01/20/2022
Mahi Pono Plants 1 Million Trees
On Nov. 9, Mahi Pono celebrated the 1 millionth tree planted on its land. The milestone caps off a long list of important goals met by the farming company since its establishment in 2018.
The Central Maui property now supports 626,574 different types of citrus trees; 334,150 coffee trees; 1,009 avocado trees; 21,780 papaya trees; and 17,896 trees used as windbreaks (including panax, hau and milo trees); along with 300 each of ‘ulu, coconut and macadamia nut trees.
Mahi Pono’s 300 employees, along with community members, took part in a ceremonial planting event to mark the milestone. The event was held in the company’s ‘ulu field off the Pa‘ia-bound side of Hana Highway, and ‘ulu was the 1 millionth tree planted. As a staple Polynesian food crop, the tree symbolizes the sustainability that Mahi Pono is striving to bring to Maui County food production, by diversifying agriculture and reducing reliance on imported food.
The massive tree planting is aimed at fighting climate change, conserving water resources and increasing soil productivity. Mahi Pono also plants potatoes and onions as well as other crops, and maintains a “Chefs’ Corner Project” with the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival and popular chefs to grow food for their restaurants.
Mahi Pono is a joint venture between Pomona Farming LLC, a California-based agricultural group, and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, one of Canada’s largest pension investment managers. The company took over stewardship of 41,000 acres of former sugar cane land previously owned by Alexander & Baldwin, two years after Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. closed its sugar operations.
