Hundreds commit to planting and caring for a tree in Hawaii

An initiative to create a more prosperous and sustainable Hawaii is now officially underway with the support of hundreds of island residents.  On Saturday, April 10, 2010 the Hawaii State Legislature’s Keiki Caucus and Children and Youth Month Planning Committee launched the Million Trees of Aloha and Caring For Our Beaches Project at the Honolulu Zoo.

Legislators, community leaders and supporters gathered inside the Keiki Zoo to share the project with visitors and caring citizens of Hawaii, and invited them to join the initiative.  Those attending the ceremony were enchanted by a traditional Hawaiian Entry Protocol by the students of Kamaile Academy, and the children and youth who were present participated in the dedication of a native ‘Ohi’a Lehua tree.  One by one, children as young as two years old filled a spade with soil and added it to the base of the tree.

Many who attended the event did not go home empty handed.  Hundreds of people are now proud owners of an endangered, native Hawaiian gardenia called Na’u.  A total of 400 Na’u were given away to those who pledged to care for it and also join the Million Trees of Aloha project.  Half of the gardenias were distributed at the Honolulu Zoo, and half were given away at the annual Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii Teddy Bear Drive.  The Honolulu Zoological Society also offered free compost and hands-on educational displays, Blue Planet offered ways to use clean energy, and the Bishop Museum joined the Oahu Invasive Species Committee to provide samples of plants and animals harmful to our state.

Meanwhile, on the West side of O’ahu, Kiwanis, a global organization of volunteers, launched the Caring For Our Beaches Project with a cleanup at Oneula Beach Park.  Nearly 100 volunteers roamed the shore, scouring the sand for trash and debris.  By the end of the day, they removed dozens of bags of trash and several truckloads of large items including car hoods and water heaters.

Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, who organized the project, co-convenes the State Legislature’s Keiki Caucus which sponsored the last Children and Youth Summit.  Senator Chun Oakland said it is at that Summit that children and youth decided that planting more trees and caring for the state’s beaches should be priority.  Since then she has transformed those priorities into a statewide service project.

“We have a wonderful opportunity as a community to positively impact the future of Hawaii by planting trees that will provide life sustaining benefits for years to come,” Senator Chun Oakland said.  “I am proud of the children and teens who  made this a priority at the Children and Youth Summit in 2009.”

The goal is to plant one million trees by October 2010, which is also Children and Youth Month.  Each Hawaii resident, school, church, business, community organization and many others are encouraged to participate in the initiative by planting non-invasive trees, preferably native or food bearing, throughout the state.  Residents are also being urged to clean up beaches throughout Hawaii by picking up trash. 

So far, hundreds of Hawaii residents have joined the commitment and have come together on Kanu Hawaii’s website that supports Hawaii’s unique island values.  Those who have committed to planting trees have joined the project by visiting www.kanuhawaii.org/milliontreesofaloha; and those who have committed to help clean up the state’s beaches have joined by visiting www.kanuhawaii.org/caringforourbeaches.  Members can share what they have done, see how many trees are being planted, organize beach cleanups and even post pictures and video.  The website also brings together various resources and provides members with access to them. 

“People from all walks of life are making a difference,” Senator Chun Oakland said.  “One person at a time, one family at a time, one organization at a time … planting native and food bearing trees across the State and cleaning all our beaches on each island.”