At Maui Community Foundation, our mission is to strengthen the capacity of community partners as they lead recovery efforts and build long-term sustainability for Maui. Treecovery Hawaii embodies this mission. Their bold operational plan transforms wildfire recovery into a model of efficiency, resilience, and community empowerment. We’re proud to share their story below as an example of how strategic investment in capacity can multiply impact for families and our island’s future.

From Volunteers to Victory: How Treecovery’s Bold Operational Plan Will Plant Hope at Scale

When the August 2023 wildfires swept through Lahaina, they didn’t just destroy homes—they stripped away the living canopy that defined our community. The shade trees that cooled our keiki at play. The fruit trees that fed our families. The cultural trees that connected us to our ancestors. Today, more than 2,500 families are still waiting for the trees that will begin their healing.

It’s time to change that.

The Bottleneck We Must Break

Right now, our dedicated volunteers are heroes—but they’re fighting with inadequate tools. Picture this: volunteers spending hours hand-digging through Lahaina’s notoriously rocky soil, managing to prepare just five planting sites per day. Small pickup trucks shuttling 20 trees at a time when families need 200. The heartbreaking result? Families wait three weeks or more for their trees while volunteers burn out from the physically punishing work.

“Professional tools multiply human compassion, ensuring no family waits for the healing that trees provide,” says Duane Sparkman, Treecovery’s Board President and a man who understands the power of strategic capacity building.

The Transformation: Equipment as a Force Multiplier

Treecovery’s new Operational Plan isn’t about replacing people with machines—it’s about empowering people to achieve exponentially more. One mini excavator can dig 50 holes daily in terrain where manual labor produces just five. A single heavy-duty truck can transport 200 trees per trip versus 20 in a pickup. This isn’t automation for its own sake; it’s giving our teams the professional tools they deserve.

The impact is immediate and measurable:

• 25,000 trees planted annually (more than double our current 12,000)
• Delivery time slashed from 21 days to 3-5 days
• 2,500 families served each year instead of turning people away
• Per-tree delivery cost reduced by 65% through operational efficiency

Creating Green Jobs, Not Just Green Spaces

This plan creates 15-20 sustainable part-time positions with living wages—flexible work that respects our community’s way of life. These aren’t just jobs; they’re pathways to careers in environmental restoration. Workers can maintain their fishing schedules, their family commitments, their cultural practices, while earning dignified wages operating professional equipment.

The Ripple Effect of Strategic Investment

Here’s what proper equipment unlocks:

Year 1-2: We prove our capacity, positioning Treecovery for $1M+ in federal USDA and NRCS grants that require demonstrated professional operations.

Year 5: 250,000 trees planted. 500 acres restored. Equipment rental revenue creating sustainable income streams.

Year 10: Two million trees standing tall. A community fully regreened. A model replicated across Hawaii.

Advancing Our Four Pillars

This operational transformation directly advances every aspect of Treecovery’s mission:

Regreening: Rapid restoration of fire-affected lands at unprecedented scale

Reshading: Creating the tree canopy coverage essential for climate resilience

Feeding: Efficient distribution systems for food-producing trees and agroforestry

Organizational Capacity: Building the infrastructure for long-term sustainability

The Bottom Line: No Family Left Waiting

Every day we operate with manual methods alone is another day families wait for hope. The Kosasa Foundation and other forward-thinking funders understand this: equipment investment delivers three times the impact per dollar compared to traditional staffing models. This isn’t about choosing machines over people—it’s about giving our people the professional tools they need to serve our community with dignity and efficiency.

The equation is simple but powerful: Professional equipment × Community dedication = Exponential impact.

We’re not asking for charity. We’re offering investment in Maui’s future—a future where no family waits for the trees that represent their recovery, their food security, their cultural heritage, and their hope.

Ready to multiply your impact? Every dollar invested in professional equipment creates $3 of community value through increased capacity, reduced costs, and sustainable operations.

Download Treecovery Hawaii’s Complete Operational Plan

Join us in transforming intention into action, one equipped team at a time. Because when we say “Plant Hope at Scale,” we mean ensuring every family receives their trees not someday, but soon.

For partnership opportunities or to support Treecovery’s equipment initiative, contact us at duane@treecoveryhawaii.org