Having earned a Tree Campus USA designation, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa fully understands that trees are an integral part of any college campus. Trees not only help to reduce carbon dioxide but also help to reduce energy consumption by providing shade and cooling buildings. In honor of the flourishing trees of today and tomorrow, UH Mānoa will be celebrating Arbor Day with two Arbor Day tree planting and plant giveaway events.
The November 4 Arbor Day event will focus on planting and maintaining trees on campus in order to encourage commitment to creating a sustainable future. Trees to be planted were donated by College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) horticulturalist Richard Criley in an effort to expand the campus arboretum.
Volunteers will also have a chance to take home a māmaki seedling propagated by Plant and Environmental Protection Science’s William Haines and Kari Bogner of the Kamehameha Butterfly and Pulelehua Project. The māmaki is one of the preferred sources of food for the Kamehameha butterfly.
- RELATED: “Researchers need help saving the Kamehameha butterfly” – February 17, 2014
Arbor Day Hawaiʻi
In addition to on-campus Arbor Day activities, CTAHR is also partnering with Hawaiian electric for the Arbor Day Tree Giveaway on Saturday, November 7. Trees and shrubs will be distributed at sites across the state, including CTAHR’s Urban Garden Center in Pearl City. Experts and volunteers will be on site to answer questions and provide information on plants.
Event details
The November 4 Arbor Day Tree Planting and Plant Giveaway will take place from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Metcalf Field (across the street from Hunnewell Street on the College of Education side of campus). The event is free and open to the public.
The November 7 Arbor Day Tree Giveaway at the CTAHR Urban Garden Center will begin at 7 a.m. Giveaways will be available while supplies last. For more information on plant giveaways and additional distribution sites, visit the Arbor Day Hawaiʻi website.
—By Kapiʻolani Ching
