08-04-2016, 07:08 AM
first reports of dead or dying Ohia trees sometime between 2010-2011
Locals tell me they've seen ROD-like ohia death since 2000 or earlier, up mauka, many miles away from PGV.
Bottom line: it doesn't matter who's responsible, what the contamination is, or how it spreads, because the political will (or funding) is not available (or sufficient) to undo the damage.
ROD is a product of evolution; the same process will also eventually create ROD-resistant Ohia. In the meantime, we need to protect the ecosystem balance by planting more trees and increasing biodiversity. Assigning blame and creating scapegoats is not productive. Studying ROD might provide some useful knowledge, but only if we're also willing to accept trees that have been GMO'd for ROD resistance.
Locals tell me they've seen ROD-like ohia death since 2000 or earlier, up mauka, many miles away from PGV.
Bottom line: it doesn't matter who's responsible, what the contamination is, or how it spreads, because the political will (or funding) is not available (or sufficient) to undo the damage.
ROD is a product of evolution; the same process will also eventually create ROD-resistant Ohia. In the meantime, we need to protect the ecosystem balance by planting more trees and increasing biodiversity. Assigning blame and creating scapegoats is not productive. Studying ROD might provide some useful knowledge, but only if we're also willing to accept trees that have been GMO'd for ROD resistance.