Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 11, 1 November 2016 — Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Plagues Wao Kele o Puna [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Plagues Wao Kele o Puna

By Office of Hawaiian Affairs Staff II I f a makani hali 'ala o Puna. The fra-grance-bearing I windofPuna. Puna, I X Hawai'i, was famed for the fragrance of maile, lehua, and hala. It was said that when the wind blew fromthe land, fishermen at sea could smell the fragrance of these leaves and flowers." - Pukui, 'Ōlelo No'eau Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings, #1458. This delightful sensation may be coming to an end as the fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata decimates stands of 'ōhi'a lehua trees across Puna. According to the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) at UH Mānoa, this fungal disease, known eommonly as "Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death" or "ROD," has killed hundreds

of thousands of 'ōhi'a trees over thousands of acres in South Hilo, Puna, Ka'ū, and Kona. So far, ROD has only been reported on Hawai'i Island but has the potential to kill 'ōhi'a statewide. An emergency quarantine was placed on moving 'ōhi'a interisland and a permanent quarantine is in process. Fortunately, teams from the University of Hawai'i, U.S. Forest Service, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, and a variety of private organizations and eommunity groups are seeking solutions to mitigate and cure the disease. Although a permanent solution has yet to be found, CTAHR has recommended a number of preventative measures to prevent the spread: • Don't move 'ōhi'a wood or 'ōhi'a products. • Don't transport 'ōhi'a inter-island.

• Clean tools used for cutting 'ōhi'a with 70 percent rubbing aleohol, a proven cleaning measure. • Clean gear, including shoes and clothes, before and after entering forests. Brush all soil off of shoes then spray with 70 percent rubbing aleohol. Wash clothes with hot water and soap. • Wash your vehicle with soap

if you've been off-roading or have picked up mud from driving. More information ean be found at Rapidohiadeath.org. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is the owner and steward of Wao Kele o Puna (WKOP), a 25,689.5acre expanse of low-land rainforest

in east Hawai'i, almost entirely comprised of an 'ōhi'a canopy. A goodportion of this property is situated in a kipuka left by a historic lava flow known as 'Āi La'au and has served as the seed bank for the Puna area over the years. Based on aerial surveys, 60 to 80 percent of WKOP shows signs of ROD. To ensure OHA contributes to the fight against ROD, OHA has allowed scientists to access and sample 'ōhi'a inWKOP. OHA has also begun the process to create Comprehensive Management Plan for WKOP. Measures to mitigate the spread of ROD and respond to its impacts will be reflected in the plan. Additional community input will be solicited as part of this process and a puhlie meeting will be held in Puna to discuss the draft plan. OHA will be providing periodic updates on the planning process through Ka Wai Ola and other media outlets. Questions and comments ean be forwarded to Pua Ishibashi at puai@oha.org. ■

Rapid 'Ōhia Death currently affects 60 to 80 percent of Wao Kele o Puna. - Photo: KWO file