A contractor says his crew will arrive at Honomu Park today to begin clearing a large banyan tree that fell next to the gym earlier this month.

The company, Arborist Services, also is contracted to remove a second towering banyan tree that remains standing after being trimmed on one side. Owner Mark O’Dell said he couldn’t estimate when the work will be complete since that will depend on how well the standing tree is rooted.

Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe said the work will cost the county $165,000. He said the county remains concerned that the second tree could fall on nearby houses.

The other tree fell after also being trimmed, causing some to question whether the trimming made it off-balance and easier to topple during a recent storm.

“We love trees,” Okabe said. “We have a lot of trees on the Big Island. But, when it comes down to safety, we need to address it very quickly.”

He said he was surprised the roots of the fallen tree were so shallow.

According to nearby residents, the trees were planted during World War II as a memorial for soldiers from the plantation village.

Sisters Monica DeCosta and Sandra Konanui said their grandmother planted one of them for their two uncles, both of whom returned after the war.

The sisters live in the home they grew up in, nearly under the existing banyan tree.

They said they have no problem with the county removing it because they’re worried it could fall on them.

“We have no choice,” Konanui said.

“You can plant another tree,” DeCosta said. “You can’t bring back my family.”

For now, Okabe said the county doesn’t plan to replace the banyans.

Lowana Richardson, who lives across the street from the park, said she will miss the trees. On Monday, she asked one of the contractor’s employees if residents could keep some of the wood, noting an artist was interested in using some of it.

“It means a lot to the community, these trees,” she said. “A lot of us want the wood for memories.”

Before the trees were trimmed, the county was looking to remove them. But many Honomu residents pleaded with the county in spring to spare the trees.

Richardson was one of them. She said she is a vice president with the Outdoor Circle, a group that asked the county to seek alternatives, and that they were willing to buy a home next to one of them to address safety concerns.

Okabe said the county is looking to do an assessment of trees on county land. That includes other banyan trees, such as those on Banyan Drive in Hilo, which the county is responsible for maintaining. That could involve contracting again with an arborist.

In 2016, the county first budgeted $47,000 to hire its own arborist.

Okabe said the position remains vacant.

He said he plans to meet with the Public Works Department to discuss whether the position should be filled.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

A contractor says his crew will arrive at Honomu Park today to begin clearing a large banyan tree that fell next to the gym earlier this month.

The company, Arborist Services, also is contracted to remove a second towering banyan tree that remains standing after being trimmed on one side. Owner Mark O’Dell said he couldn’t estimate when the work will be complete since that will depend on how well the standing tree is rooted.

Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe said the work will cost the county $165,000. He said the county remains concerned that the second tree could fall on nearby houses.

The other tree fell after also being trimmed, causing some to question whether the trimming made it off-balance and easier to topple during a recent storm.

“We love trees,” Okabe said. “We have a lot of trees on the Big Island. But, when it comes down to safety, we need to address it very quickly.”

He said he was surprised the roots of the fallen tree were so shallow.

According to nearby residents, the trees were planted during World War II as a memorial for soldiers from the plantation village.

Sisters Monica DeCosta and Sandra Konanui said their grandmother planted one of them for their two uncles, both of whom returned after the war.

The sisters live in the home they grew up in, nearly under the existing banyan tree.

They said they have no problem with the county removing it because they’re worried it could fall on them.

“We have no choice,” Konanui said.

“You can plant another tree,” DeCosta said. “You can’t bring back my family.”

For now, Okabe said the county doesn’t plan to replace the banyans.

Lowana Richardson, who lives across the street from the park, said she will miss the trees. On Monday, she asked one of the contractor’s employees if residents could keep some of the wood, noting an artist was interested in using some of it.

“It means a lot to the community, these trees,” she said. “A lot of us want the wood for memories.”

Before the trees were trimmed, the county was looking to remove them. But many Honomu residents pleaded with the county in spring to spare the trees.

Richardson was one of them. She said she is a vice president with the Outdoor Circle, a group that asked the county to seek alternatives, and that they were willing to buy a home next to one of them to address safety concerns.

Okabe said the county is looking to do an assessment of trees on county land. That includes other banyan trees, such as those on Banyan Drive in Hilo, which the county is responsible for maintaining. That could involve contracting again with an arborist.

In 2016, the county first budgeted $47,000 to hire its own arborist.

Okabe said the position remains vacant.

He said he plans to meet with the Public Works Department to discuss whether the position should be filled.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.