Department of Parks and Recreation > Division of Urban Forestry > Exceptional Tree Program
Exceptional Tree Program
The Exceptional Tree Act
In 1975, the Hawai’i State Legislature found that rapid development had led to the destruction of many of the State’s exceptional trees and passed Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 58 (Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 1975) – The Exceptional Tree Act. The Act recognizes that trees are valuable for their beauty and they perform crucial ecological functions. It mandates each county to establish a County Arborist Advisory Committee which enacts regulations to protect trees of exceptional stature. Each county has its own program, set of rules and operating guidelines.
The County Arborist Advisory Committees are mandated the following powers and duties:
- Research, prepare and recommend to the city council exceptional trees to be protected by City ordinance or regulation.
- Advise property owners relative to the preservation and enhancement of exceptional trees.
- Recommend to the City Council appropriate protective ordinances, regulations and procedures.
- Review all actions deemed by the City Council to endanger exceptional trees.
City and County of Honolulu Exceptional Tree Ordinance
To access the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, Chapter 40, Article 8 – Protective Regulations for Exceptional Trees including the Register of Exceptional Trees on O’ahu, click the following link:
Chapter 40 Article 8 Protective Regulations for Exceptional Trees
Exceptional Trees
Exceptional Trees Requirements
To be considered for exceptional tree status, the City and County of Honolulu Arborist Advisory Committee must determine that the tree or grove of trees meets one or more of the following criteria:
- Historic or Cultural Value
- Age
- Rarity
- Location
- Size
- Esthetic Quality
- Endemic Status
Nominate an Exceptional Tree on O'ahu
To nominate a tree or grove of trees complete the Exceptional Tree and Palm Nomination Application (57 KB PDF). The committee will review the application, inspect the tree and make a recommendation to the City Council if it deems the tree worthy of exceptional status. Please scan a signed copy and email to duf@honolulu.gov or mail a signed copy to the address below:
Arborist Advisory Committee
3902 Pākī Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
For more information, please contact the Division of Urban Forestry at (808) 971-7151.
Tax Deduction for Exceptional Tree Maintenance
To access HRS 235-19 which allows an individual tax deduction of up to $3,000 per tree once in a three-year period for expenditures paid to maintain an Exceptional Tree, click the following link:
Prune an Exceptional Tree on O'ahu
Exceptional trees require an approved permit prior to tree work being done. Complete the Application for Exceptional Tree Crown and/or Root Pruning (216KB PDF) and the Qualified Arborist Application Form and email signed copies to duf@honolulu.gov or mail signed copies to the address below:
Arborist Advisory Committee
3902 Pākī Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
Arborist Advisory Committee
In the City and County of Honolulu, the Arborist Advisory Committee (AAC) is overseen by the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Division of Urban Forestry. The committee meets monthly with meetings announced one week prior by the City Clerk’s Office. The nine-member committee is appointed by the Mayor and includes:
- Director of the Department of Planning and Permitting (ex officio)
- One certified arborist
- One landscape architect
- Six individuals selected for their experience in urban forestry, community beautification, or ecological sciences
Current AAC Members
While public participation is absolutely encouraged, the regular members of AAC include:
- Laura Mo, Department of Planning and Permitting (ex-offico)
- Daniel Dinell, Executive Director, Trees for Honolulu’s Future
- Kevin Eckert, President, Arbor Global/Smart Trees Pacific, International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Board Certified Master Arborist
- Heather McMillen, Program Coordinator, Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, ISA Certified Arborist
- Ilana Nimz, Board Member, Scenic Hawaii, Tree Solutions Hawaiʻi, ISA Certified Arborist
- Emily Perry, Community Forester, Division of Urban Forestry Department of Parks and Recreation, ISA Certified Arborist
- Myles Ritchie, Programs Director, The Outdoor Circle, Ph.D. Candidate, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences Department, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
- Navin Tagore, Community Forester, Department of Parks and Recreation
- Dana Anne Yee, Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Hawaiʻi Chapter, Dana Anne Yees, Landscape Architect, LLC., ISA Certified Arborist
Meetings and Agenda
ARBORIST ADVISORY COMMITTEE
City and County of Honolulu
Department of Parks and Recreation
FRIDAY, February 28, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
VIRTUAL MEETING LINK
Meeting ID: 889 8976 8822
Passcode: AAC
Division of Urban Forestry Office
3902 Pākī Ave, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96815
Written testimony can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to the board at the appropriate address listed below to be received at least twenty-four hours in advance of the meeting.
Email: duf@honolulu.gov
Fax: (808) 971-7160
Mailing Address: 3902 Pākī Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815