Honokaa residents fight county plan to remove 36 mahogany trees

A group of Honokaa residents is trying to stop Hawaii County from cutting down 36 mature Cuban mahogany trees at the Honokaa Sports Complex and Skate Park, arguing the grove is part of the park’s shade, safety and identity, not just a maintenance problem.

The dispute started last fall when Alison Higgins and other neighbors noticed bright pink markings on the trees and began asking why they had been tagged. County officials say the trees’ roots have damaged two parking lots at the park, and the marked grove includes 26 of the 27 photographed trees in the lower lot and 10 of the 13 photographed trees in the upper lot. Residents say the markings signaled a decision that had moved ahead before the community understood what was at stake.

In February, 65 community members met with Council Member Heather Kimball and Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma to press for preservation. Parks and Recreation planner James Komata told the group that long-term lack of maintenance and the original choice of tree species contributed to the parking lot damage. Residents countered that they wanted to look at alternatives, including root mitigation or a different parking lot plan, before the county removed a mature canopy that helps make the park usable throughout the day.

The issue reaches beyond one grove of trees. The Honokaa Sports Complex at 45-541 Lehua Street in Honokaa includes an ADA-accessible gymnasium, outdoor tennis courts, pickleball courts, a playground, restrooms, a skate park and sports fields. In a small Hāmākua district town where people gather for games, practice and family time, community members say the canopy matters because it cools the park for keiki, kūpuna, athletes and families, and gives the complex much of its character.

A separate February opinion item said Parks and Recreation staff planned an on-site review with an arborist on Feb. 5 to consider a more measured plan to remove and replace trees over time, but that meeting reportedly did not take place. That left residents still waiting for the next county decision on whether to proceed with wholesale removal or revisit a phased approach that could spare part of the grove.

The park’s history is part of why the fight has struck a nerve. The Honokaa Skate Park formally opened on Aug. 23, 2014, after a community-led effort that began in 2010, with the county setting aside $125,000 and local residents, nonprofits, businesses and donors raising additional support. For many in Honokaa, that origin story makes the current tree plan feel out of step with the park’s community-built roots.