Last year’s wildfires in Hawaii severely damaged numerous natural treasures, including a 151-year-old banyan tree that was considered a community landmark. The devastation caused not only physical destruction but also emotional suffering among locals in the Lahaina area of ​​Maui.

But thanks to the dedication and hard work of local conservationists, the ancient tree is now growing back and thriving, the Guardian reported earlier this month.

“You see a lot of long, long branches with hundreds of leaves on the tree,” Duane Sparkman, chairman of the Maui County Tree Care Committee, told the Guardian, adding that nearly 25,000 trees were lost in the fire but the large banyan tree is now even bearing fruit again. “It’s pretty amazing to see how much of the tree is growing back.”

The loss appears to have inspired civilians and government officials to take action to protect their sacred forests and learn how to prevent such tragedies in the future. Sparkman, the Guardian reported, has set up an organization called Treecovery to address these concerns. The nonprofit says it has grown around 3,500 trees so far and stored them in portable planters so that they can be transported around the region when the time comes.

“We have growing centers all over the island of Maui where we can grow these trees as long as they need to,” Sparkman told the publication. “When people are ready, we can let them pick up the trees and plant them in their gardens.”

While planting trees is not quite as effective as protecting them and preventing other pollution in the first place, it is still an important and valuable measure in the fight against the overheating of our planet and in supporting a healthy and diverse ecosystem.

Aside from the direct actions taken by Sparkman and others, such as tree planting near highways, the story of the famous banyan tree—which was close to death but nurtured back to its thriving beauty—is both inspirational and symbolically powerful.

Sparkman said of tree planting on Maui, “It’s important that we do this for the families.” These initiatives not only make our environment greener and more connected, but they also set the stage for success for future generations and help ensure that our current standard of living and appreciation for nature are not neglected.

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