Updated

Maui is becoming a testbed for regenerative tourism, an approach aimed at leaving the island better than before, in the years since the August 8, 2023, wildfires that devastated West Maui and destroyed most of the buildings in Lahaina. Reasons to be Cheerful reported that residents are doing more than rebuilding, with Indigenous knowledge, regenerative agriculture, hospitality and local entrepreneurship working together to restore ecosystems and strengthen community resilience. Kenneth "Duane" Sparkman, chief engineer at the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, chairs the Maui County Arborist Committee and works with Kai McPhee of ReGreen Lahaina and Treecovery to identify surviving trees, including Lahaina's historic banyan, and to help families replace trees they lost. The resort has also moved its landscaping away from pesticides and, in some cases, fertilizers. At Hua Momona Farm, founder Gary Grube supported the work, and the Hua Momona Foundation stepped up hot meal production after the fires, with chef Zach Laidlaw saying it cooked about 800 meals every other day at the peak and still prepares around 300 meals a week.