The trees arrived with Polynesian voyagers. After Maui wildfire, there’s a chance to restore them

By ED KOMENDA and AUDREY McAVOY
Associated Press

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — After the deadly wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina this summer, people across the world focused their attention on the green leaves sprouting from a scorched, 150-year-old banyan tree as a symbol of hope. Teams rushed to save it. But arborists are also trying to save another set of trees, ones with greater significance in Hawaiian culture, such as breadfruit and kukui nut trees introduced to the island by Polynesian voyagers long ago. They hope that as Lahaina recovers, residents will plant such trees as a way to help restore Lahaina’s treescape, to teach about the care and use of the trees, and to reclaim the town’s historic identity.