#ohia

The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity is reminding travelers attending the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo next week that quarantine restrictions remain on the transport of ʻōhiʻa from Hawai‘i Island due to the fungal plant disease, rapid ʻōhiʻa death, which is devastating to native forests. The Merrie Monarch Festival takes place from April 5 – 11.

Approximately 275,647 acres of federal, state and private lands are proposed as critical habitat for ʻiʻiwi , a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Join Maui Association of Landscape Professionals and Maui Nui Botanical Gardens for the Arbor Day Garden Expo and Tree Giveaway is Saturday, Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens for a day of celebrating trees.  This event is free and open to the public. 

On Saturday, Nov. 5, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Maui Nui Botanical Gardens will give away more than 1,000 Hawaiian trees for free, 1 tree per person, any age.

Federal and university researchers released a new study that provides “encouragement and guidance” for land managers to reestablish native ʻōhiʻa trees wiped out by a fungal disease or impacted by volcanic activity and wild fires.

Almost four years after Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death was first detected in a lower-elevation forest in northeast Kaua’i, the fungus known to exclusively infect the native Hawaiian tree has been found in a dead ʻōhiʻa in the pristine wilderness area of the Alakaʻi at 4,100-feet elevation.

‘Ōhi‘a lehua is a cornerstone species of our native forests, protecting our reefs, and providing water for all, food for native wildlife, and inspiration for over a thousand years of Hawaiian culture.  

Small Town * Big Art celebrated the launch of its next public artwork on Monday, March 15 with local artist Kirk Kurokawa beginning the installation of a mural on the facade of the Victim Witness Building at 2103 Wells Street in Wailuku. The public artwork celebrates Wailuku’s distinctive sense of place, history and culture.

The rule amendment becomes effective on May 15, 2020 and was established to prevent the introduction of new strains of a fungus and other pests and diseases that threaten ʻōhiʻa trees, native forests and watersheds, and also horticultural and agricultural industries.

On the Big Island Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death has killed or injured hundreds of thousands of trees. The ‘Ōhi‘a species is considered the most important endemic tree in the state, comprising approximately 80% of Hawai‘i’s native forests.

The Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death fungal disease, which has killed about a million trees since 2014, has been reported in two more locations on Kauaʻi. 

Any person who violates the ʻōhiʻa quarantine rule may be charged with a misdemeanor and fined anywhere from $100 to $10,000.

Work begins to remove several ‘ohi’a trees at the Kalōpā State Recreation Area on the Big Island that show symptoms of the fungal disease, Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death.

With 75,000 acres of Hawai‘i island ʻōhiʻa forest now showing symptoms of Rapid ‘Ōhiʻa Death, crews are using an array of high technology to detect its spread.

A new survey shows more than 48,000 acres identified in the July 2016, giving Hawai‘i island a potential Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death infestation of some 75,000 acres.

The rules impose permanent quarantine restrictions on the intrastate movement on ʻōhiʻa and other material that may spread Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, also known as ʻŌhiʻa Wilt.

Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death kills one of the most important native trees. Failing to follow the simple recommendations could make you responsible for spreading it.

State officials say the restriction on soil may affect those traveling to the Merrie Monarch Festival and purchasing potted plants on Hawaiʻi Island.

Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death, first observed as impacting 15,000 acres of Hawai‘i Island’s ‘ōhi‘a forest in 2014, now has spread to twice that, with more than 30,000 acres affected.

Officials say that pending ground verification, new estimates show the infection has now spread to some 34,000 acres on the Big Island of Hawai‘i.