV), a federally qualified health center (FQHC), and The Kohala Center (TKC), a community-based center for research, conservation, and education. KKV is a Nontraditional Urban Community Forestry organization, serving a High Potential Community. The project develops a research partnership with TEK experts knowledgeable in content and practice to solidify a set of native forest management practices and train forest stewards with the intention to impact national and international forest management practices. Activities include multi-day forestry workshops, convenings, and forestry workdays with staff, partners, and community members. Products created and distributed through conference participation, PDF documents, PowerPoint reports, Social Media, community engagement, and flyers, include Best Management Practices for indigenous forestry stewardship, training and educational curriculum, videos and plant products. Translations of key documents will be made in several languages including Spanish, Chuukese, Marshallese, and Ilocano, expanding the accessibility of the products developed through this project. About: Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services (KKV) has been serving the low-income community of Kalihi Valley since 1972 and became a FQHC in 1989. With nine service sites, including a 100-acre nature preserve Hoʻoulu ‘Āina, KKV provides primary care including medical, dental and behavioral, Elder Care, Maternal Child Health programs, and a range of community-engagement programs focused on Social Determinants of Health. Organization: Ke Kula Nui o Waimānalo Award amount: $40,000 Project Title: Ulu Pono MahiʻĀina 2.0 Category: Education & Outreach (Level II) Location: The ahupuaʻa of Waimānalo, Koolaupoko moku, Oʻahu Project Overview: The vision for Ulu Pono MahiʻĀina: Indigenous, Place-Based Training Program restoring Food Sovereignty + Growing Community holds space for the convergence of all aspects of societal function within the realm of a subsistence economy and with a cultivated and deliberate return of power to the people, especially the most vulnerable of our communities. About: We are Ke Kula Nui O Waimānalo. Our vision is to Kukulu Kaiaulu- Build Community. Our mission is to provide a community of practice through collaboration of Kanaka to promote strong and healthy ahupuaʻa. We provide numerous programs in our community, including MALAMA Aquaponics, Waimanalo Limu Hui, Waimanalo Pono Research Hui, Project P INK, Ola Kino, OLA- Opio Leadership Academy, Hui Hua Moa and others. Our premier program MALAMA Aquaponics has operated since 2009. Organization: Nanakuli High and Intermediate School Award amount: $2,264 Project Title: NHIS ʻAʻaliʻi Tree Buffer Category: Arbor Day Location: Waiʻanae, Oʻahu Project Overview: The ʻAʻaliʻi Tree Buffer project will occur along Nanakuli Avenue on a denuded strip of land belonging to Nanakuli High and Intermediate School. The project site borders the school’s Hoʻopulapula (Hawaiian Homesteading) Academy Farm and is intended to reduce erosion, replace invasive non-native plants, mitigate potential wildfires, and provide a wind break for down-wind crops. The project supplements the intermediate’s homesteading academy curriculum which teaches sustainability and farming from a Hawaiian cultural perspective. About: Nanankuli High and Intermediate (NHIS) is a 7th – 12th grade public school that focuses on fostering positive and caring relationships, providing a stimulating curriculum and making learning relevant for all students. NHIS students (beneficiaries) are predominately Native Hawaiian and/or Pacific Islander and come from low-income households. Organization: Trees for Honolulu’s Future Award amount: $3,000 Project Title: Measuring IMPACT & Capturing BEST PRACTICES in Tree Adoption Events to cultivate Community/Trees Category: Arbor Day Location: Honolulu, Oʻahu Project Overview: Kaimuki Arbor Day 2021 – A community growing trees together! benefited residents who received trees, our community growers, and the businesses involved in publicizing/serving as rewards for those who followed through with 3 commitments – planting, registering, and posting about their adopted trees. This follow on project will exponentially expand the benefitting parties by following the residents who received the trees to find out outcomes. This grant will support research, publication, and dissemination of factual conclusions and best practices about an actual tree adoption event. This study will be valuable to communities across the state, and beyond, that wish to engage in growing communities through tree planting with residents through tree “giveaway” events that result in an increased tree planting/survival rate. By understanding the “nudges”, or the human psychology, that will move people from a wish, a good thought like “I should plant a tree”, into action, will be a critical deliverable. It will provide recommendations and best practices that could increase the tree canopy and care of our trees. About: The mission of Trees for Honolulu’s Future includes facilitating the planting and caring for new trees and the protecting of existing trees in communities across O‘ahu and specifically connecting communities with expert assistance and funding; Educating the public and government officials on the benefit of the right tree, in the right place, getting the right care; Advocating for laws, policies, projects, and funding that support the planting and caring for and protection of trees. Organization: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc. Award amount: $5,000 Project Title: Arbor Day Garden Expo and Tree Give Away Category: Arbor Day Location: Kahului, Maui Project Overview: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens’ Arbor Day Garden Expo and Tree Giveaway has the goals of increasing urban tree cover in residential areas in Maui, encouraging Maui residents to value native Hawaiian trees, and promoting best tree care practices for urban landscapes. The project is making it easier for Central Maui residents to include native Hawaiian trees and shrubs on their properties, directly contributing to the increase in urban tree cover and helping create landscapes that celebrate the unique natural and cultural history of Hawai‘i. About: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens is a public native plant garden in Central Kahului with the mission to foster an appreciation and understanding of Maui Nui’s plants and their role in Hawaiian cultural expression by providing a gathering place for discovery, education, and conservation. We offer docent- and self-guided tours, cultural workshops, community outreach events, and free plant consultations. Organization: Friends of Amy B H Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden Award amount: $5,000 Project Title: Community Engagement and Volunteer Support at Ala Mahamoe Urban Forest Restoration Site Category: Arbor Day Location: Captain Cook, Hawaiʻi Project Overview: The Friends of Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden plan a large native tree/shrub Give Away for our community. We will propagate plants in our nursery, and Arbor Day funds would support our production costs with matching funds from the Laurence Dorcy Hawaiian Foundation Grant and in-kind volunteer/staff hours. We focus on Ohia, Koa and ʻAʻaliʻi, but will substitute if needed. Prior to Covid, several thousand visitors came to the Garden each year. We hope that 2022 will be the year in which the Garden is again a focal area of our community for enjoying the benefits of walking the trails through the forests; for studying our world-renowned plant collection; for students of all ages to learn Hawaiian crafts, and where community celebrations are held. About: Situated in historic Kealakekua ahupua‘a and overlooking the Bay, the 13-acre Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden mission supports Hawaiian cultural traditions of land use and plants, and conserves the plant resources of traditional Hawaiian cultural activities. The Garden contains over 200 native plant species, many of which are rare and endangered. Amy’s garden is planted in exactly the right place; a cornerstone of Kamehameha’s agricultural kingdom in the historic ahupua`a of Kealakekua. Organization: Garden Island Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. Award amount: $5,000 Project Title: Kauai Arbor Day Free Trees and Tree Information Category: Arbor Day Location: Lihue, Kauaʻi Project Overview: Kauai Landscape Industry Council (KLIC), a project of Garden Island Resource, Conservation, & Development, Inc, has offered free trees since 2006. Members of KLIC plan year-round to offer at least 650 native, canoe and non-invasive trees & shrubs via a drive through event. Plant info is available to show cultural and growing needs of all plants. Our goal is to bring the community as both volunteers & participants to promote the value of a healthy ecosystem by proper selection of plants that fit in our unique urban habitat. By educating how to nurture native & non-invasive plants, we foster appreciation of new plant species & enhance our island’s beauty every year that this event is funded. About: The mission of GIRC&D is: To carry out a plan for the orderly conservation, development and prudent use of natural and human resources to improve economic, social and environmental opportunities for the people of Kauaʻi. Arbor Day builds a stronger community by educating