What We Do
Smart Trees Pacific is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the many benefits of trees by building partnerships and providing operational, technical, and material resources to best use urban trees as a dynamic resource that will enhance sustainable communities in Hawai’i and the Pacific.
Our Mission
Promote and provide resources to select, install, establish, and care for trees to provide solutions for the natural and human environment.
Our History
Smart Trees Pacific was originally founded as ‘Friends of Hawaii’s Urban Forests’ in 1998 by Kevin Eckert, Teresa Trueman-Madriaga, and Larry Gay. The organization was established to take on a supportive role to grow and enhance the State of Hawaii’s Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program.
In 2014, our organization became a 501(c)3 Non-profit Organization and took on the trade name Smart Trees Pacific in order to reflect our broader goals within the Pacific region. We continue to work throughout the Hawaiian Islands and have been proud to branch into other areas in the Pacific supporting a variety of urban forestry initiatives.
Today, Smart Trees Pacific operates as an independent non-profit urban forestry organization while continuing to work jointly with DLNR, Division of Forestry and Wildlife to deliver the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program. Smart Trees Pacific works with the simple objective of improving and sustaining vital urban forests across the Pacific.
What We’ve Achieved
Smart Trees Pacific seeks opportunities to increase the collective understanding, establishment, and maintenance of the urban forest. We believe that using sophisticated technology coupled with sound arboriculture practices will lead to enhanced value and benefits, and an acceptance of trees as an integral component of the green infrastructure.
We work hard to initiate community environmental change through collaborative work:
Urban Tree Canopy Assessments
Smart Trees Pacific has assessed Honolulu’s tree canopy and monitors the changes in canopy levelsCitizen Forester Program
Smart Trees Pacific engages volunteers to systematically inventory and maps public trees in Hawaii and the PacificRestoration Projects
Smart Trees Pacific recommends integrated courses of action to restore native ecosystemsUrban Forestry Storm Response
Smart Trees Pacific has collaborated to create Hawaii’s urban forestry emergency operations planning toolkit, providing urban forestry professionals concrete approaches when preparing for natural disasters that impact the urban forest.And more!
Smart Trees Pacific proudly complies with Civil Rights laws.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity