A newly discovered fungus is at the root of the rapid ohia death disease, which is killing Hawaii's ohia lehua trees, which are critical to the state's water supply, endangered native birds and cultural traditions, according to ABC News. The disease has affected up to thousands of ohia lehua trees on the Big Island. As of last year, it was said to have affected 50 percent of the trees, spanning 6,000 acres of forest, although experts claim it has spread further since then. Although the disease is primarily found in Puna, it can also be seen in Kona and Kau, according to I4U News.
"Worst case scenario is that it spreads statewide and it decimates all of our ohia forests. It's a pretty bleak picture," said Robert Hauff, the forest health coordinator at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR,) who claims the state is going to be conducting aerial surveys next month in order to determine the amount of acres that have been devastated by the fungus. Furthermore, they will be bringing in a world expert in similar diseases to inspect the islands and further advise the state on its handling of the outbreak.
As of now, officials from the DLNR are in the early stages of understanding the nature of the fungus, although they are finding it difficult to keep up with the rapid rate of destruction that it is causing, according to KITV4.
The ohia's ability to soak water into the ground and replenish the watershed makes it critical for Hawaii's water supply and it is important for native birds due to its ability to provide them with nectar. It also provides a canopy for native plants, which are located underneath them in the state's forests.
As of now, the state's Department of Agriculture is prohibiting the moving of wood, flowers and any other part of the ohia tree between islands and is encouraging the use of clean tools on ohias and clean shoes and clothes when in their proximity.
"If we lose the ohia, [you're] disintegrating the very fabric of our forest that hold water for all of our beautiful species and provide sustenance," said Suzanne Case, Chair of the DLNR.
