Mahi Pono employees pose for a photo with summer interns from local high schools. The students worked with staff to propagate almost 2,000 culturally significant plans aimed at restoring greenery in areas impacted by the Lahaina wildfire. Photo courtesy Mahi Pono

As part of its ongoing commitment to support the recovery of Lahaina, Mahi Pono is working alongside the community to help restore cultural connections.

According to the organization, this summer, nine students from Maui High, King Kekaulike and Baldwin High schools participated in Mahi Pono’s paid summer internship program, where they propagated nearly 2,000 culturally significant plants for residents who lost their home gardens that included cherished lei plants during the 2023 wildfires.

Organizers said the project was developed in direct response to community input, aiming to restore greenery, a sense of place and cultural continuity. The propagated plants include plumeria, crown flower, ti leaf, bougainvillea and pikake, each holding a cultural and personal significance in Hawaiian tradition, especially lei-making and home gardens throughout Lahaina.

The plants will be distributed in November during ReTree Hawai’i, a statewide initiative dedicated to environmental restoration through community tree planting. The timing reflects both symbolic and practical acts of restoration, resilience, and environmental stewardship.

Mahi Pono’s summer internship program provides hands-on agricultural training for Maui high school students. Interns rotate through various departments, including plant propagation, irrigation, carpentry, fencing, produce packing, processing and field maintenance. In addition to meaningful work experience, the paid internship empowers local youth to play an active role in rebuilding their community while learning about sustainable farming practices.