hazardous trees

[Rob Tucker]

If you want to spur the sale of chainsaws and reduce the threat of albezia then try this out: Place an accelerating tax on all albezia trees within falling distance of a utility line or structure. Have that tax be $0/tree in year one, $10/tree in year two, $20/tree in year three and so forth. Use income from the tax to remove albezia from public lands.

[ericlp]

Nice idea Rob,

But, I say start the tax minimum at 50 bucks. No one is really going to think about it much at 10 bucks if they only have a few trees on their lot.

I've noticed driving back from kona side, drive towards rainbow falls, it reminds me of Oregon or the winter time on the mainland seeing thousands of albizia with no foliage. Then coming to the conclusion that a bunch of people poisoned all those trees. It can be done!

[Wao nahele kane]

Nice to see some thoughts on the matter and some additional information regarding hazardous trees. The legalities I referenced aren't so much East Coast laws as they are judiciary and insurance positions on the matter (ask your insurance agent and see case rulings).
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Shockwave rider,
You stated that no one is purposely planting Albezia trees. In reality people do purposely plant Albezia trees to this very day as I have some neighbors that do so. The reasoning many use is that "Albezia are great nitrogen fixers for soil". Yes, those of us who are capable of comprehending that it's a bad idea to toss out the baby with the dirty bath water understand the virtual madness in using Albezia as a source to fix nitrogen within soil but that still doesn't register in many minds around here.
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IMO growing trees that exceed the height of the areas native tree canopy height is irresponsible. Maybe a single tree that exceeds that height on a large acreage parcel isn't such a bad thing but growing a great number of such trees isn't conducive to promoting native habitat standards but that's a different issue all together and one some are trying to address island wide even in the parks.
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Rob, excellent idea there. Maybe not isolate it to Albezia trees but rather any tree that exceeds the height by say 120% (biologist could determine an appropriate height ratio) of the areas native tree canopy height. Obviously that would include Norfolk Island pines, Ironwood, Rubber trees, Rainbow Eucalyptus, and so on in such lower canopy native tree regions.