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Stewards of Kūkaniloko Birthstones State Monument hope to plant 200,000 native trees

A quiet collaboration has been underway for a few months in Central Oʻahu. Tom Lenchanko of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā and University of Hawaiʻi professor Camilo Mora started planting thousands of native Hawaiian trees to help improve the watershed management at Kūkaniloko, a sacred centuries-old birthplace of royalty. Over the winter break, they spent several Saturdays digging holes and planting seeds and saplings.

Camilo Mora, UH Mānoa geography professor in the College of Social Sciences
University of Hawaiʻi
Camilo Mora, UH Mānoa geography professor in the College of Social Sciences

HPR’s Lillian Tsang sat down with the two to learn about the greening. They are working toward a goal of planting 200,000 native hardwoods in Wahiawā’s Kūkaniloko Birthstones State Monument. They expect at least 90% of seeds and young trees will survive.

This interview aired on The Conversation on Feb. 24, 2022. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.

Lillian Tsang is the senior producer of The Conversation. She has been part of the talk show team since it first aired in 2011. Contact her at ltsang@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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