Join our Mālama Tree Crew to enjoy the outdoors, increase your impact in the fight against climate change, and learn best practices for native tree maintenance!

There are many reforestation, carbon sequestration, and native plant restoration projects happening throughout the islands, maybe you have even participated in one. But what is critical to these projects is not just the planting—it’s the maintenance. While some projects have programs set up to ensure that these new plantings are taken care of, some do not, that’s where you come in.

The Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi is seeking dedicated volunteers to help care for recently planted trees around Oʻahu. Mālama Tree Crew volunteers, with guidance from project leader Randy Ching, will be watering, weeding, and clearing debris around recently planted trees in Moanalua, and possibly other locations, about once a month for 3-4 hours/day.

Dates of service:

Ala Mahamoe - First and fourth Sundays of the month

1,000+ trees were planted in this area by volunteers led by Professor Mora, in partnership with The Outdoor Circle, Mālama Learning Center, Ko‘olau Mountain Watershed Partnership, and the Garden Club of Honolulu in 2018. Unfortunately it was a rough winter and many trees died. However in the years since, we have planted almost a thousand trees to re-establish the native watershed—and most of them have survived! Help us keep them thriving! We will be watering, weeding, and clearing debris from around these recently planted trees. Meet at 8am at the gate between 1800 and 1812 Ala Mahamoe St. Tools and refreshments provided. Bring long pants, long-sleeve shirt, water, hat, sunscreen, gloves. Reservations required at least 1 day prior via email here.

FAQ:

How does this help in the fight against climate change?
One way to mitigate the effects of climate change is to sequester the carbon already in the atmosphere. Plants, especially trees, are great at removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through photosynthesis, plants pull carbon out of the air and process it into sugar that it uses for food and growth. Trees take it one step further. They are able to store large amounts of carbon in their wood, sequestering more as they grow.

The more carbon we sequester, the less global warming. In order to keep Earth livable, we need to keep the warming less than 2 degrees celsius. Planting massive amounts of trees will enable us to do so. Hawaiʻi can easily plant a million trees in the next decade with everyone’s help.

But what’s my lasting impact?
A lot of energy goes into growing and planting new trees and we all want to see them grow for decades to come. Well-developed trees are able to sequester more carbon. While some tree planting projects have the capacity to maintain their trees, some do not. Watering and weeding trees may be less sexy than planting, but it is just as, if not more, important. You are able to help ensure these trees live a long carbon-full life.

Pacific Islands are amongst the first to see hard-hitting impacts of climate change—and Hawaiʻi is no exception. We are already seeing the impacts of climate change: eroding beaches and coastal roads, rain bombs and detrimental flooding, and rising sea levels and temperatures. These impacts can no longer be ignored and we are now at a critical time where we must not only massively reduce fossil fuel emissions but also do everything that we can to sequester the carbon that is already in the atmosphere.

Do I need prior experience or have participated in a Sierra Club event in the past?
No! The project leader, Randy Ching, will provide instructions for the day’s work and safety protocols. Randy is a former Sierra Club Oʻahu Group Outings leader with over 25 years of experience leading hikes and service projects.

What should I bring?
Be sure to check each event’s description for details. However, tools for the day’s work will generally be provided but please bring your own gloves if you can. Always bring water and sun protection (sunscreen, hat, etc). Closed toe shoes are also required.