The state Department of Agriculture issued a reminder to Merrie Monarch Festival attendees on ohia plant quarantine restrictions from Hawaii island because of rapid ohia death — a fungal plant disease — that threatens native forests.

The Merrie Monarch Festival, which attracts dozens of hula halau and hundreds of spectators, will be held in Hilo from Sunday to April 6.

The quarantine has been enforced since 2015, regulating the transportation of ohia plants and their parts, including flowers, seeds, stems, twigs and any soil from Hawaii island.

Attendees can transport the specimens only with a permit issued by the HDOA Plant Quarantine Branch.

PQB inspectors will confiscate any ohia material at Hilo International Airport and Kona International Airport, and it will be returned to native forests on Hawaii island.

“It’s important for the public to know, that although ‘ohi‘a may be taken to Hawai‘i Island from other islands, ‘ohi‘a may not be taken out of Hawai‘i Island no matter where it originated,” Sharon Hurd, state Board of Agriculture chair, said in a statement.

PQB inspectors seized 31 lei poo in Hilo and 12 lei poo in Kona during 2023’s Merrie Monarch travel period.

“We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in obeying the quarantine and protecting our native forests,” Hurd said. “It takes all of us to protect Hawai‘i.”

A permanent ohia quarantine rule was established in 2016 after the BOA issued an emergency quarantine to prevent the spread of plant fungus from Hawaii island to the other islands in August 2015.

Violators could face misdemeanor charges and fines ranging from $100 to $10,000. In case of a second offense within five years of a prior conviction, violators could face fines ranging from $500 to $25,000.

Harvesting ohia potentially can spread the disease through its spores in soil by harvesting tools, vehicles, shoes and clothing to uninfected areas.

Multi-agency ROD working groups have been consulting with Native Hawaiian groups, the Merrie Monarch organization and other community groups to guide the appropriate handling of ohia material.

ROD was initially detected in 2010 in Puna.

An estimated 1 million ohia trees have been killed by ROD on Hawaii island alone.

The origin and location of the disease’s introduction into the state remain unknown.

ROD was detected on Kauai in 2018 and on Oahu in 2019. In 2019 an infected ohia tree on Maui was destroyed, and ROD has not been detected on the island since then.