Volume 1, Number 6
FREE
Nov./Dec., 2024
Replenishing Lahaina’s Trees U By Cindy Schumacher nbeknownst to many, a massive effort is underway to restore the thousands of trees lost in Lahaina and Kula during the August 2023 fires, with countless volunteers involved. Duane Sparkman, a man of many hats, is known for his work in sustainable landscaping as well as his extensive volunteer hours supporting various cultural and conservation organizations across the island He worked his way up to becoming partowner of a large landscape company that maintained 65 acres of resorts along Maui’s coastlines, he worked at Haleakala National Park, and he sits on the board of directors of Maui Cultural Lands. Sparkman’s consulting company, Edaphic Perspective, helps homeowners, landowners, and municipalities transition to organic landscape practices. He is also the project manager for a 72-acre Hawaiian cultural reserve called Kipuka ‘Olowalu, and partners with Maui Nui Marine Resource Council to assist them with their organic land management division. Treecovery Hawaii Inc., a Hawaii-based non-profit, was founded by Sparkman, who is also the 2021 recipient of the Malama i ka ‘Aina award. The award is given each year to recognize efforts in the landscape and agricultural community. “Treecovery represents my hope to keep trees in the Maui wildfire zones alive and to provide trees to the residents and businesses in Lahaina and Kula who lost their trees in the fires,” he said. “Treecovery also
Lahaina’s Banyan Tree in 2017.
“Treecovery represents my hope to keep trees in the Maui wildfire zones alive and to provide trees to the residents and businesses in Lahaina and Kula who lost their trees in the fires."
GROW HUBS: Next Phase of Recovery
Duane Sparkman stems from my passion to see thriving and healthy ecosystems from mauka to makai. I believe in sharing my knowledge with other organizations and people throughout Maui. It’s important to me to respect and advocate Hawai’ian culture while improving sustainable landscape practices within Hawai’i’s resort industry.” Sparkman collaborated with the Army Corps of Engineers to support the health of surviving trees in the Lahaina and Kula burn zones and to provide soil remediation in the area. In addition to caring for existing trees, the organization is partnering with 14 groups to plant and oversee the growth of 30,000 new trees over the next several years, all at no cost to the community. Sparkman added, “There is a lot of work to do, and we always need volunteers. Currently, numerous properties have been cleared for replanting in Kula. While caring for trees, we are growing an ‘ohana that we are all part of. We are working towards a healthy Maui Nui for generations to come. “From the ‘aina we learn who we are, and what we put into its restoration we get back.”
Collectively, via Treecovery’s commitment to restoring the region’s ecosystem through reforestation efforts, there are new grow hubs across Kā’anapali that have offered to add native trees to aid in West Maui’s restoration. Since establishing the first grow hub at Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club in April 2024, Treecovery has expanded its reforestation efforts by partnering with several other Kā’anapali resorts. These new grow hubs are part of a larger initiative to restore Lahaina’s landscape and contribute to West Maui’s ecological recovery. Sparkman shared, “Among the newest grow hubs are the Hyatt Regency Maui, hosting 103 trees including alahe’e, koai’a, wiliwili, avocado, and various citrus species; The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kā’anapali, hosting 100 culturally significant trees, including ‘ulu, kukui nut, nalo, and wiliwili; The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, hosting 101 trees, including plumeria, puakenikeni, shower trees, koai’a, lama, and ‘ohia’a; and the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, who recently installed over 100 trees, including four types of avocados. “The Kā’anapali Beach Resort donated 1,000 native saplings to grow hubs across West Maui. This contribution bolsters Treecovery’s reforestation initiatives by Article Continues On Page 4. >
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