Happy new year, Aloha Tree Alliance supporters and friends!
As 2025 begins, we reflect with gratitude on everything we accomplished in 2024—thanks to you! This year, we’re reaching for new heights, ready to embrace another transformative journey of growth, connection, and conservation. Join us for monthly community workdays, weekly Aloha Friday watering events, or special tree-planting sessions, and let’s cultivate a more vibrant, verdant, and healthy Hawaiʻi.
Also, please check out the 2024 Community Report to read inspiring stories of what transpired over the last year. Mahalo, and see you on the trail! 🌱
Read the 2024 Community Report
Join the February Water Challenge!
Celebrating the Year of our Community Forests
Forests are more than trees—they are the lifeblood of our islands, connecting us to the land and enriching our daily lives. This year, as part of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) statewide Year of our Community Forests campaign, Aloha Tree Alliance is thrilled to partner with DLNR and other organizations across Hawai`i to “celebrate trees in our wao kanaka, where we live, learn, and play.”
Get ready for a year of inspiring opportunities from ATA and partners across the state for arboreal education, community building, and stewardship in your community forests. Stay connected to join the movement!
Trail Updates
745 Reasons to Celebrate
This incredible milestone was achieved thanks to the efforts of over 300 passionate volunteers from our local community and schools, who joined us to learn and plant. Through their tireless dedication to clearing dense groves of invasive Haole koa, Opiuma, and Strawberry Guava trees, ATA volunteers are transforming dry hillsides into thriving habitats for native biodiversity!
Planting the Way Nature Intended
“This season, ATA has been observing and reflecting on the remnant native species in Kuli‘ou‘ou to gide our restoration. We see the success these plants have and want to emulate their habits.”
– Eli Livezey, ATA Field and Nursery Manager
Livezey adapted ATA’s planting strategy to reflect nature’s design. Alahe‘e are now planted in loose clusters, 3’-5’ apart, mimicking natural patterns. Echoing natural layers of the forest, the trees are densely flanked by shrubs like ‘A‘ali‘i and groundcover like carex, which support the forest floor’s health and reduce water loss by shielding the soil from evaporation.
By tuning in to the land and embracing its wisdom, ATA is nurturing a more resilient, self-sustaining forest– one that thrives not despite, but because of its wild dynamics.
Every Drop Counts
In the Kuli‘ou‘ou watershed, every drop of water plays a vital role–whether it’s funneled into catchments, absorbed by thirsty roots, or replenishing the aquifer. Water sustains life, and for Aloha Tree Alliance, it’s the lifeline for our restoration efforts. We’re delighted to announce the addition of two new rainwater catchment totes that will increase our water collection capacity by 500 gallons! These systems not only ease the strain on our water supply but ensure our young native plants receive the hydration they need to thrive. Mahalo to the Department of Forestry and Wildlife crew for helping to keep the new totes full and boosting sustainability in the watershed!
Managing Your Footprint
Nature’s Classroom
SEEQS Students Dig Deep
Did you know that the area now known as downtown Honolulu was once so abundant with Kou trees it was called Kou (City & County of Honolulu Archives, 2004)? Or that Kou was traditionally used medicinally to treat thrush (DLNR, 2024)? These insights were shared during Aloha Tree Alliance’s recent classroom collaboration with students from the School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability (SEEQS).For the second consecutive year, ATA partnered with SEEQS’ middle school class for a classroom visit and a field trip to Kuli‘ou‘ou Ridge Trail. In the classroom, students learned planting techniques, explored facts about Kou and the intrinsic value of forests, and played a plant identification game that got them excited about Hawai‘i’s native species. On the trail, the students planted 18 Kou trees, applying the planting techniques they learned in the classroom. They dug deep holes to avoid root exposure, added fertilizer and water absorption crystals, and packed soil to eliminate air bubbles.
Wiliwili are Back in Action!
In the summer, Wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis) trees on the Kuli‘ou‘ou Ridge Trail looked like dessicated, leafless sticks, but don’t worry—they were just in dormancy.
A Hawaiian proverb reminds us, “Pua ka wiliwili, nanahu ka mano” — when the Wiliwili blossoms, sharks bite. Native Hawaiians keenly observed and understood the cycles of mountain and sea, and recognized that Wiliwili blooms coincided with shark breeding season. Next time you spot a Wiliwili tree, remember its varied roles: a seasonal indicator, a fixer of atmospheric nitrogen, and a key member of this ecosystem!
In between studying psychology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, playing competitive volleyball, and her part-time jobs, Logan Kaneshiro makes time to hit the trail on Friday mornings. Logan’s easygoing attitude and work ethic have been much-appreciated since her first time volunteering last summer.
Mahalo Logan for your hard work and enthusiasm!
Reads to Restore
At ATA, education is at the heart of what we do. Our team embraces this value by continually learning through inspiring literature. Check out these staff-recommended reads and add them to your 2025 reading list!
All We Can Save edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katharine K. Wilkinson
“All We Can Save is an inspiring anthology of short stories, poems, and essays written by visionary women in the environmental movement. These pieces offer a perfect blend of hope and practicality for anyone looking to recharge their commitment to environmental stewardship and discover diverse voices leading the green revolution.”
– Harley, Education Coordinator
American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation by Eric Rutkow
“Eric Rutkow’s American Canopy offers a fascinating journey through the history of trees and forests in shaping America’s identity. From the Revolutionary War to modern environmental movements, Rutkow reveals how forests have influenced the nation’s culture, economy, and even politics. A must-read for nature lovers and history buffs alike, this book highlights the powerful role of trees in the American story.”
– Laurie, Executive Director
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
“It’s a poetic love letter to Mother Earth that helps you reconnect with nature and therefore yourself. The meaning of reciprocity is poured throughout its writing.”
– Arli, Social Media Coordinator
The Overstory by Richard Powers
“The Overstory evokes the same primordial grandeur as standing in a forest. Powers’ insistence that the connection between humanity and nature transcends time and culture is a message that I wish many more people would hear.”
– Tara, Program Manager
The Tangled Tree by David Quammen
“A superb review of modern genetics and evolutionary theory that will open your mind to the role of horizontal gene transfer in complex organisms! The Tangled Tree describes how new research has unveiled that the branches of the “tree of life” are more connected than previously thought, envisioning a web or mosaic of life.”
– Eli, Field and Nursery Manager
What’s Next for ATA
Close the Year with Time on the Trail!
Our mission is made possible by the dedication and heart of volunteers like you. With lots of events coming up, we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Friday, 1/10 – Aloha Watering
Friday, 1/17 – Aloha Watering
Saturday, 1/18 – Community Workday/Tree Planting
Friday, 1/24 – Aloha Watering
Friday, 1/31 – Aloha Watering
Saturday, 2/8 — February Water Challenge
Friday, 2/7 — Aloha Watering
Friday, 2/14 – Aloha Watering
Saturday, 2/15 – Community Workday/Tree Planting
If you have any gallon water jugs (Menehune preferred, but all are welcome!), please bring them with you to the trail!
Partnerships in Sustainability
Just as the different elements of an ecosystem are interconnected with each other, our community’s various sustainability efforts must be as well. We are so grateful for all of our partner organizations and their respective missions, commitment to the vitality of our planet, and desire to work as a community.
ATA would like to express sincere appreciation to The Coconut Traveler, Xylem, The Garden Club of Honolulu, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their financial support. These grantors have enabled ATA to fund its growth in education capacity, restoration progress, community engagement, and personnel.