the public on proper plant selection & use & care. The health of people and the urban landscape is enhanced & strengthen with more plants. Organization: Ke Kula Nui o Waimānalo Award amount: $4,795 Project Title: Waimanalo Celebrates Arbor Day 2022! Category: Arbor Day Location: Waimanalo, Oʻahu Project Overview: KKNOW will partner with UH/CTAHR to hold educational workshops on ‘ulu (Artocarpus atilis) tree propagation on Earth Day and Arbor Day using proven methods. The 150 trees propagated on Earth Day will be distributed on Arbor Day, along with 100 dwarf niu (Cocos nucifera) as part of a larger educational event at the Waimanalo Research Station highlighting tree care techniques. About: The mission of KKNOW is to provide a community of practice through collaboration to promote strong and healthy ahupuaʻa. From replenishing limu, to home aquaponics and ensuring ethically responsible community research our program list grows to service those in need.2022 Community Partners
Organization: UH Trees in Schools
Organization: Mālama Learning Center
Organization: Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute
Organization: Aloha Tree Alliance
Organization: Kōkua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services (KKV)
2022 Arbor Day Partners
Award amount: $14,999 Project Title: Roots and Shoots: Ulu for the Future Category: Education & Outreach Location: Hawaiʻi Island (Captain Cook) Project Overview: This project advances food security and environmental sustainability through sharing ʻulu saplings with families, training on propagation, and creating online vignettes and educational outreach. Our partnerships with Liliʻuokalani Trust, B. P. Bishop Museum and supporting organizations are essential in addressing State Forest Action Plan priorities and community resiliency in challenging times. About: Situated in historic Kealakekua ahupua‘a and overlooking the Bay, the 13-acre Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden mission supports Hawaiian cultural traditions of land use and plants, and conserves the plant resources of traditional Hawaiian cultural activities. The Garden contains over 200 native plant species, many of which are rare and endangered. Amy’s garden is planted in exactly the right place; a cornerstone of Kamehameha’s agricultural kingdom in the historic ahupuaʻa of Kealakekua. Organization: Pop Up Labs for Sustainability (PULS) Award amount: $6,700 Project Title: Building the Next Generation of Tree Stewards Category: Education & Outreach Location: Oahu Project Overview: The goal is to build the next generation of Urban Tree Stewards. PULS will develop an action-oriented lesson plan, Become a Tree Hugger, which merges STEAM/sustainable learning, and brings it to four schools it is scheduled to visit in the 2020-21 academic year. Each participating school and student will “earn” trees to plant. The program will result in the cultivation of over 200 conservation-aware tree-planting stewards and over 240 trees planted. About: The mission of PULS is to bridge STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts+design, and mathematics) and sustainable learning to help youth discover their potential in the field while inspiring commitment to protect our Earth among the next generation. Award amount: $14,999 Project Title: Kōkua Learning Farm: Promoting Urban, Community-based, Cultural & Regenerative Agroforestry Category: Tree Planting Location: Oahu (Hale’iwa) Project Overview: This project creates a welcoming edible and native landscape sanctuary in the heart of Hale’iwa town. A diversity of backyard gardens, native tree plantings, and agroforestry zones will serve as demonstrations for the community, visitors, and schools and inspire them to take these ideas and implement them at their homes. About: The Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaiʻi. Their mission is to provide students with experiences that will enhance their appreciation for and understanding of their environment so they will be lifelong stewards of the earth. “We believe our keiki are the seeds of change to preserving and protecting our beautiful islands.” Award amount: $8,979 Project Title: Go Native: Growing a ‘Native Hawaiian Urban Forest’ Category: Education & Outreach Location: Oahu Project Overview: The “Go Native: Growing a ‘Native Hawaiian Urban Forest'” project aims to stimulate residents and businesses in urban areas to grow Native Hawaiian and Polynesian-introduced plants, as well as to increase public awareness of the value and benefits of native plants including trees. About: The mission of the Hawai`i Forest Institute is to promote the health and productivity of Hawaii’s forests through forest restoration, educational programs, information