Kihei residents take to the street to “save the trees”

A vibrant assembly ranging from keiki to kupuna, lined S Kihei Road (SKR) Saturday (3/3/12) morning, under the watchful guidance of community officer Brad Hickle, exercising their constitutional rights, while not violating MCC 12.42 for “sign waving,”  to express support to keep all the Monkey Pod trees lining the roadway on the makai side in the 900 block in place, where they have rooted for at least four decades. Countless passers- by, walking, driving or pedaling , expressed support with smiles, shout-outs, horn honking and shakas. Crys of “save the trees” filled the air, as the spirited citizens pledged to continue to fight to keep the Monkey Pod Quarter (MPQ), nominated as exceptional trees from the Maui County Arborists Committee. While a variety of reasons have been offered to remove the trees, including sidewalk replacement and flood mitigation, the group believes there are several alternatives addressing these issues beyond removing the trees. The Arakawa Administration has agreed to continue to discuss the situation through the Kihei Community Association before taking any action.