The Kahala Hotel and Resort Plants 10,000th Endemic Hawaiian Milo Tree

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The Kahala Hotel and Resort Plants 10,000th Endemic Hawaiian Milo Tree

The initiative is in partnership with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative to reestablish critical habitat for many of the state’s rarest plant and bird species

Honolulu, Hawaii, April 22, 2021– The Kahala Hotel and Resort recently celebrated the planting of its 10,000th tree in the Kahala Legacy Forest on the North Shore of Oahu. This extraordinary achievement is part of the resort’s efforts, along with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI), to restore part of the natural landscape of the island by planting endemic Hawaiian Milo Trees.

The legendary Kahala Hotel & Resort has been an industry leader in sustainability practices in its daily operations for more than 50 years. Together with HLRI, the resort created the Kahala Initiative for Sustainability, Culture and the Arts (KISCA), which has a goal of planting a total of 200,000 Milo trees in the Kahala Legacy Forest located at Gunstock Ranch. As part of the partnership, the resort created a native tree nursery on its property. Hotel guests can visit the nursery, choose a native tree, and personally plant it on the North Shore.

“The partnership with HLRI is very special,” said The Kahala Hotel and Resort General Manager Joe Ibarra. “As we all know, tree planting and reforestation is one of the best ways to mitigate climate change. It fosters amazing biodiversity and offsets the carbon footprint. Tree planting and malama (taking care of) Hawaii is very important.” 

General Manager Joe Ibarra plants the 10,000th Legacy Tree

(l to r): Senior Marketing Manager Wakako Sasaki, Marketing Manager Yuko Yoshida, and General Manager Joe Ibarra. From HLRI, Director Jason Hoopai.

Ibarra planted its 10,000th Legacy Tree on behalf of the hotel just before Earth Day to honor the resort’s second property, which opened last year in Yokohama, Japan.  

“Congratulations to The Kahala Hotel and Resort for this impressive accomplishment,” said HLRI Co-Founder and Executive Director Jeff Dunster. “We are so very thankful for the staff’s work with us to preserve Oahu’s land, ocean, and culture for generations to come.”

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About HLRI: Through state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies, HLRI works with landowners and conservation partners to establish and preserve economically viable and sustainable endemic Hawaiian forests, protect endangered species, sequester carbon, and recharge watersheds. HLRI’s Legacy Trees are sponsored by businesses and individuals, with a portion of proceeds donated to other charities worldwide. For more, visit LegacyTrees.org.