invasive xmas trees

[Bullwinkle]

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20101...trees.html

tree frogs, and salamanders found in the first shipment

do we really need imported xmas trees?

[Kelena]

Nope. They should be kept out of Hawaii. They carry invasive species. Not to mention that the Teutonic idea of Christmas trees and snow just does not fit in in a place that has no seasons and no snow at elevations where people live. The idea of windows frosted with fake snow doesn't fit in either. I prefer Hawaii's relatively low key approach to Christmas. Importing real trees with real creatures lurking within them just doesn't seem like a good idea.

[Rob Tucker]

It surprises me that with a Christmas tradition of Christmas trees and an ability to grow them here there is no real local effort to meet local demand with local product.

I recall, and it may still be true- not sure, that the Dept. of Agriculture subsidizes Christmas trees by actually paying people to plant the trees with the condition that they not be sold with their roots. Odd I know but it can be a profitable agricultural product for a known local market.

The Star-Advertiser article mentions something like sixty containers of trees coming in with up to 800 trees in each one. That's up to 48,000 trees. Looks like a local economic opportunity to me.

[dmbwest]

Invasives aside for sec.

Yeah Glen,

Instead, lets just forget the whole thing ... Our kids don't need those kind of treasured memories of love and happiness a simple tree in the house brings.

No seasons ?

You really gotta get out more.

[Bob Orts]

Hawaii's Christmas Tree harvesting capacity is about 9,000 trees a year. This places Hawaii at number 43 for all US states.

Hawaii currently has about 100 acres dedicated to Christmas Tree production, placing it 47 in acreage dedicated for Christmas Tree production.

It takes approximately 12 to 15 years for seedlings to reach acceptable height for harvesting. Hawaii's Christmas Tree production is only about 15 years old making it the last state to enter into dedicated Christmas Tree production.

Hawaii ranks number 1 in industry growth of dedicated Christmas Tree production with an average 5 year expansion of 95%

However, Hawaii’s dedicated Christmas Tree operation is hampered by a lack of ancillary industries to support the operations. Only 1 out of every 2 trees is acceptable for Christmas sale which requires another industry available to take the harvested but rejected trees. Lack of this secondary revenue source (lumber mills, biomass generators, paper mills, etc.) makes Hawaii trees more expensive versus trees shipped in from other states.

It looks like Hawaii is now in the Christmas Tree trade, so maybe those buying should ask around for threes that are a Product of Hawaii. It's a start.

[YurtGirl]

I like having a tree for Christmas, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a pine tree. In AZ many years ago I started rejecting the cut pines in favor of the dramatic, erratic wood of the Manzanita. People thought I was a bit whacky, "No PINE tree?!?!" Then I started seeing more and more of my friends doing it. Now my mother does Manzanita Christmas trees. Here, Strawberry guava or a potted fruit tree would be great. It's the sentiment. The lights. Hanging the ornaments. Feeling the warmth of the symbol. I like having a tree for Christmas, but I've never liked the mass market dead tree sales. Our neighbor gave us a small, potted Norfolk pine. That has been our Christmas tree for a few years now. But I actually kind of miss having something other than pine. Manzanita was my favorite.

[EightFingers]

When I lived in AZ many years ago, we decorated tumbleweeds..... They actually didn't look bad (to us kids anyway) sprayed with that fake snow and strung up with some tiny lights.

[missydog1]

Glen, you are usually spot on with observations, but in this case -- there's nothing low key about Christmas in Hawai'i. First, the decorations show up after Labor Day and people want them. People love Christmas here. The lights always sell out.

The local ladies spend months making centerpieces and crafty decorations. Go to Ben Franklin's during the season and you'll see. Maybe it's because there is no snow and people love the idea of snowiness when they grow up without it. Plenty of locals go to the mainland during the winter and seek out skiing, snowboarding.

I didn't mention the strong Christian element in this culture first, only because it's obvious if you know the history and know how many people build their social life around church. Christmas is huge here.

I have a tree about every other year. I top my young Norfolk Pines, but they aren't much fun to decorate, as the needles are so darn sharp.

[janet]

Snow and pine trees don't fit in here?

I'm originally from New York. How about the Nativity scenes with camels in the snow?

Christmas is what each of us wants it to be. My sister-in-law decorates palm trees. Works for us.

[Kelena]

Nativity scenes, snow, people in very long cloaks, German-style Christmas trees, fake icicles, all of these are examples of things that, to me at least, seem highly incongruous on a volcanic island in the middle of the ocean. I saw all that Chinese stuff in Long's. I find it puzzling, frankly, but to each his own. When it comes to these matters, I am definetely a pre-contact guy. I realize I am in the minority on this. I apologize. It is important to me that everyone derive joy from the season in whatever way they can. Have a Mele Kalikimaka in whatever way suits you best. But I think we can agree we need to keep those infected trees out of Hawaii Island.