2018 Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Newsletter

Transcription

1 RapidOhiaDeath.org 2018 Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Newsletter Volume 2, Issue 3 ~ Ka ua moaniani lehua o Puna, he ua no ke aloha ~ The rain that brings the fragrance of the lehua of Puna is a rain of love

2 This is our quarterly newsletter that was designed to update the community on current Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) issues. If you wish to UNSUBCRIBE, scroll down to the bottom to do so. Video of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) detection on east side of Kaua i Research Updates As of May 2018, Rapid Ōhi a Death (ROD) was found in the Moloa a Forest Reserve on Kaua i. Of the two pathogens that cause ROD, the canker pathogen, Ceratocystis huliohia, was detected in 13 trees to date. Crews from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, Kaua i Invasive Species Committee, and the National Tropical Botanical Garden are currently working on delineating the boundaries of the detection site to gain insight into the extent of the outbreak. We encourage Kaua i residents and visitors to be extra cautious about proper decontamination of gear by brushing and spraying with 70% rubbing alcohol.

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4 For generations, ōhi a has been a common wood source for the people of Hawai i and has a variety of uses. Researchers from the University of Hawai i at Mānoa, US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and USDA Forest Service are evaluating kiln-heating to provide an effective way to render ōhi a logs safe for use and movement within islands known to have the ROD fungi and among the other islands of Hawai i. Kiln-heating is an environmentally friendly and effective treatment used to eradicate insect pests and pathogens in dimension lumber and solid wood packaging material in international trade. Studies are needed to determine if kiln-heating can be used as an effective treatment for ōhi a logs. In the current ōhi a study, 1 foot sections are first removed from both ends of the 10 foot long harvested and de-barked logs and extensively sampled to document presence of living Ceratocystis prior to treatment. Temperature probes are then inserted in the center of selected logs and all the logs are placed at the top of a commercial, dimension lumber load in a dehumidification kiln. The temperature is gradually increased over a number of days until an internal log-core temperature of 140 F is reached and then maintained for 24 hours. After being removed from the kiln, the ends of each log are sampled and tested for living Ceratocystis in the same manner done for pre-treatment logs.

5 Pūlama Lāna i has ramped up efforts to collect ʻōhiʻa seeds for the #OhiaLove project. Kari Bogner, the botany program manager for Pūlama Lāna i, has been spearheading field collections. So far, she and others from the company s natural resources department have collected seeds from over 30 individuals. They hope to collect from many more ʻōhiʻa trees in the next couple of years representing different species and varieties of ʻōhiʻa. The seeds are being banked at Lyon Arboretum and Maui Nui Botanical Garden (MNBG). Seeds from several of the collections are being germinated at the company s conservation nursery and will be used for restoration efforts on island. Additional seedlings from germination trials at MNBG will also be used on island for restoration purposes.

6 Through the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Seed Banking Initiative, UH Lyon Arboretum and Laukahi Hawaiʻi Plant Conservation Network are leading efforts to expand capacity for collection and banking of ʻōhiʻa seeds across all islands in response to the ROD crisis. Thanks to funding from Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority in , they held 15 workshops on 5 islands and trained 350 people how to collect ʻōhiʻa seeds! During that time, Lyon Arboretum banked 3.9 million ʻōhiʻa seeds in 165 new collections from 12 taxa of Metrosideros from Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Maui. This brings the total number of ʻōhiʻa seeds stored at Lyon to over 7 million! Their partner Hawaiʻi Island Seed Bank (Kona) also stored over 100 collections from Hawaiʻi Island varieties of ʻōhiʻa. Together, all the Hawaiʻi Seed Bank Partnership facilities banked over 11.5 million seeds from 440 trees across the state with funding from HTA in The project continues and the partnership receives new seeds from trained collectors on a regular basis. They hope to offer more training workshops in the near future. Learn more about the ROD Seed Banking Initiative and sign up for future workshops at ohialove.com.

7 Management Tips While you re out, keep ʻōhiʻa in mind. The fungi that cause ROD enter into ʻōhiʻa trees through breaks or injuries to the trees bark. While you re out hiking or walking near ʻōhiʻa trees on your property, be mindful of ʻōhiʻa avoid stepping on any exposed roots and breaking branches. Keep weed whackers, lawn mowers, and other equipment away from ōhi a trunks and roots. Pruning ʻōhiʻa is definitely a way to break bark, so only prune ʻōhiʻa trees if there is a danger to your home, vehicles, or family. If you do need to prune your tree, we recommend using a spray can type of pruning sealer to cover the wound created by pruning

8 The East Hawaiʻi greenwaste station is now processing chipped material to minimize the spread of pests and disease in greenwaste products. ROD researchers will be working with Hawaiʻi County to test the final greenwaste product and see if the processing eliminates infectious ROD material. Communities should still avoid bringing ʻōhiʻa to greenwaste stations. One of the ways that you can help prevent the spread of ROD is by planting ōhi a in your yard, garden, school or workplace. To find ōhi a plants you can call your local nurseries or state nurseries to find out if they sell ōhi a seedlings. Ask the grower how the seedlings are treated so that you re not bringing invasive species such as ROD or ants to your property. If you're wanting to grow your own ōhi a, check out our booths on Hawai i Island, where we provide people with their own little pot of ōhi a seeds to grow their own forest (all seeds are locally sourced). Pots with seeds offered when supplies are available.

9 Upcoming Events ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest August 26 th, 2018 Imiloa Astronomy Center The goal of this FREE public event is to celebrate ʻōhiʻa and promote awareness about this important tree. Bring your keiki and make fun ʻōhiʻa crowns. Hear about the traditional Hawaiian practice of using 20+ ft ʻōhiʻa poles to fish. Take a 3D tour through ʻōhiʻa forests. All these fun activities and more will promote ways we can help to prevent the spread of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. In addition, we will have games, prizes, a photo booth, live music, hula, food vendors, and there will be free access to ʻImiloa Center and the planetarium

10 ROD Documentary Premieres: August 17 Kahilu Theatre (Waimea) August 31 Aloha Theatre (Kainaliu) Doors open at 6:30pm with program starting at 7:00pm Please visit to register for this free event and for further information. Also will be aired on TV throughout August and September

11 Meet Our People Anya Tagawa DLNR - Division of Forestry and Wildlife I have always been passionate about science. Growing up on Hawai i Island greatly influenced this passion which, over the years evolved into a passion for conservation of Hawai iʻs ecosystems. I enjoyed learning about ecosystem processes, the incredible native plant species that have adapted here, and the innovative techniques used to help conserve this special place. I wanted to be a part of this, and decided to pursue a degree in Tropical Conservation Biology Biology and Environmental Science. Through this I found another passion, outreach and education.

12 Currently, in my position as Outreach and Education Specialist for the Hawai i Island Natural Area Reserves System (DLNR - DOFAW) I enjoy working in the vastly different ecosystems our program manages and creating awareness about these unique and beautiful areas and the threats that they face. More recently, with the appearance of Rapid Ōhi a Death, much of my time has been spent working with an amazing team with the goal of spreading awareness about this pathogen. Copyright 2018 University of Hawaii, Cooperative Extension Service All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: University of Hawaii Komohana Research and Extension Center 875 Komohana St. Hilo, HI Want to change how you receive these s? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. This was sent to << Address>>

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