A landmark tree in Hawaii has become a symbol of hope for locals a year after a devastating fire ripped through Maui. According to chief arborist Timothy Griffith Jr., he immediately worried for Lahaina's historic banyan tree after learning about the fire.
Arriving just a day after the fire, Griffith found the landmark tree still standing. It's the largest banyan tree in the nation. However, the fire had scorched the tree and severely injured it. Still, Griffith found signs of life. The tree went dormant into a coma — something I didn't even know trees could do. However, Griffith and his team worked for a year to nurture the tree back to health.
Its leaves are now almost seven feet long. It's a hopeful sign for not only the landmark tree but also the island.
"It really is a phoenix from the ashes, and it just gives people hope," Griffith told USA Today. Tad Craig, a photographer, said the tree was an important part of local culture. He often shot newlywed photos near the tree. He even had his own wedding photos taken there. "It was just a beautiful, beautiful tree," Craig said.
Landmark Tree Encourages Locals
On August 8, 2023, the wildfire devastated the town of Lahaina, destroying most of its buildings and landmarks. It also killed more than 100 people after they became trapped in their cars. Duane Sparkman was one of 50 volunteers trying to keep the landmark tree alive while deal with the devastation left in the wake of the fire. "I spent a lot of time with the tree, just in the shade, enjoying the size of it, the mass of it, and living in awe of a tree of that size," he said. "And so to be able, or to have the kuleana - responsibility - to oversee the regrowth, it's very heartwarming to me that I was even allowed to."
Meanwhile, Ekolu Lindsey, president of Maui Cultural Lands, said the tree stands as a symbol of renewal and hope.
"We have generational memories in those spaces, the smell of seaweed, the smell of the fish your grandfather would catch, the smell of the mangos as they fall, all those memories," Lindsey said. "To go back now, over this past year after the fires I have seen a major rebound."
However, while the tree is recovering, Griffith said there's still a long way to go. "It's not out of the woods," Griffith said. "But the fact that it continues to put out new growth, we remain optimistic - cautiously optimistic - that we will have something to work with in the decades to come."
