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A camera lens cannot capture the full truth of what we have witnessed. These images of the Legacy Forest at Haleiwa show downed trees, washed-out roads, and broken equipment — but they don’t convey the gravity of the destruction — they cannot show the na'au, the gut-feeling grief, of the people behind this work. What you are looking at is a story of both devastation and perseverance.
We are relieved to report that no one was hurt. But our hearts are with our incredible crew members, whose dedication humbles us every single day. They show up to this forest without fail — working tirelessly to assess, clear, and rebuild. On their days off, rather than rest, they go out into the community to lend their hands to neighbors in need. And then they go home — to their own damaged houses, their own losses, their own quiet hardships — and they begin again the next morning. The trees will grow back. People's homes will not. And it is people like these who remind us what it means to truly love this land and this community.
Three Punches in Thirty Days
The media has reported the 2026 Kona Low as two storms. For us, it was something far more brutal: two gut punches — February 20–21 and March 6–7 — followed by a third blow to the head, March 12–14, all within a single month. We are down. We are not out.
The Damage to Our Hāleiwa Forest
Approximately one-third of our planted native trees, shrubs, and ferns have been swept away, damaged beyond survival, uprooted, or knocked down. Irrigation infrastructure lies tangled in tree canopies, buried under rocks, submerged in the stream, or lost to the ocean. Every access road into and through the forest — leading to our planting fields — is either underwater, covered in debris, or simply gone. Our nursery has been destroyed. Chainsaws, weed whackers, and brush cutters have been damaged beyond repair.
The scope is staggering. The work ahead is enormous. And we refuse to stop.
We Are Not Alone in This Pain
It would be deeply selfish to look only at our own loss. Across Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Maui, entire communities have been shattered. Families — kūpuna who have lived on this land their whole lives, keiki who deserve to grow up with a sense of home and safety — have lost everything. Their pain runs deep, and ours stands alongside theirs, not above it.
We know why this native forest matters: it gives us clean air, clean water, erosion protection, habitat for native wildlife, and a living connection to Hawaiʻi's culture and identity. But none of that means more than the people. And right now, the people of this ʻāina need us all.
A Call to Action
We do not ask only for ourselves. We humbly call upon government agencies and the corporate community for immediate emergency financial assistance — to help restore this forest, and to support the broader recovery of our communities across these islands. If you have access to heavy equipment and are in a position to assist, please reach out to us directly.
Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative has been planting this land with love and purpose for years. These forests belong to Hawaiʻi's future. Help us bring them back — and help us take care of the people who call this place home.
Mahalo Nui & A Hui Hou!
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