Iconic 151-year-old banyan tree signals hope one year after devastating Maui wildfires

Hope is blooming on fire-ravaged Maui.

An iconic 151-year-old banyan tree on the island is healing one year after it was scorched by wildfires that ripped through the Hawaiian island last year.

Several branches of the sprawling tree — which predates Hawaii becoming a US territory — bear signs of life that seemed impossible after the devastating natural disaster, all thanks to the work of dedicated arborists.

“You see a lot of long, long branches with hundreds of leaves back on the tree,” Duane Sparkman, chair of the Maui County Arborist Committee, told the Associated Press , adding that some branches are even producing fruit.

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“It’s pretty amazing to see that much of the tree come back.”

The massive banyan tree, located along Lahaina’s historic Front Street, was one of the countless victims of the August 2023 wildfires, which claimed the lives of 102 people.

It has served as a touchstone to the community for generations — India gifted the non-native tree to Hawaii in 1873 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Protestant missionaries to live in Lahaina.

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It has since grown more than 60 feet high and is anchored by multiple trunks that span nearly an acre — about half of which was destroyed beyond rehabilitation in the fire.

The major tourist attraction was badly charred in the inferno, not because of the flames themselves, but from the intense heat that dried out the tree.

But because of its longstanding history and the community’s attachment to it, arborists and volunteers set out on a mission to save as much of the banyan tree as possible.

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While the banyan tree might be the largest signal of hope for Maui, arborists are also focused on replacing the estimated 25,000 trees that were lost in the fire.

Sparkman’s nonprofit, Treecovery, has already potted 3,500 trees which are growing at “micro nurseries” across the island, including at some hotels, until people can move back into their homes.

“We have grow hubs all over the island of Maui to grow these trees out for as long as they need. So when the people are ready, we can have them come pick these trees up and they can plant them in their yards,” he said.

“It’s important that we do this for the families.”

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