Oregon developer seeks to log BI koa forests

[critterlover]

Is there a way to put the Koa Tree on some protected list that prevents harvesting them excepting for indigenous peoples or purposes? Is there some ordinance that could prevent massive deforestation? This is most alarming to me. I have only lived here for 20 years and am saddened at how many beautiful forested areas have been leveled and for no good reason. I sat, just yesterday, waiting for the light to turn to get on to 130 from the connector street across from the Keaau High School and looked at the corner where beautiful trees once stood and now low lying weeds grow. The drive from Keaau to Pahoa manifests less and less natural forest and more and more leveled lots with weeds. I would be glad to work towards any venue to preserve the natural forests on this island. I understand we are talking about privately owned lands and some of those individuals understand they are sitting on a vault of equity in the Koa on their properties. It is a precarious issue but if no one gets out ahead of this the trip up Hamakua Coast is going to be forever altered! Signed...unofficial Tree Hugger

“A penny saved is a government oversight.”