ohia trees butchered in hawaiian acres

[kalakoa]

they were under telephone/power lines

Otherwise known as "in the road"...

[snorkle]

Is ROD an "extinction level event" for Ohia trees?

Probably;
Years ago large tracts of Ohia were decimated by Lava, die back, development....etc. the sturdy trees had no problem replenishing themselves in their native environment.

The difference today is that when native trees are lost they are quickly replaced with invasive species that choke out any chance of native species recovery. Even healthy Ohia will not return to a canopy of Albesia and Miconia.

[randomq]

I was surprised to see Miconia and Cane Grass growing rampant in Lava Tree state park. If we can't even maintain a park with payed state employees, how are we going to protect our Ohia everywhere else?

[justthefacts]

all of road 10 the entire length from beginning to the end .B road to dead end past D road .
it is not hysteria but instead stating the facts of what has transpired . telcom has already installed the wire , logistically ??? who knows the reason but the wire is installed

[Obie]

It appears from reading facebook that all of these trees were in the right of way.

Here is what it looked like in 1961 :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1530872550290395&set=gm.10154473563380843&type=3&theater

[MarkP]

I have read that one of the few logical reasons for any pushback against the Tectococcus Ovatus bug to control waiawi was that many old folks remember when there were just patches of it rather than impenetrable thickets as it is now. Seems crazy that the landscape could change so much in a single lifetime but even without knowing exactly where the 1961 picture was taken it seems to confirm an overall vast increase in the amount of guava. I don't know anywhere in Puna that looks like that now other than pastureland which is artificially kept clear.

[kalakoa]

surprised to see Miconia and Cane Grass growing rampant

DLNR has "given up" ever controlling Miconia on the Big Island.

It was in the paper.

[kalakoa]

surprised to see Miconia and Cane Grass growing rampant

DLNR has "given up" ever controlling Miconia on the Big Island.

It was in the paper.

[justthefacts]

Not all the trees were in the right of way many not touching wires or even under wires , and yet they left some Albizua trees behind along with a big mess

[Kapoho Joe]

When was the LAST time they trimmed down there? Perhaps they are doing a multi year cut so as to avoid returning annually?