photo of the Hawaiʻi Ulu Coop courtesy the Hawaiʻi DLNR

(BIVN) – November 2 will be Arbor Day in Hawaiʻi, with events planned for across the state, including one in South Kona. 

The Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative and Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden are partnering to host an Arbor Day celebration from from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the garden in Captain Cook. The event will focus on food security and building community, and will feature a native plant sale, food trucks, hula, music, keiki activities, garden tours and more. 

“Growing ʻulu enhances community wellbeing and culture by providing connection to place, local history and nourishment,” said Dana Shapiro, co-founder and CEO of the Hawaiʻi ʻUlu Cooperative. “The West Hawaiʻi community historically supported Kaluʻulu, one of the largest ʻulu agroforests of Hawaiʻi, and we want to educate residents about this historic region and its past agricultural abundance.”

Events across the state on Nov. 2 include:

• Kauaʻi: Garden Island Resource Conservation & Development will host its annual tree giveaway and education event at Kukui Grove Shopping Center in Līhuʻe.
• Oʻahu: The Urban Garden Center in Pearl City will give away grafted fruit trees.
• Molokaʻi: Molokaʻi Land Trust in Kualapuʻu will host its second annual native tree giveaway.
• Maui: Maui Nui Botanical Gardens in Kahului will host its annual Arbor Day Garden Expo & tree giveaway.

The Arbor Day events are being supported by Kaulunani, the urban and community forestry program of the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Visit Kaulunani.org to view a list of celebrations by island and location.