The mission of Hawaii Farm Trails’ Project Kanu is to plant carbon-sequestering food trees that will nourish and regenerate Hawaii’s Island Home.
Why is it important?
Overcoming high levels of food insecurity is an ongoing challenge in Hawaii, exacerbated by local farmers' barriers, such as high production costs, degraded soils, and uncertain markets & weather. By supporting Project Kanu, it’s possible to help fund breadfruit trees (ulu) which serve as the baseline for advancing food security and agroforestry.
Since the devastating wildfires that destroyed Lahaina in Maui, Hawaii Farm Trail's Project Kanu is committed to focusing all the funds raised through Kind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back effort with Equus Hotel to support 'ulu tree planting with Hawaii 'Ulu Cooperative on Maui. 'Ulu agroforests were historically planted across Hawaiʻi as an important source of food, including a famous ʻulu grove in Lahaina, Maui. Hence the ʻōlelo noʻeau (Hawaiian proverb), “Halau Lahaina, malu i ka ‘ulu” – Lahaina is like a large house shaded by breadfruit trees.”
When the time is right, Hawaii Farm Trail's Project Kanu is committed to supporting the restoration of ʻulu agroforests in and around Lāhainā, as breadfruit trees can play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of climate change while producing an abundance of nutritious food.
