'Ōhi'a: Tree of Life

May 2021

SIGN UP FOR OUR LEI MAKING WORKSHOPS!
Mary 7, 14, and 28, starting at 10:00 a.m. HST.

Mother's Day is right around the corner. Graduation, too. Let's make lei together! Workshops are FREE and open to EVERYONE from ANYWHERE. Beginners and experienced lei makers are welcome.

The lei making style known as wili (to wind) will be demonstrated. Participants will learn how to gather materials from their yards or gardens and wili their own plant materials together using their own string, twine, raffia, or yarn.Don't have access to fresh plant materials? No problem, we share ideas for using other household items. We'll also cover options for ‘ōhi‘a-free lei making, discuss sustainable picking practices, and review how to clean plant material.

Welcome to Forest Fridays, a virtual conversation about the magnificent native forests on Kauaʻi.

Our third Forest Friday event will take place Friday, May 7 at 4:00 p.m. Joining us will be Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin of Halau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala to join us and talk about hulaʻs connection to the forest. We've also invited Kumu Kahea Hamakua of the Kanu i Ka Aina Charter School who will share the meaning behind various place names in Kokeʻe. We'll discuss the many ways we connect with the forest.

We'll be live streaming on the Kauaʻi Invasive Species Committee's Facebook page here, as well as Kaua'i Forest Bird Recovery Project's Facebook page here. Or you can register to join us on Zoom.

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.