Hurricane Lala brought down hundreds of trees across the islands, but most of Oʻahu’s legacy trees survived the stormy weather.
The Exceptional Tree Program, a partnership between The Outdoor Circle and county agencies, recognizes more than 1,400 trees statewide, including Lahaina’s beloved banyan. A tree has to meet certain criteria to qualify, but once it’s listed, it’s protected by state law.
Homeowners can get up to a $3,000 tax deduction every three years to help prune exceptional trees on their property. Outdoor Circle Programs Director Myles Ritchie said regular maintenance is key to the trees’ survival.
"There's a lot of investment in making sure that the trees are maintained correctly. Proper tree care really makes a difference in making sure these trees are able to withstand these large storm events as best as possible," he told HPR.
Oʻahu did lose three of its exceptional trees — one monkeypod near the Hawaiʻi Convention Center and two ironwoods in a grove in Kapiʻolani Regional Park.
The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation told HPR it has not determined why these trees fell while others nearby remained standing. Ritchie said it’s possible that surrounding roads and sidewalks inhibited their root growth, making it hard for the trees to anchor themselves during Lala’s destructive winds.
Ritchie was hopeful that these three trees were Oʻahu’s only losses.
"So far — knock on wood — that's all I've heard about. It's going to take weeks to get a full assessment, particularly for those on private property," he said.
Ritchie suspects that thousands of more trees throughout the islands could qualify for the Exceptional Tree Program.
"In light of these larger storm events, we really should get as many recognized as possible, so that they can get increased maintenance," he said.
The Outdoor Circle supported recent legislation that sought to expand the program to include a new tier of “significant trees” and create a State Arborist Advisory Committee. That measure failed to pass this session, but Ritchie said he hopes it gets another shot next year.
