Ohia trees are dying rapidly, Why?

[kalakoa]

Maybe it is the stench of essential oils

Homeless traveling to and from their illegal jungle encampments are obviously contributing to the spread of ROD.

[Guest]

Rob, your Pro-PGV-TMT-development is what I have come to expect over time but Really essential oils?
I don't expect you to care all that much anymore about what's left in our environment as your time is probably shorter than most at this point. Thankfully, Many more generations are going to come after yours or mine and they may also enjoy seeing and building with healthy Ohia trees, if there are any.

Rob, You once thought your Ohia trees in your yard were dying because of the ferns possibly choking them out. You probably think differently today, maybe not. We may not know why the ROD outbreak started in Puna before anywhere else in the world but some of us care and would like to know why some day. Fungi Mutations usually happen because of environmental changes in the area, the experimental PGV plant has those capabilities. jmo

HOTPE, I am not claiming that PGV has been fracking, only "enhancing" their production. There should have been a written contingency or agreement in place before PGV's experimental operation as to study or investigate the possibility of it causing those environmental changes that take place around their facility, if there were any.

Nothing has disturbed me more in life than watching most of the Ohia trees die around my home and neighborhood. The county and states response to the dying Ohia trees has also been very hard to watch thus far. jmo

[kalakoa]

The county and states response to the dying Ohia trees has also been very hard to watch thus far

It sounds like you're quite miserable living here. Have you considered moving? There are lots of other place to live, and some of them even have governments which encourage the citizenry to be involved participants. I recommend New Hampshire, or maybe Vermont.

[Kenney]

Gypsy, I keep reading in your posts that "ROD started here before anywhere else in the world." Do Ohias grow anywhere else in the world? Seems like Rapid Ohia Death can only occur where there are Ohia. Am I missing something?

[Rob Tucker]

I don't have any ohia trees in my yard and very much doubt I ever said anything about ferns choking ohia out. On my farm the thing that might be choking them out would likely be invasive strawberry gauva.

If a solution for ROD can be found, and I hope it is, I believe it will come from scientific competence of a level found in astronomy. Meanwhile, considering the general lack of competence in our
state government and the anti science attitude of too many people, I have small hope for a solution.

But feel free to speculate.

[kalakoa]

Seems like Rapid Ohia Death can only occur where there are Ohia.

That's obviously way too simple.

scientific competence of a level found in astronomy

Fortunately the protectors have saved us from having that kind of competence on island.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

and the anti science attitude of too many people, I have small hope for a solution.

Unless ROD can be succussfully stopped by piling rocks in front of the ohia forests.

On the fifth day - the scientists who studied the rivers - were forbidden to speak - or to study the rivers. -Jane Hirshfield's poem on creation

[kalakoa]

Unless ROD can be succussfully stopped by piling rocks in front of the ohia forests.

I believe rocks would stop ROD if they were arranged in circle, with fire inside.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

arranged in circle, with fire inside.

Kamehameha had fire, not scientists, so for those with an anachronistic approach to problems, it may be considered the best possible solution.

On the fifth day - the scientists who studied the rivers - were forbidden to speak - or to study the rivers. -Jane Hirshfield's poem on creation

[Guest]

My apologize Rob, you did say the dead Ohia trees were on your farm not yard. You also thought they were dying from the Strawberry Guava not fern choking them out.

Kenny, Mahalo for your wonderful question.
If the Ohia tree only lives in Hawaii then why not make it a priority to protect the Ohia tree?
Why put an experimental Geothermal power plant in the middle of an Ohia forest to begin with? What, No other volcanoes in the world to pull steam from.
Why not keep prior and current environment Data from the PGV area?
Why not have corresponding health studies as well if the PGV is located near any communities?

Can little frogs like the Coqui help spread the ROD or Rat LungWorm?
The county and state of Hawaii hasn't seemed to mind the invasive Coqui frogs being in Puna. I ask because The Coqui frogs are often seen around, on or in Puna water catchments as well as in the Ohia trees and living in places with slugs and rats.

HOTPE, Mike Kaleikini "PGV plant Manager", stated he had no idea how the leak in the old production well occurred or just how big it was because it was thousands of feet below the surface and simply couldn't be seen. Steam may be the goal to produce electricity but what besides water is enhancing the increase of steam?
What happens to the millions of gallons of Geothermal waste once PGV re-inject's it back into the ground, via re-injection wells?
Is the PGV's current location and production wells on an old hot spot of magma or a large magma chamber?
If steam naturally rises to the surface from this Magma resource couldn't leaked production from a well or wells also rise through the porous surface?