Many native plants and animals should be classified as “endangered,” and would be on the mainland.
The giant, squash-like Gunnera petaloides, is so “common” I’ve never seen it on the long Koolau Mountains’ many ridges. On hyper-biodiverse Tantalus, where I’ve restored forest, all wild kolea trees, maua shrubs, all female olana shrubs and the oha wai, with its flowered candelabras, died. Nearby ridges fare similarly. The berried kopiko, Oahu’s most common tree after ohia and koa, fades from “intact” Nuuanu Ridge.
Our needed “green fee” funds some endangered plant propagation, but no wholesale forest restoration. “Biodiversity loss” sounds gentle. Ecocide is not.
Mainlanders conceived the Endangered Species Act — Hawaii’s problems exceed it. Locally, it’s never the right time for stopping extinction. Hawaii needs an Endangered Ecosystems Act. Waiting for species to circle the drain neither saves money nor serves the public.
Dylan P. Armstrong
Manoa
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