dissemination, and support for scientific research. Award amount: $14,999 Project Title: Uluniu Project – Niu NOW! Category: Tree Planting Location: Leeward Oahu Project Overview: The Uluniu Project at UH West Oʻahu gathered students, community members, educators, farmers, and scholars interested in Island food security, Indigenous knowledge, sustainability, economic diversity, climate change, health and healing, and cultural arts – around the niu (coconut). This project addresses food security and cultural revitalization within climate-change needs and conservation priorities with the focus on indigenous-based urban tropical agroforestry practices. We aim to help amplify how indigenous food practices and agroforestry best-practices are often similar. In essence, the Uluniu Project practices cultural agroforestry for community empowerment. About: Niu NOW! started as the Uluniu Project at the University of Hawaiʻi West Oʻahu. They are an inspired ʻohana committed to reestablishing niu practices within Hawai’inuiākea. Kuʻu ʻāina aloha, our beloved natural world, ignites our passion for coconuts as food, art, mo’olelo, and cultural rejuvenation. Our ʻohana volunteers comprise niu knowledge holders, farmers, researchers, and aloha ʻāina practitioners. Organization: MA’O Organic Farms Award amount: $4,500 Project Title: Arboriculture Training and Green job Development Pathways for O’ahu Youth working in Community Forestry & Food Security Category: Education & Outreach Project Overview: Proper tree maintenance is critical for gaining benefits from our Urban and Community Forests. On O’ahu there is a high demand for certified and qualified arborists that outpaces the supply, resulting in poor tree care. There is a need for more certified and qualified arborists dedicated to promoting community well-being. MA’O Farms, in partnership with Aloha Arborist Association, will add specialist instruction in tree care to their young farmer development program. We also expect that an increase in tree-care knowledge will result in increased yields for our food-bearing trees. About: MAʻO Organic Farms is located in Lualualei Valley, home to the unique Lualualei vertisol soil series, abundant sunshine and a rich tradition of food production. Through the farm enterprise we train and mentor youth who work on the farm as interns and apprentices to become entrepreneurial community leaders. These youth co-manage the farm, growing and processing a wide variety of high quality organic fruits and vegetables sold to the community through farmer’s markets, a CSA subscription service, grocers, natural food stores and restaurants. Organization: Livable Hawaii Kai Hui Award amount: $13,410 Project Title: Cultivating Community Roots through Citizen Forester Native Tree Planting Category: Tree Planting Project Overview: There are two overall purposes of this project: ▪ Community Tree Planting and Stewardship: Demonstrate the practicality, aesthetic quality and cultural relevance of native Hawaiian dryland trees and shrubs in xeric areas of Honolulu and O’ahu by creating an easily accessible forest dryscape at Hawea Heiau Complex and Keawawa Wetland (Hawea/Keawawa) using native Hawaiian trees and shrubs once prevalent in the Maunalua region. ▪ Instill Urban Tree Values within Maunalua: Raise the awareness and knowledge of citizens, local government, schools, other non-profit organizations and service clubs with respect to the practical values (e.g., create a more livable environment, enhance the beauty of our neighborhoods, reduced water use, watershed improvement, flooding mitigation, fire management, cultural relevance, recreation) of using native Hawaiian dryland forest tree and shrub species to transform and improve the health of Maunalua landscapes, public and privately owned. About: Livable Hawaii Kai Hui is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan community organization serving East Honolulu, established in 2004. Officers and Directors are pro bono. They encourage grassroots organizing, believe in open dialogue and disclosure guaranteed under the Sunshine Law. They strive to promote sensible growth and respect for the land. Organization: Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi Award amount: $12,573 Project Title: Hahai nō ka ua i ka ululāʻau – The rain follows the forest Category: Tree planting Project Overview: This project will leverage an existing collaborative community agroforestry restoration project to increase education and outreach impact in a context appropriate for healthy social distancing. This will involve: 1) enhancing and expanding existing outplant; 2) creating educational and community outreach videos; 3) creating an adaptive kilo (observation)-based management