FIFTH ANNUAL ʻŌHIʻA LOVE FESTIVAL IS FREE
AND ON-LINE AGAIN THIS YEAR
Wednesday, November 3rd through Saturday, November 6th.

 
Join the celebration of Hawai‘i’s endemic trees at the 2021 ʻŌhiʻa Love Festival. Expanding from a single species to an entire ecosystem, this year’s festival theme is “Celebrate Forests.” 
 
Three live workshops  will be offered: 

·       A virtual tour of the different types of forests and the special flora, fauna, and ecosystems found across the islands (registration required);

·       An examination of the different species and varieties of ʻōhiʻa, where they grow, and how to identify them (registration required); and

·       Presentations on cultivating your own ‘ōhi‘a from collecting and sowing seeds to planting and caring for ‘ōhi‘a at home (registration required).
 
Beginning, Wednesday, November 3, free keiki activity and craft kits will be available at participating Hawaiʻi State Public Libraries while supplies last.
 
ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest will culminate with Arbor Day on Saturday, November 6th. Bring the celebration of forests to your backyard by adopting a tree. The Kauaʻi Arbor Day plant giveaway is sponsored by the Kauaʻi Landscape Industry Council. This year is a modified event for social distancing safety: drive-through and pick up your plants without leaving your car. Event begins 9:00 AM sharp until plants are gone, in Kukui Grove parking lot (behind Target).
 
‘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.  Unfortunately, a deadly fungal pathogen leading to Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death has killed over a million ʻōhiʻa trees on Hawaiʻi island and hundreds of others across the state. 
 
Registration is required for some of the virtual events and the festival is designed for the whole family. Register at bit.ly/ohialove.
 
This event is brought to you by the University of Hawaiʻi, the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources - Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and your local Invasive Species Committees. 

You Can Help Save 'Ōhi'a

1) Avoid injuring ʻōhiʻa. Wounds serve as entry points for the fungus and increase the odds that the tree will become infected and die from Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death. Avoid pruning, weed-whacking, blazing trails, and stepping on roots wherever possible.

2) Clean gear and tools, including shoes and clothes before and after entering the forest and areas where ʻōhiʻa may be present. Brush all dirt off tools and gear, then spray with 70% rubbing alcohol. Wash clothes with hot soapy water and dry on high heat.

3) Wash your vehicle with a high-pressure hose if you’ve been off-roading or have picked up mud from driving. Clean all mud off tires--including mountain bikes and motorcycles--and your vehicle's undercarriage.

4) Don’t move ʻōhiʻa wood or ʻōhiʻa parts, including adjacent soil. The disease can be spread to new areas by moving plants, plant parts, and wood from infected areas to non-infected areas.

5) Keep your eyes open. If you see ʻōhiʻa with a limb or crown turning brown, take a picture and contact Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee via email (saveohia@hawaii.edu) or phone (808-821-1490). Be sure to provide details on the tree's exact location. Samples of the wood must be taken by trained technicians and tested in a laboratory to confirm the presence of the ROD fungi.