The recent fires in Maui, Hawai’i have been devasting to the Hawaiian Islands and the hearts of many. So many lost. So many structures are gone. So much heartache and sadness.
When I see Maui residents interviewed on the T.V., they begin to cry. I am reminded of how I felt in the aftermath of the 2013 flood here in Northern Colorado. When I first returned to Boulder after the water receded. I stood in Scott Carpenter Park and cried. It was like visiting an old friend in the hospital after a severe accident and they were holding onto life. Thinking, “how will we ever recover.”
The people of the Islands and the nation have come together to help with Maui’s recovery. Which is heartwarming in itself. One of the many things that has broken everyone’s heart is the historical Banyan tree that has graced Lahaina since 1873. See video about Hawaiian Banyan Trees.
When we were in Hawaii for the first time. I was enamored with the large Banyan trees. Outside of the great Sequoias of California, these were some of the biggest and unique trees I had ever seen. In my book, they are straight out the movie Avatar.
Banyans are commonplace in the Hawaiian landscape. But they are not native to the area. That old tree in Lahaina was the first tree planted in Hawaii. It was a gift from the missionaries of India. That Banyan tree has stood alive in the Lahaina Banyan Court all this time. Now it sits as a large chard skeleton amongst other chard skeletons. Its fate is in question and is becoming a symbol of recovery.
According to Hawaiian state arborist Steve Nimz, the famous tree has a chance. After he and his team examined the brunt tree, they found live tissue and smaller than usual amounts of sap. This condition seems to exist in most branches of the tree. To help protect the tree, they surrounded the area with fencing. Doing aggressive watering from big tanker trucks and cannons. They are unpacking the soil and adding nutrients in the form of compost. They are keeping the dead fruit and leaves on the tree to help protect it from the Sun. All this in the hopes to continue its long life. See video about Hawaiian Banyan Trees.
Nimz describes the condition as being like a human being in a coma. Like a coma, it is a waiting game. If the tree starts budding, then they will know their efforts are starting to work. If they see more decline, then they will change the course of treatment. At this point, they are basically triaging the tree (“tree-aging” as Nimz refers to it).
Ironically, several months ago, I made a video on the Hawaiian Banyan trees. Not only did I talk about this tree. But I talked about several other amazing Banyan trees whose paths I crossed in Hawaii. See video about Hawaiian Banyan Trees.
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