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'Ōhi'a: Tree of Life
Forest Friday Conversation
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(KAPAʻA)–Hosting its ninth virtual “Forest Friday” conversation on Friday, February 25th at 4:00 p.m., the Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee (KISC) and Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP) will devote an hour-long discussion to the most abundant tree in the forests of Hawaiʻi–ʻōhiʻa lehua.
 
The virtual event will review the role of ʻōhiʻa in the environment, culture, as well as, our watersheds and provide an update on the presence of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death on Kauaʻi. The event is one of numerous offered as part of Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Awareness Month (HISAM). This year, HISAM is exploring the three wao (or realms) of 1) Akua (upper forests), 2) Kanaka (lower valleys and urban areas), and 3) Kahakai (wetlands, ocean).
 
Kim Steutermann Rogers, ROD Outreach Specialist for KISC, will emphasize the role of ʻōhiʻa in our everyday lives, as well as, provide an update on the presence of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death on Kauaʻi. 
 
Breghan Klein and Kalli Harshman will share details on the work being done in the forest to help save ʻōhiʻa. Klein is a field technician for KISC, and Harshman is a watershed field technician for Kauai Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
 
Kailee Lefebvre, Planner for Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, will highlight the current legislation proposing to name ʻōhiʻa as the Hawaiʻi State Endemic Tree.
 
This virtual talk story is a unique opportunity to discover what is happening with forest conservation on Kauaʻi. People are encouraged to participate in the conversation by submitting questions during the event or in advance by emailing saveohia@hawaii.edu.

Registration is required to participate on Zoom and can be done at bit.ly/ohiaonkauai. Or viewers can watch live on Facebook at the KISC or KFBRP pages. Previous Forest Friday conversations can be found on YouTube at KISC’s and KFBRP’s channels.

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RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH DETECTED ON ALAKAʻI PLATEAU

- Novel Response Hopes to Slow Spread - 
(LĪHU‘E) – Almost four years after Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) was first detected in a lower-elevation forest of Kauaʻi, the fungus has been found at 4,100-feet elevation in a dead ʻōhiʻa in the pristine wilderness of the Alakaʻi.
 
“We spotted this tree during our regular helicopter surveys late last year,” Mapuana O’Sullivan, Kauai Forest Management Supervisor with the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) Kaua‘i Branch said. “Because the area is one of the most biodiverse on the island, home to numerous native flora and fauna and critical to our watershed, we quickly returned on foot to take wood chip samples.”
 
It wasn’t the first time an ʻōhiʻa with a canopy of reddish-brown leaves, symptoms consistent with Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, was spotted in the area during helicopter surveys. In the past four years, about 60 trees on the Alakaʻi Plateau have been tested. But this is the first time a tree has tested positive. What’s more, laboratory testing by the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Hilo revealed the tree died of the more virulent of the two fungal pathogens known to cause Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death—Ceratocystis lukuohia
 
ʻŌhiʻa are the most abundant native tree in Hawaii’s forests and endemic to Hawaiʻi, found nowhere else in the world. There is currently proposed legislation to declare the much beloved ʻōhiʻa as the Hawai‘i State Endemic Tree. There’s also legislation proposed for additional ROD rapid response and management funding.
 
“We’ve been preparing for this day, sad as it is. Our preferred method of management would be to cut the tree down,” OʻSullivan said. “Felling it helps reduce movement of the fungal pathogen in wind.”
 
Since fresh wounds serve as entry points for the fungus it was decided not to cut down the infected tree as it may damage nearby healthy ʻōhiʻa in the process. Instead, the Kauaʻi ROD Rapid Response team is turning to a new approach, one that if successful, could be used across the state, especially in areas where the disease has not invaded broadly.
 
“The idea is to keep beetles from burrowing into the dead ʻōhiʻa,” Tiffani Keanini, Manager for Kauai Invasive Species Committee said. “When ambrosia beetles tunnel into diseased trees, they produce a wood powder that can include live Ceratocystis spores. This is how the fungus is released into the environemnt. So, we’re applying an environmentally-friendly beetle repellent to the bark of the tree that’s basically a “no vacancy” sign, telling beetles the tree is fully occupied and no longer suitable to colonize.”
 
The repellent does this by mimicking a natural odor signal produced by beetles. Previous studies of another beetle-transmitted disease elsewhere suggest this may be an effective strategy to repel ambrosia beetles associated with Rapid ‘Ōhi’a Death, especially in areas with only one or a few infected trees or where felling is not feasible. 
 
