Lahaina’s 151-year-old banyan tree is recovering after a devastating wildfire ravaged the town on Maui, Hawaii last August.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of arborists and dedicated volunteers, parts of the tree are now growing back.

The banyan tree is the oldest living tree on Maui and was a gift from India to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Protestant missionaries in Lahaina.

The tree is a locally significant site. “It is listed as an exceptional tree by the County of Maui, which gives it protection similar to that of a historic building,” said Kimberly Flook, deputy executive director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation. Newsweek after the fire.

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“As a 150-year-old tree in the center of the historic city, it has been a natural gathering place over the years. During its lifespan, it has hosted luaus, festivals, hula performances, picnics, war memorials, etc.”

“On a less formal level, locals and visitors alike have enjoyed its shade and benches, as well as the sound of the mynah birds in its branches each evening.”

The 2023 forest fire charred the tree and many of its leaves turned black.

According to Duane Sparkman, chairman of the Maui County Arborist Committee, it was the extreme heat that dried out large parts of the tree, causing about half of its branches to die.

“Once that part of the tree dried up, there was no turning back,” Sparkman told the Associated Press.

However, other parts of the tree are now showing signs of healthy regrowth.

Dead branches were removed by arborists to direct the tree’s energy to the surviving parts.

Fourteen sensors, functioning like a “heart monitor,” were installed to track the flow of cambium (tree sap) through the branches.

Sparkman reported that the tree’s vitality is steadily improving.

Future plans include installing vertical tubes filled with compost to feed the aerial roots, as well as an irrigation system to direct small drops of water into these tubes.

The aim of this structure is to strengthen the aerial roots and further stabilize the tree.

Sparkman has observed long branches with hundreds of new leaves, some of which even bore fruit, which he describes as “pretty amazing.”

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The tree was planted in 1873, before Hawaii was granted status as a U.S. territory and Lahaina was founded as the capital by King Kamehameha.

The tree is a popular symbol of the Lahaina community among tourists and locals, but also serves as a reminder of Hawaii’s colonial history.

The tree is over 60 feet tall and spans nearly an acre with its many trunks.

Aerial roots hanging from the branches eventually anchor themselves in the soil and form new trunks that contribute to the tree’s sprawling structure.

The forest fire destroyed around 25,000 trees in Lahaina, including culturally significant trees such as the ulu (breadfruit tree); of a dozen, only two survived.

Sparkman and a group of arborists, farmers and landscapers are working to save and replant these important trees.

Sparkman founded a nonprofit called Treecovery, which transplants about 3,500 potted trees and grows them in “micro-nurseries” across Maui until residents can return to their homes.

“We have growing centers all over the island of Maui where we can grow these trees as long as they need to. When people are ready, we can have them pick up the trees and plant them in their yards,” Sparkman said. “It’s important that we do this for the families.”