11/2/26 – ARBOR DAY HAWAIʻI 2026 INVITES COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE TO CELEBRATE AND CARE FOR TREES

ARBOR DAY HAWAIʻI 2026 INVITES COMMUNITIES STATEWIDE TO CELEBRATE AND CARE FOR TREES

HONOLULU - Arbor Day Hawaiʻi 2026 will be celebrated this Friday, November 6 and throughout the month of November. Residents and visitors are invited join the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DLNR DOFAW) in tree-related events on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Molokaʻi, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi.

Various events will provide opportunities to adopt free trees, participate in community plantings, learn proper tree care techniques and connect with organizations working to grow trees where we live, work, learn and play.

"Arbor Day Hawaiʻi is about more than planting trees. It is an opportunity to strengthen connections between people and place," said Dr. Heather McMillen, DOFAW's urban and community forester. "The Kaulunani program supports these efforts by fostering community involvement in the stewardship of trees and forests throughout Hawaiʻi."

This month's Arbor Day events offer an opportunity to recognize trees and the vital role they have in our communities. Trees provide shade, cool down neighborhoods, improve air quality, reduce stormwater runoff and erosion, support wildlife habitat and contribute to human health and well-being.

Arbor Day also provides a chance to appreciate the importance of native Hawaiian and Polynesian-introduced trees, species like kou, milo, ʻulu and niu that have sustained the people, traditions and landscapes of Hawaiʻi for generations.

Community members are encouraged to explore the statewide calendar of Arbor Day events for location and registration information at the Kaulunani website.

Highlights include:

• Hawaiʻi Island: Terraformation will host a native tree giveaway on Friday, November 6 in Kailua-Kona. Native ecosystem restoration professionals will be on hand for care tips and native plant resources.
• Maui Nui: Maui Nui Botanical Garden will host its 23rd Annual Arbor Day Garden Expo and Tree Giveaway on Saturday, November 7, featuring native and canoe plant giveaways, tree care demonstrations, cultural activities and educational exhibits.
• Oʻahu: On Saturday, November 7, Mālama Learning Center will host "Navigating Our Future: A Workshop on Growing and Caring for Canoe Plants" in Nānākuli. Enjoy hands-on planting and cooking demos, free plant adoption and more.
• Kauaʻi: The Kauaʻi Landscape Industry Council will host an Arbor Day event at Kukui Grove Center on Saturday, November 7, featuring free tree giveaways, educational demonstrations and activities for keiki.

McMillen added: "Trees are essential to healthy and resilient communities and give us so much. Getting involved at an Arbor Day event is its own reward but also a way to give back to them."

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RESOURCES

(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

Photographs - Arbor Day Hawaiʻi 2026 (various):

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/rrb30fqa9l8qhyg4ocpih/AAYRGcQnxMIdTQGy7NPb2Xo?rlkey=qchg18lxeu1q2hcck3rvsozxe&st=7qdulcpx&dl=0

Kaulunani Arbor Day webpage:

https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/lap/kaulunani/arbor-day-in-hawaii/

Media contact:
Ryan Aguilar
Communications Specialist
State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources
Phone: 808-587-0396
E-mail: [email protected]