An Unlikely Species Thrives in Maui’s High Elevation Forests
A century-old grove of California redwoods towers above Kula
by Serene Gunnison
More than 280 acres of redwoods thrive in the remote Kula Forest Reserve, where some trees soar over 150 feet tall.
photograph by Tim Szlachetka
High on the slopes of Haleakalā, in a remote section of Kula Forest Reserve, an unexpected sight awaits: towering redwood trees, rising above pines and lush ferns.
Redwoods are among the last trees you’d expect to see in Hawai‘i. But here in the fog belt at 6,200 feet, the climate closely mirrors Northern California’s coast – ideal conditions for these giants to thrive.
While Maui’s microclimates can support plant species from around the globe, one question lingers: How did redwoods get here?
A little over a century ago, the landscape now known as Kula Forest Reserve was likely dominated by native trees. That began to change in the 1880s, when government lands in Kula were leased to Cornwell Ranch for grazing. By the early 1900s, deforestation and livestock had transformed the native forest into open grassland. The degradation caught the attention of Ralph Hosmer, Hawai‘i’s first territorial forester.
Hosmer recognized the importance of Maui’s upland forests as vital watersheds. These forests absorb rainfall, recharge underground aquifers and reduce erosion. Without them, the island faces drought, flooding and other environmental hazards. He also saw opportunity in transforming barren lands into working forests.
In 1912, after the ranch leases expired, the Kula Forest Reserve – now also home to Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area – was officially established to protect and restore the watershed. Rather than replant native species, Hosmer pursued fast-growing, high-value trees that could one day be harvested for timber. He sourced seedlings from Europe, Asia, California and other Pacific islands.
By 1930, the Civilian Conservation Corps was planting tropical ash, cypress, eucalyptus – and redwood. Today, more than 280 acres of redwoods grow in the reserve.
The most impressive grove lies along the aptly named Redwood Trail, beginning near the Polipoli Spring cabin. The route descends about a mile through dense non-native forest before opening into a stand of redwoods, some soaring over 150 feet. Hikers can return the way they came or continue along the 4.9-mile Polipoli-Pum-Redwood Trail loop.
Far from their native coastal range, Maui’s redwoods have not only survived but flourished. They’ve withstood a 2007 brush fire, snowfall at unusually low elevation in 2019 and powerful storms in 2021 that closed the area for nearly two years.
These redwoods now stand as a living legacy of early conservation efforts – and a reminder of Maui’s astonishing climatic range. Beneath their towering trunks, it’s easy to forget that palms, plumeria and sunny beaches lie just seven miles downslope.
Ralph Hosmer saw an opportunity in the early 1900s to turn this deforested area into a working forest. By the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps planted fast-growing, high-value trees to help absorb rainfall, reduce erosion and recharge underground aquifers.
phtotograph by Heather Ellison
