#ohia lehua

The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture is reminding travelers attending the Merrie Monarch Festival this week that quarantine restrictions remain on the transport of ʻōhiʻa from Hawaiʻi Island due to the fungal plant disease, rapid ʻōhiʻa death, which is devastating to native forests. The Merrie Monarch Festival begins in Hilo on March 31 and ends April 6.

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.

Designating ʻōhiʻa as the official endemic tree of Hawai‘i recognizes its importance as a keystone forest species and its role in protecting critical watersheds.

‘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.  

Hilo’s annual ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest will be celebrating its fourth year virtually from Monday, Nov. 16 through Saturday, Nov. 21st. The week-long virtual event will celebrate Hawai‘i’s most ecologically and culturally important tree species, ‘ōhi‘a lehua.