plan for the project. About: Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi is a Heʻeia, O’ahu based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to perpetuate the cultural and spiritual practices of the Native Hawaiian people. Since 2010, Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi has been working to restore ecological and agricultural productivity to nearly a nearly 405-acre wetland landscape in the ahupuaʻa of Heʻeia. Organization: Polyline LLC Award amount: $13,499 Category: Education & Outreach Project Overview: Polyline Architecture + Urbanism completed a design vision study entitled “Eight Islands: Hawaii State Capitol Mall”, located in the open space and pedestrian area between the Hawaii State Capitol and the Iolani Palace, State Archive and Hawaii State Library. Ideas from earlier stakeholder meetings were further explored and designed. A graphic report and presentation with final drawings, renderings and narrative were presented on September 1, 2021. The intent of the project is to re-envision the Capitol Mall area to address safety issues surrounding pedestrians and cyclists, while improving functionality, promote urban forestry, and thereby comfort and aesthetics of this important and representative public space. About: Polyline is a design studio operating in the convergence of architecture, urbanism and landscape. Polylineʻs vision is to elevate the standard of creating beautiful, usable, resilient, and sustainable spaces for the users and the community to thrive. Award amount: $18,000 Project Title: Symphony of the Hawaii Forests Category: Education & Outreach Project Overview: The project is creating a curriculum and a new symphony consisting of music, animation, and hula, devoted to educating K-12 students of O‘ahu on the importance of trees through a multidisciplinary approach using both science and the arts. About: Led by Takoma Itoh, UH Manoa composer who led Symphony of the Hawaiian Birds, Symphony of the Hawaii Forests aims to educate and inspire students. Award amount: $31,500 Project Title: Raising Awareness of Albizia in Hawaii Category: Education & Outreach Project Overview: This project aims to increase awareness of one of Hawaii’s most threatening invasive species, albizia trees (Falcataria moluccana). We will target O’ahu, Hawaii’s most populated and urbanized island and will develop a sharable model that will not only empower local communities to take action and remove invasive albizia trees from their neighborhoods, but can also be shared and applied across the nation and in other areas to galvanize local initiatives and show that community-driven control projects are an effective way to manage invasive species in urban and community forests. About: Led by Koʻolau Mountain Watershed Partnership, this project is still in its early stages. Organization: City and County of Honolulu Project Title: Native Plantings and Youth Education at Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden Category: Education & Outreach (Arbor Day Hawaii) Project Overview: Liliʻuokalani Botanical Garden (LBG), also known as Waikahalulu, is located in Nuʻuanu Valley in urban Honolulu. Waikahalulu was transferred to the City and County of Honolulu (City) in 1916. This project will plant native species at LBG with students from the School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability (SEEQS) to supplement their existing environmental curriculum. About: For the City and County of Honolulu (City), the Community Forestry Program aims to bridge the gap between the City and community on maintaining Oʻahu’s urban forest. The urban forest is an area where trees and people live together in the community and it is our mission to promote environmental sustainability, community stewardship, and tree education for the public. Organization: Trees for Honoluluʻs Future Award amount: $2,458.01 Project Title: Kaimuki Arbor Day 2021 – A community growing trees together! Category: Education & Outreach (Arbor Day Hawaii) Project Overview: Urban Honolulu is losing tree canopy. Budget cuts limit county agencies’ ability to plant on public lands. Leveraging Trees for Kaimuki partners we will: * Get site appropriate trees in the yards of residents * Build capacity by educating proper planting and care, teach vs just give * Track results, not just immediate, but one year hence. About: Trees for Honolulu’s Future fulfills a critical function not currently provided by other public or private organizations related to our urban forest. They build bridges among public and private organizations and local communities by working in concert with and through them to accomplish mutual goals. Organization: Garden Island Resource Conservation and Development, Inc