Planting Hope in Maui: My Day Volunteering with Treecovery Hawaiʻi
- Misty Pollina
- Dec 22, 2025
- 3 min read
Maui has given me, and so many of my travelers, memories that feel like sunshine you can hold. On this trip, I wanted to give something back. I spent a day volunteering with Treecovery Hawaiʻi, a local nonprofit helping families in Lahaina and Kula replant the trees they lost in the 2023 wildfires.
We got our hands dirty, learned, listened, and planted. It was healing. It was hopeful. And it was a reminder that regeneration isn’t just about the land, it’s about community.
Why trees, and why now?
The August 2023 fires changed Maui forever, destroying homes, businesses, and beloved landscapes. Replanting is long-term work—but it matters for shade, for food security, for erosion control, for culture, and for joy. Treecovery Hawaiʻi’s mission is simple and powerful: provide free trees to the people of Lahaina and Kula who lost theirs, and grow trees for future generations across Maui Nui.
What Treecovery Hawaiʻi is doing (and how it works)
Treecovery is building a network to grow, gift, and plant trees where they’re needed most, often partnering with hotels, airlines, and community groups to scale the effort.
A new grow hub at Kahului Airport showcases rows of native and fruit trees—and even an air-layer clone of Lahaina’s historic banyan—so residents rebuilding in Lahaina and Kula can request replacements. It’s one of 24 spaces across the island, and the organization reports nearly 6,000 locally sourced trees already growing from Kīpahulu to Kapalua.
Airline partners and volunteers have helped pot trees at the airport with an eye toward a 30,000-tree goal to restore greenery across fire-impacted areas. https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com
In a recent community distribution, Treecovery collaborated with partners to provide more than 580 trees—most of them fruit-bearing—to affected families, supporting both re-greening and local food access.
Beyond the immediate recovery, Treecovery’s strategic framework points to big long-term targets: restoring at least 500 acres of fire-impacted land by planting 150,000 native and fire-resistant trees over five years, and expanding canopy for climate resilience.
Treecovery is led by people deeply rooted in Maui. Founder and president Duane Sparkman brings decades of landscape, conservation, and cultural stewardship experience, alongside a board and advisors who reflect Maui’s values and expertise.
What my volunteer day looked like
I joined local volunteers to pot and plant a mix of native and culturally important trees like wiliwili, koa, ʻaliʻi, and plumeria. We learned how species selection supports soil health and reduces future wildfire risk, and we talked about the role of fruit trees (hello, mango!) in both culture and food security.
I was told there are requests for over 100 varieties and that a wide range of mango cultivars is being cared for in grow hubs so families can replant trees that truly feel like home again.
Standing there with the dirt under my nails, listening to stories and planting hope one pot at a time, I felt that Maui resilience I always talk about mālama ʻāina in action.
How you AS travelers can help
Whether you’re local, planning a trip, or cheering for Maui from afar, here are meaningful ways to support:
Donate or sponsor
Financial support keeps seedlings, soil, irrigation, and logistics moving—especially as Treecovery scales its planting and maintenance goals. (They’re a 501(c)(3); donations are tax-deductible.) treecoveryhawaii.org
Volunteer
Join a potting/planting day or help at a grow hub. It’s hands-on, family-friendly, and a beautiful way to spend a morning.
Request trees (for wildfire-impacted properties)
If you or someone you know lost trees in Lahaina or Kula, Treecovery provides free native and fruit trees. (They maintain request forms for residents who are rebuilding.)
Partner as a resort, business, or group
Hotels and companies are stepping up as temporary nurseries and volunteer hosts, an incredible model of “voluntourism” that centers community needs first. If you manage a property or plan group travel, consider building a half-day Treecovery service project into your itinerary.
Why this matters to me (and to The Pixie Planner)
Travel can and should be a force for good. At The Pixie Planner, we’re committed to ethical, community-minded travel and to returning to the places we love with respect and tangible support. This day with Treecovery reminded me that healing happens in small steps: one seedling, one yard, one family, one breeze of shade at a time.
If you’d like to get involved, donate, or join me on a future Maui give-back day, reach out. I’m happy to connect you directly with Treecovery Hawaiʻi, share upcoming volunteer dates, or add a service component to your Maui itinerary. Together, we can help Maui regrow beautifully, thoughtfully, and with aloha.
Mahalo nui to the Treecovery team and volunteers for welcoming me, teaching me, and letting me play a tiny part in this island’s renewal! 🌈💚🌱
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