Lawmakers allocate $300,000 to fight ohia tree disease
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / JUNE 2015
Ohia trees cover more than 1 million acres statewide and are considered the most important tree for keeping the state’s watersheds healthy.
A fungus has killed thousands of native ohia trees on Hawaii island, and state lawmakers are pushing for more money to figure out how to stop it.
State lawmakers agreed to give $300,000 to help fund research to stop the fungus during a hearing today. The money could be used to hire more researchers and purchase new equipment. Lawmakers say they’re still deciding which agency will receive the money.
The forest disease has infected thousands of trees on Hawaii island and is quickly spreading. Right now, there is no treatment to protect the trees from the disease, and there’s no cure once they’re infected.
Ohia trees cover more than 1 million acres statewide, and are considered the most important tree for keeping the state’s watersheds healthy.
8 responses to “Lawmakers allocate $300,000 to fight ohia tree disease”
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Beautiful specimen of trees worth saving!
NEXT, MONSANTO, SYNGENTA, DuPont, Pioneer, et al will appear with all their poison remedies to eradicate all the Fungus, Dengue, Zika, etc..(..because they created all of them.) And, Nestle, together with the BLM and DLNR, will control all of the water-supplies (evidence is overwhelming) and take total control of all natural resources–just like they have been doing all across the USA and other countries as well. People–WE’RE UNDER ATTACK! Please source and research and know The Governments are taking control of all our natural resources and lands.
My friend, I usually enjoy your posts but this one is over the top lolo. As much as I detest agribusiness, those guys hardly “created” plant fungal diseases, Zika and dengue. (Just for one, the first confirmed dengue case dates from 1789 but it likely goes back to the Jin Dynasty ca. ~300 CE.)
We all have cause for concern at the activities of agribusiness in HI, for many reasons. But the kahuna won’t be able to stop ohia fungus. Only science has any hope of doing that. We stand to lose virtually every ohia tree in the state, which would be catastrophic. My only concern is that this research should’ve been funded like this a year ago, and even today it may be too little too late.
Maybe the Cancer Center? They could use the money and they need a win.
A local tropical ag expert I know says there is no CURE for this. Either it kills the trees, or they develop a resistance. That it’s a case where nature has to take its course. Cannot spray — there’s no bug involved. If he’s correct, then chasing that virus with money would be worthless. I’d be interested to hear from other tropical ag experts.
Researchers are testing fungicides but spraying would be difficult due to the large areas involved. The University of Hawaiʻi Lyon Arboretum Seed Conservation Lab continues to collect ʻōhiʻa seeds from all islands for future forest restoration. If anyone wants to assist a go fund me page has been set up: https://www.gofundme.com/ohialove
Just make sure the money is accounted for at the end of each day. So tired of cheats in our government sector!!!
$300k won’t even buy half of a house here any more. It’s chump change when it comes to saving our ohia forests. Sure, we need accountability but I’m more concerned about whether we should be funding this effort ten times as much. And research organizations aren’t 7-11s or McDumbbell’s where you have to match the register tapes to what’s in the till at the end of every day. That’s just plain silly.