05-28-2013, 09:05 AM
Julie, PLEASE read the reports on the gall...You will not see "forest of sickened trees", trees will have galled leaves, may not produce AS MUCH fruit as now, and hopefully will not grow as fast as now, but, even total infestations, these trees will still produce fruit & continue to grow JUSY NOT QUITE AS FAST & EXPONENTIALLY....
If you are basing your comments on the strawberry guava you have on your lot, and your lot was not root-braided up feet with inter-tangled roots & strawberry guava trees, then maybe you should visit some of the areas that are FULLY invaded, with strawberry guava overgrowing strawberry guava.
It is very important to remember a couple of things, the most important is how the public was manipulated on this issue. Many people who have been on island for quite a while to lifetimes have the local memory of when finding a strawberry guava was rare, and a real treat... this image is within the collective memory of this island... and this memory was used to promote the agenda of a small group of people.
The second is to remember that a century ago it was very rare to find strawberry guava & the fruit was treasured for its uniqueness. 50 years ago you would find a few here & there....and much of the fruit was collected & used. In the last 50 years it has overgrown many area, is now longer rare and most of the fruit is NOT collected, nor is it a fond memory for many property owners. It has become a nuisance....
The reason are layered, but the main one is that the tree out-produced the fruit needs of the island years ago, and now produces so much excess fruit that it has the potential of displacing much of the native forests, and control even on a few acres of forestry becomes a constant vigil....
Just image the work you have put into your lot, overgrown in just a couple of years... to the point where you would need to re-hire an excavator just to get through the strawberry guava... this is the issue many landowners are facing... esp. those that are trying to re-establish some of the native forest trees....
I have often stated to those that are opposed to this type of measure:
Volunteer on the work crews, so that your wants & the needs of the native forest are both served....but after a few years of volunteering your available time, you will start seeing that there are not enough people willing to volunteer their time & money to slow down the exponential growth of the strawberry guava here.... After twisting a few ankles on the layered roots, you will see that even hunters do not go into these guava mazes....as there are many more areas that have far easier hunting....
If you are basing your comments on the strawberry guava you have on your lot, and your lot was not root-braided up feet with inter-tangled roots & strawberry guava trees, then maybe you should visit some of the areas that are FULLY invaded, with strawberry guava overgrowing strawberry guava.
It is very important to remember a couple of things, the most important is how the public was manipulated on this issue. Many people who have been on island for quite a while to lifetimes have the local memory of when finding a strawberry guava was rare, and a real treat... this image is within the collective memory of this island... and this memory was used to promote the agenda of a small group of people.
The second is to remember that a century ago it was very rare to find strawberry guava & the fruit was treasured for its uniqueness. 50 years ago you would find a few here & there....and much of the fruit was collected & used. In the last 50 years it has overgrown many area, is now longer rare and most of the fruit is NOT collected, nor is it a fond memory for many property owners. It has become a nuisance....
The reason are layered, but the main one is that the tree out-produced the fruit needs of the island years ago, and now produces so much excess fruit that it has the potential of displacing much of the native forests, and control even on a few acres of forestry becomes a constant vigil....
Just image the work you have put into your lot, overgrown in just a couple of years... to the point where you would need to re-hire an excavator just to get through the strawberry guava... this is the issue many landowners are facing... esp. those that are trying to re-establish some of the native forest trees....
I have often stated to those that are opposed to this type of measure:
Volunteer on the work crews, so that your wants & the needs of the native forest are both served....but after a few years of volunteering your available time, you will start seeing that there are not enough people willing to volunteer their time & money to slow down the exponential growth of the strawberry guava here.... After twisting a few ankles on the layered roots, you will see that even hunters do not go into these guava mazes....as there are many more areas that have far easier hunting....
