Volunteers plant first trees for Kailua Beach Park dune restoration

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant Program hosted about 50 volunteers for tree planting and landscaping efforts at Kailua Beach Park.

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On Saturday, the volunteers, in partnership with the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, planted the first trees as part of the Kailua Beach Park Dune Restoration effort.

“We’ve done three community planting events up to this point, which have been focused on the low-lying dune plants,” said Hawaii Sea Grant extension agent Amy Wirts.

Eleven native coastal trees were planted and additional landscaping to help naturally protect this significant shoreline from beach erosion, including milo, kou and beach heliotrope trees.

Beach naupaka and ʻakiʻaki grass were added as well, just makai of the park’s parking lot on the Lanikai-side of the Kaʻelepulu Stream.

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The work involved digging holes, planting the trees/plants, watering, staking, weeding and other maintenance of the dune restoration resources.

Kailua Beach Park Dune Restoration effort began in November 2024 as a collaborative effort between the city, state and community groups that aimed to preserve this popular stretch of the beach park experiencing significant erosion.

The city said the effort aims to restore ocean access and support diverse recreational use by increasing the width of active beach and stabilizing wind-swept sand with low-lying dune plants and native vegetation.

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Click here for more information from the city on the dune restoration effort.