On Hawaiʻi Island, where more than a million ʻōhiʻa have died of this fungal disease, researchers are finding one of the best ways to prevent ʻōhiʻa from becoming wounded and, potentially, infected is ensuring hoofed animals are not in pristine forested areas. Ungulate-proof fences are becoming more important in protecting wilderness areas critical to native flora and fauna and watersheds.
 
In the coming weeks, the rapid response team, made up of state and federal agencies and non-government organizations, will continue to sample ‘ōhiʻa in the Kōkeʻe area and elsewhere around the island.
 
Through December 2021, the total number of ʻōhiʻa across Kauaʻi that have tested positive for C. lukuohia is 175 and the number testing positive for the second fungal species C. huliohia is 114. Three trees have tested positive for both pathogens. Another 268 trees have been sampled but molecular testing revealed no detection for either pathogen.
MAHALO SURFERS! 
Last month, Tamba Surf Company of Kapa'a and Pulu Nursery of Koloa presented ROD Outreach Specialist Kim Rogers with the $6000.00 donation to help fight Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death on Kauaʻi. Rogers works for Kauai Invasive Species Committee. 

The Tamba/Pulu #Collab4ACause effort combined an awareness campaign with product-based fundraising, including a free tree give-away, to reach the $6,000.00 goal. Tamba and Pulu collaborated to create a specially-designed shirt and hat with original artwork, packaged in an equally-impressive box, with the goal of donating all proceeds to the cause. There were 200 boxes available for purchase, with each box equating to a $30 donation after expenses. 190 boxes were sold, with Tamba picking up the remaining ones to round out the campaign. 

The ʻŌhiʻa box bundles were sold at the Tamba Surf Shop, and also offered on
tamba.com with free US shipping courtesy of Tamba.  Almost half of the orders were placed online by Tamba shoppers across the United States. 

"We're honored Tamba chose to help save 'ohi'a for their first community collaboration” said Kim Rogers. “They're tremendous role models in helping protect Kauai's natural resources, and we look forward to partnering with them with additional outreach events in the future." 

The campaign kicked off back in early November with a single-day event at the Tamba Surf Shop, where over 30 young ʻōhiʻa lehua trees were given away for free. Community response was very positive. 
“What we learned during this process, and what we were able to share, was that a healthy forest means a healthy reef,” Tamba owner Saa “Tamba” Ginlack said in a press release. “The quality of our surf depends on the quality of our land, because it’s all tied together.”

Tamba Surf Company, now in its 25th year, believes it's an important function of any local business to give back, and they have adhered to this tenet since day one. Pulu feels the same way.   During a discussion one day last fall, Saa and Kuio wanted to find a positive way to collaborate. Kuio explained that Pulu's focus embodies the diverse and growing movements of life, and a big part of that energy comes out of the Pulu nursery, which produces healthy fruit and seasonal trees. From this conversation, they sought out and found Kauai Invasive Species Committee and reached out to officially put the collab together. 

Through the process, they learned about the importance of supporting this cause, and just how vital the ʻōhiʻa is to life on these islands. It was and continues to be a vital cause worthy of support and understanding. Tamba and Pulu strongly encourage you to read and learn more at
www.rapidohiadeath.org and/or www.kauaiisc.org and to get involved in this and other important causes as a member of the planet. Tamba and Pulu actively seek and anticipate other future community-supporting collaborations. 

About Tamba: Tamba Surf Company is an authentic surf shop on the island of Kaua'i, HI, in business since 1997.  Tamba sells custom surfboards and accessories, quality branded apparel, and related items both in-store and online at tamba.com. Tamba promotes an active island lifestyle and strong community involvement.  Follow Tamba on social media (Facebook: @tambasurfcompany; IG: @tambasurf; Youtube: TambaTV), and visit
www.Tamba.com

About Pulu:Pulu nursery was started in 2019 with the goal of providing the healthiest plants available, including a selct variety of fruit trees, along with the knowledge to grow them successfully.  Special care and an organic growing process are used to provide the highest quality plants and trees available.  Shop online at Pulu.life 


 
 


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.

Sharing is Caring. Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues--anyone who is in a position to help educate neighbors and visitors about ʻōhiʻa and Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. To subscribe to receive your own copy of the newsletter, click here.

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