Kapiolani College Plants 80 Native Trees
The Diamond Head campus is marking its 80th anniversary with a tree project and a community planting event on Saturday.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Adult Education
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Kapi'olani Community College plans to plant 80 native trees across its Diamond Head campus as it marks its 80th anniversary. A ceremonial planting launches the project today, and a community planting event is scheduled for Saturday along Kilauea Avenue.
Why it matters
The trees are intended to connect the college's educational mission with the campus itself, and they will serve as living classrooms for students. The project is supported by the Ke Aloha Aina Native Hawaiian Plant Fund.
The college reports more than 48,900 degrees and certificates awarded since 1966 and about 2,600 students transferred to UH campuses over the past five years. The figures are institutional counts, and the source does not detail the species or cost of the planting project.
The players
Kapi'olani Community College
A public community college on Oahu that opened in 1946 and is part of the University of Hawaii system, known for its large transfer enrollment.
Ke Aloha Aina Native Hawaiian Plant Fund
The fund that supports the college's native tree planting project on its Diamond Head campus.
The details
The college opened in 1946 as a postwar technical school and has grown into one of the University of Hawaii system's largest transfer institutions. A ceremonial planting launches the project today, and the public can register for the Saturday planting event from 8 a.m. to noon.
Timeline
1946: Kapi'olani Community College opens as a postwar technical school.
1966: The college begins awarding degrees and certificates, a total now above 48,900.
Nov. 9, 2026: A ceremonial planting launches the tree project.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026: Community planting event along Kilauea Avenue, 8 a.m. to noon.
Campus Greening
Kapi'olani Community College is designated as a Tree Campus Higher Education institution, and this planting extends that recognition with 80 new native trees. The project places a tree-focused campus program alongside the college's adult and career training mission.
Community members who want to take part can register for the Saturday planting event at go.hawaii.edu/AkS. The event runs from 8 a.m. to noon along Kilauea Avenue.
The takeaway
Community members can join the Saturday planting to help establish native trees on the Diamond Head campus. Registration is open to the public ahead of the event.
What happens next
A community planting event takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, along Kilauea Avenue from 8 a.m. to noon, with registration available online.
Further reading
Explore more adult education coverage for programs like this one in Honolulu.
More information
Register for the Saturday community planting event through the college's registration page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Honolulu Star Advertiser.
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