WAILUKU – The Maui County Arborist Committee announced that the third edition of the Maui County Planting Plan is now available online with a comprehensive guide on how to choose and care for trees and other plants.

The plan can be viewed online at www.mauicounty.gov/Boards; scroll down to Maui County Arborist Committee.

The 2016 edition of the planting plan was produced by nationally recognized Arborist Ernest Rezents.

The 243-page plan defines which trees, turf, ground covers and other plantings will thrive in specific areas of Maui, encourages the use of native plants and identifies and discourages the use of invasive species.

“This planting plan is particularly valuable in a place like Maui because of dramatically diverse altitudes, rainfall and other factors here,” said Kimberly Thayer, chair of the Maui County Arborist Committee. “For example, a tree that does well in Makena may not thrive in Haiku.”

The Arborist Committee expressed its gratitude to Rezents for the hundreds of hours he volunteered to produce the updated planting plan.

“Ernie is an absolute treasure for all who love and care for trees and plants,” Thayer said. “His hard work on this plan is just one example of his generosity in sharing his wealth of knowledge and expertise.”

Besides offering planting advice, the guide also includes information on the Arborist Committee and the Maui County Exceptional Tree program, which identifies and helps protect trees deemed exceptional due to type, size, condition and other considerations.

For more information on the Maui County Planting Plan or the Arborist Committee, call Sue Kiang, volunteer action coordinator for the Department of Parks and Recreation, at 984-4051.