A LIVING SYMBOL OF HOPE IN LAHAINA
When wildfires swept through Lahaina in August 2023, they left behind unimaginable devastation. But through the ashes, one symbol of hope endured: the town’s beloved Indian Banyan tree.
Planted in 1873 to commemorate the arrival of Christian missionaries, the tree has stood for 150 years as a gathering place, a living landmark, and the heart of Lahaina’s historic Front Street. Generations of residents and visitors have gathered under its sweeping branches for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and quiet moments of reflection. It is the largest tree of its kind in the U.S., with a canopy that spans two-thirds of an acre.
Though it suffered significant damage in the fire, the tree’s survival became a powerful symbol of strength for a grieving community.
“This tree is a center of the community and has been for over 150 years,” said Winston Welch, executive director of The Outdoor Circle. “This magnificent Indian Banyan, perhaps
the most famous tree in the world now, is a resilient symbol of hope — its message is we will regrow, and that we can recover from this.”
That’s why, in the early days after the fire, the community rallied. Volunteers formed a protective circle around the tree. Arborists and residents worked together to give it a chance to heal. Slowly, new leaves began to emerge. Fresh growth appeared. Life returned.
Today, the Indian Banyan stands not just as a survivor, but as a living monument — to Lahaina’s past, and to its path forward.
At the Arbor Day Foundation, we know recovery doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, care, and community. And sometimes, it begins with something as simple — and as powerful — as a tree.
REBUILDING LAHAINA:
ONE FAMILY’S JOURNEY HOME
For Pamela Reader, the house she and her husband bought in Lahaina’s Shark Pit neighborhood 15 years ago was more than walls and a roof — it was the only home their two daughters had ever known. On August 8, 2023, that home — and nearly every house around it — was reduced to ash when wildfires tore through the town.
“We left thinking it might just be smoke damage at first,” Reader said. “Within hours, my husband called and said, ‘I think everything’s gone.’”
In the days that followed, Lahaina’s resilient spirit came alive. “It was a huge community effort,” Reader said. “I’ve never been in a situation where I needed something so literally – clothing and food to feed my family. It was humbling, and pretty incredible to see the community step up.”
Even after losing everything, Pamela and her family were determined to help shape Lahaina’s future, eager to rebuild and heal.
They became one of the first families in their neighborhood to rebuild, breaking ground anew in December 2024. Now, nearly two years later, they are weeks away from moving back and officially starting over.
Still, returning won’t mean coming home to the same Lahaina they left.
“It’s barren now. It used to be lush, tropical, full of shade and fruit trees. That’s what made it feel like Lahaina,” she said. “Adding trees back seems like such a simple thing, but it’s going to make a world of difference for us when we get back.”
That’s what made the community tree distribution on the second anniversary of the fires feel so significant. The event, hosted by the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with local organizations like The Outdoor
Circle, Treecovery, and the Royal Lahaina Resort, was about more than planting and distributing trees — it was about hope and renewal.
“It felt like moving forward,” Reader said.
Pamela’s family left with four trees: lemon, tangerine, and avocado, and a prized puakenikeni, a fragrant flower tree her daughters requested. “We’ll plant the avocado where the girls’ treehouse used to be,” she says. “It’s a way of putting life back where it was lost.”
In Lahaina, trees are more than landscaping. They are infrastructure for disaster recovery. They’ll restore shade in the island’s intense heat, provide fresh food to share with neighbors, and bring back the tropical character that once defined the community. The planting effort even includes mapping fruit trees so residents can barter harvests, a nod to island traditions of generosity.
“It’s about bringing back the little things that make you feel like you are home,” Reader said.
Read the full story of Lahaina’s journey to recovery at arborday.org/lahaina. Your leadership and support make this work possible. To discuss how to expand your impact, please reach out to development@arborday.org.
Q&A WITH MYLES RITCHIE, PROGRAMS DIRECTOR AT THE OUTDOOR CIRCLE
Myles Ritchie, PhD, is the programs director for The Outdoor Circle, Hawaii’s oldest environmental nonprofit and one of the Arbor Day Foundation’s local partners. An ISA Certified Arborist based in Honolulu, Myles also chairs the City and County of Honolulu’s mayor-appointed Arborist Advisory Committee. With a doctorate in Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, he is passionate about protecting Hawaii’s natural beauty and is currently researching innovative ways to strengthen “heritage” tree and urban forestry programs around the world.
Q: What do trees symbolize for the Lahaina community?
A: The residents we talked to at the tree distribution event let us know that the trees they received represent a vital component of their personal rebuilding process. Some of these tree recipients once had large shade and fruit producing trees on their properties and want to try and reachieve that as soon as possible. We are humbled to be able to help the community in its total recovery efforts in this way.
Q: What does “recovery done right” mean to you?
A: “Recovery done right” means ensuring all stakeholders are consulted and authentically listened to so ideas are incorporated into planning, design, and implementation phases of the rebuilding process. For example, The Outdoor Circle has advocated for underground wiring for over a century to reduce ugliness, fire hazards, and other dangers, while making it easier for trees to grow without unnecessary trimming. We are but one voice and ultimately the Lahaina community affected by the fires needs to have the recovery process conducted in a way that is “pono” or right for it. It’s important that many opportunities exist to share information and knowledge so that the best possible outcomes can be achieved. This means a deliberate and concerted effort is needed all-around, but the benefits will be well-worth the time and energy.
Q: What does it mean to you to get to be a part of this work?
A: The Outdoor Circle has been involved in advocating for keeping Hawaii clean, green, and beautiful for 113 years. The tragedy of the 2023 Lahaina fires was deeply felt across the state, nation, and world. For us to be involved in the recovery process with our partners at the Arbor Day Foundation, United Airlines, and local partner Treecovery, has been a humbling and gratifying experience. We are directly helping to restore a close-knit town by providing beautiful trees of desired species that will provide healthy food options for generations to come, which is an exciting project to be a part of. We are hopeful that we will be able to replicate this event next year so that even more trees can be replanted throughout Lahaina.