Award amount: $5,000 Project Title: Kauai Arbor Day Category: Education & Outreach (Arbor Day Hawaii) Project Overview: Kauai Arbor Day will offer free trees to the community of Kauai on November 6, 2021. This event enhances and strengthens Kauai’s beauty and overall island health. About: Building community, leveraging human and natural resources through creating economic, social and environmental opportunity—this is the work of the Garden Island Resource Conservation and Development, Inc. Its broad mission results in projects, workshops and programs, some of which spin off into viable entities of their own. Organization: ʻIolani School Award amount: $3,500 Project Title: Treevia: A Trees of Hawaii Card Game for Youth and Their Families Category: Education & Outreach (Arbor Day Hawaii) Project Overview: Trees in Hawai’i are valuable resources that are often underappreciated. We propose to create an engaging and educational card game about Hawai’i’s trees to inspire youth and their families to preserve, protect and appreciate this beautiful resource. About: ‘Iolani School is a culturally diverse, co-educational, college preparatory school for more than 2,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade founded upon Christian values. Project Title: Waimānalo Celebrates Arbor Day 2021 Category: Education & Outreach (Arbor Day Hawaii) Project Overview: KKNOW will partner with the University of Hawaii CTAHR’s Waimanalo Learning Center to create a series of videos on tree propagation and care to be posted on-line. They will also distribute 100 ‘ulu trees and 100 dwarf coconuts at an educational event held November 5th and 6th at the Waimānalo Research station About: Ke Kula Nui o Waimnalo is a grassroots community based non-profit 501(c)3 looking to help community become self-sustainable in every way. From the mountain to the sea, the `āina and kai can provide for the community as it did years ago. The mission of KKNOW is to provide a community of practice through collaboration of Kānaka to promote strong and healthy ahupuaʻa. Organization: Malama Learning Center Award amount: $5,000 Project Title: Celebrating Trees in the Urban Aina of West Oahu Category: Education & Outreach (Arbor Day Hawaii) Project Overview: This project invites West Oahu residents to plant trees in hands-on workshops, take home free trees, and shop at a pop-up store featuring tree-based products made by volunteers. The primary event led by Malama Learning Center will be held in Kunia and partner events will be held at two other sites in Waianae. A short companion video celebrating Arbor Day will be created and aired on television. About: Mālama Learning Center is a non-profit organization that brings art, science, conservation, and culture together to promote sustainable living throughout Hawai‘i. They are located in West O‘ahu, in the city of Kapolei, offering our services primarily to communities from Waipahu to Wai’anae. Mālama Learning Center is the result of a shared vision among educators, conservation groups, businesses, and community members to create an innovative learning center in Kapolei to promote healthy, sustainable living in an island environment. Organization: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens Inc. Award amount: $5,000 Project Title: Arbor Day Garden Expo and Hawaiian Tree Giveaway Category: Education & Outreach (Arbor Day Hawaii) Project Overview: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens’ Arbor Day Garden Expo and Tree Giveaway has the goals of increasing urban tree cover in residential areas in Maui, encouraging Maui residents to value native Hawaiian trees, and promoting best tree care practices for urban landscapes. About: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens (MNBG) is dedicated to the protection of Maui Nui’s rich native plants and cultural heritage. By collecting, cultivating, and distributing native and Polynesian-introduced plants MNBG provides people with a gathering place to see and understand the important relationship these plants have to our economic, social, and cultural livelihoods.2021 Community Partners
Organization: Friends of Amy BH Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden
Organization: Kōkua Hawaii Foundation
Organization: Hawaii Forest Institute
Organization: NiuNOW!, University of Hawaii, West Oahu
Project Title: Conceptual Design for Renovating Capitol Mall Corridor
Organization: University of Hawaii, Manoa
Organization: University of Hawaii, Manoa2021 Arbor Day Partners
Award amount: $4,976
Organization: Ke Kula Nui O Waimānalo (KKNOW)
Award amount: $2,772.50
20 years of Kaulunani Accomplishments, 1993 – 2013
Document highlighting 20 years of Accomplishments. Click to download the PDF document