Visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park drive past native ohia forests and walk through volcanic craters where new ohia growth pushes forward. ADVERTISING Visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park drive past native ohia forests and walk through volcanic craters where
Visitors to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park drive past native ohia forests and walk through volcanic craters where new ohia growth pushes forward.
They also learn about the most prominent threat to the tree: Rapid ohia death, a disease caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata that has led to the death of thousands of ohia since it was first discovered in lower Puna in 2010.
The first case of ROD was found in one of the park units earlier this year, and park staff has worked to educate newcomers and locals alike about the disease.
“Visitors are saddened to hear about ROD and its potential devastating impacts on the native forests of Hawaii,” park public affairs specialist Jessica Ferracane said in an email. “They are cooperative with sanitation measures, and want to cooperate with us to help prevent spreading the fungus.”
The first confirmed case of a park tree infected by Ceratocystis fimbriata was identified in mid-January via aerial surveying conducted by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The surveying was followed up by sampling of trees.
At the time, surveying found about 34,000 acres of ohia forest islandwide was affected by ROD. The most recent surveys, conducted in May, found 38,000 affected acres.
To date, 11 infected trees have been found at the park, all in the lower section of the Kahuku unit. The 116,000-acre unit is located at the 70.5 mile mark of Highway 11 and is separate from the main Kilauea unit.
There have not been any cases of ROD found in the Kilauea part of the park, which is by far the most-visited area.
“Monitoring, sampling and mapping efforts are ongoing,” Ferracane said.
HVNP received $59,803 in federal funding to address ROD within the park. The money funds not only the monitoring and mapping, but sanitation and education measures.
Park officials are working to contain the existing ROD cases within the lower Kahuku unit and prevent their spread to the upper portion and to Kilauea. In March, the park temporarily closed the upper section of Kahuku to the public.
“The infected trees in Kahuku are being felled, and are left in place to reduce the spread of the fungus elsewhere,” Ferracane said.
To minimize the risk of infected ohia from a different site entering the park, partners and concessionaires such as Volcano House and Kilauea Military Camp are prohibited from bringing ohia wood onto the premises.
The park also adopted sanitation measures such as decontaminating boots before heading out into a forest.
“We are sharing this information with staff, visitors and partners through direct outreach and programs,” Ferracane said.
HVNP is part of a ROD interagency working group that includes partners at the county and state levels, as well as the Nature Conservancy and the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Responses to cases of ROD are coordinated through this group.
“Education is the key,” Ferracane said.
Last week, another step was taken to prevent the spread of rapid ohia death. The state Board of Agriculture approved a proposal during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday that would make an emergency quarantine of ohia transport permanent.
The proposed amendment, which prohibits transporting ohia from the Big Island to other islands, will next go through a series of public hearings on each main island. Hearing dates have not yet been set.
The current emergency rule against ohia transport is in effect until August.
For more information, visit www.rapidohiadeath.org.
For information about sanitation measures, visit www.hdoa.hawaii.gov.
Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
