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April - June 2025 Spring Update


10,000 PLANTS!

Big News!  We received a grant to add 10,000 native plants to the watershed and we need your help.  We are looking for 10 volunteer groups to sign up for a day to plant 1,000 trees each. We’ll do all the prep work and provide the plants - just bring your group, plant a forest, and go home with big smiles on your faces.

Email planting@AlohaPuuKukui.org to pick a date for your group

Fence Repair

Our primary tool for protecting the watershed is our fence which stretches from Honokowai to Honokohau.  The fence keeps ungulates (pigs, deer, and goats) out and prevents damage to our native Hawaiian forest. Our crew walks up the ridges and down the gulches along the entire fence line.  Last month when trees fell, they carried in chainsaws and fencing and repaired it.

Plant Extinction Prevention Program (PEPP)

The Plant Extinction Prevent Program (PEPP) takes care of species that have less than 50 wild plants remaining.  This month, our team, worked deep in the watershed with PEPP to monitor, outplant, and collect seeds from these rare species.

Year of the Community Forest

This year has been proclaimed the Year of the Community Forest by Governor Josh Green.  We are proud that the Department of Land and Natural Resources chose our community forest at Wao Kele o Honolua to highlight this program.  Learn more about Community Forests at

    https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2025/04/29/nr25-65/

Papa Lāʻau Hawaiʻi ( Kamehameha Schools Ethnobotany class)

In collaboration with Kamehameha Schools, we hosted their summer Ethnobotany class.  The students learned about Hawaiian plants and their cultural uses.  This year they completed hands-on activities with Niu, Kukui, ‘A‘ali‘i, and Kalo.

We had so many volunteer groups join us out on the land this spring.  We couldn’t do it without your help:

   Under My Umbrella

   Nordic PCL

   Hyatt Maui

   Sentry Insurance

   Kula Kaiapuni 'o Lahainaluna

   HĀ Summit

   Andaz Maui

   Hawaii Community Lending

   Maui Food Bank

   Hui Waʻa o Kaulua

   Pūnana Leo o Lāhaina

   OUTRIGGER Kāʻanapali Beach Resort

We appreciate your support,

-John Meier, President, Aloha Pu‘u Kukui

p.s. Did you notice the section at the top of the newsletter about 10,000 plants?  Don’t forget to sign up your group.

Read our Winter 2025 Newsletter