HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new Ali‘i Banyan tree was planted in Triangle Park on Tuesday, replacing a nearly 50-year-old Chinese banyan tree in Pālolo.
In addition to the Ali‘i Banyan tree, the City added improvements to the landscape, irrigation lines, croton plants, and Bottlebrush trees.
The project was completed on National Love a Tree Day to encourage residents to care for Hawai‘i’s urban forests.
Officials said the original tree suffered three separate infestations including: lobate lac scale, stem gall wasp, and leaf gall wasp.
The Division of Urban Forestry has attempted to heal and improve the overall health of the tree for the past decade.
It wasn’t until a branch fell in February 2024 that officials discovered the extent of the rot. The rot compromised the structural integrity of the tree, leading to the overall decision to remove it.
Not only are we going to plant the right tree in the right place at the right time, but also replace any tree that we have to remove. Because unfortunately invasive pests are becoming more and more prevalent around Oahu. Things like the gall wasp, lobate lac scale as Dan mentioned, coconut rhinoceros beetle, things that we have to respond to and we have to stay on top of in order to mitigate their impacts to our natural environment.
Nate Serota, Department of Pars and Recreation
Honolulu Division of Urban Forestry’s Administrator, Roxanne Adams, hopes the new tree and landscaping will create a new sense of place and community for the neighborhood.
“I refer to trees like these as ‘sentinels’ because they watch over our neighborhoods and provide a myriad of benefits and protections. We very much understood the impact the loss of this tree had on the community, and wanted to replace it as soon as possible,” explained Adams.
To learn more about the benefits of trees and arborists’ efforts, visit the DPR Urban Forestry Division website.