Big Island Organizations & Programs Losing Funding

[HiloJulie]

This is much, much bigger than Ohia trees and ROD on F Road in the Acres.

Look downstream in 25 years if this closure lasts. 

Snipped from the article HOTPE originally posted: (I have emphasized a few parts in bold for consideration)

"The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry has been working on all these issues and more. Closing the station will have enormous ramifications for local communities who depend on that research to protect the islands’ watersheds, prevent wildfires, and conserve the native forests for wildlife and the tourism economy."

Rapid ohia death is just one example of how quickly threats to forests can emerge. First reported in 2010, the disease quickly spread, leaving hundreds of thousands of ohia trees dead in its wake. It was identified as a fungus in 2014, but research into how it spreads and how to protect against it is still ongoing.

“Forest Service research has revealed that it tends to be attacking larger, older trees, which is unfortunate because it means our old growth forests are the areas predominantly hit by this,” said Jonathan Price, a geographer at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. Trees that have been damaged by storms, or by feral pigs, or by beetles boring into the wood, seem to be most susceptible.

Ostertag said researchers are studying the genetic diversity of the fungal pathogen and developing disease-resistant strains of trees—all long-term projects that require specialized laboratories and greenhouse space.

“When you have a watershed made up mostly of a single native tree species and that species starts dying off, this has implications for flooding, it has implications for water resources,” Price added. “I can’t underscore how unique our situation is, and maybe a little bit out of the public view. People come here—they see paradise. They see these beautiful, lush, green forests without realizing they’re almost entirely made of invasive species, or they hear these beautiful birds without realizing that they’re not even native to this area. And there’s this silent extinction crisis going on that may not be evident to the general public.”

I am sure we can all agree that we should "focus on whether there is something to be done about Hilo losing another research facility" but, again, what? Who is going to take this over? Who is going to pay for it? What is the worthwhile goal?

And to my original point, the closures of these research stations is just a minor fallout from the overall intended goal to turn the U.S. Forest Service's focus from environmental conservation towards vastly increasing domestic timber production.

How much longer before they come for the Koa wood?

[TomK]

arguing with a block of Ohia. Dead with ROD.

Perhaps we can focus on whether there is something to be done to counteract Hilo losing another research facility?

There were maps created when ROD started spreading.  So the spread could be tracked.  Will that be lost?  Or buried in an inaccessible file with CO2 measurements?

I'm OK with that. I'm not so sure we'll get very far with HiloJulie because she makes little sense, but it's a worthwhile goal.

What are you OK with? 

HOTPE's post.

I'm OK with HOTPE's post too.

Great. We agree with each other.

[Durian Fiend]

This is much, much bigger than Ohia trees and ROD on F Road in the Acres.

Look downstream in 25 years if this closure lasts. 

Snipped from the article HOTPE originally posted: (I have emphasized a few parts in bold for consideration)

"The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry has been working on all these issues and more. Closing the station will have enormous ramifications for local communities who depend on that research to protect the islands’ watersheds, prevent wildfires, and conserve the native forests for wildlife and the tourism economy."

Rapid ohia death is just one example of how quickly threats to forests can emerge. First reported in 2010, the disease quickly spread, leaving hundreds of thousands of ohia trees dead in its wake. It was identified as a fungus in 2014, but research into how it spreads and how to protect against it is still ongoing.

“Forest Service research has revealed that it tends to be attacking larger, older trees, which is unfortunate because it means our old growth forests are the areas predominantly hit by this,” said Jonathan Price, a geographer at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. Trees that have been damaged by storms, or by feral pigs, or by beetles boring into the wood, seem to be most susceptible.

Ostertag said researchers are studying the genetic diversity of the fungal pathogen and developing disease-resistant strains of trees—all long-term projects that require specialized laboratories and greenhouse space.

“When you have a watershed made up mostly of a single native tree species and that species starts dying off, this has implications for flooding, it has implications for water resources,” Price added. “I can’t underscore how unique our situation is, and maybe a little bit out of the public view. People come here—they see paradise. They see these beautiful, lush, green forests without realizing they’re almost entirely made of invasive species, or they hear these beautiful birds without realizing that they’re not even native to this area. And there’s this silent extinction crisis going on that may not be evident to the general public.”

I am sure we can all agree that we should "focus on whether there is something to be done about Hilo losing another research facility" but, again, what? Who is going to take this over? Who is going to pay for it? What is the worthwhile goal?

And to my original point, the closures of these research stations is just a minor fallout from the overall intended goal to turn the U.S. Forest Service's focus from environmental conservation towards vastly increasing domestic timber production.

How much longer before they come for the Koa wood?

Of course there are other worthwhile projects they have been pursuing.  I was simply responding to the two posts above mine.  The F road status was an example of how quickly an area can be devastated by ROD.  
What is to be done about losing Forest service dollars?    Since the pacific islands forestry lab is at the Hilo campus, perhaps it can be kept open and staffed at a reduced capacity with state and local funds.

[Punatang]

This is much, much bigger than Ohia trees and ROD on F Road in the Acres.

Look downstream in 25 years if this closure lasts. 

Snipped from the article HOTPE originally posted: (I have emphasized a few parts in bold for consideration)

"The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry has been working on all these issues and more. Closing the station will have enormous ramifications for local communities who depend on that research to protect the islands’ watersheds, prevent wildfires, and conserve the native forests for wildlife and the tourism economy."

Rapid ohia death is just one example of how quickly threats to forests can emerge. First reported in 2010, the disease quickly spread, leaving hundreds of thousands of ohia trees dead in its wake. It was identified as a fungus in 2014, but research into how it spreads and how to protect against it is still ongoing.

“Forest Service research has revealed that it tends to be attacking larger, older trees, which is unfortunate because it means our old growth forests are the areas predominantly hit by this,” said Jonathan Price, a geographer at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. Trees that have been damaged by storms, or by feral pigs, or by beetles boring into the wood, seem to be most susceptible.

Ostertag said researchers are studying the genetic diversity of the fungal pathogen and developing disease-resistant strains of trees—all long-term projects that require specialized laboratories and greenhouse space.

“When you have a watershed made up mostly of a single native tree species and that species starts dying off, this has implications for flooding, it has implications for water resources,” Price added. “I can’t underscore how unique our situation is, and maybe a little bit out of the public view. People come here—they see paradise. They see these beautiful, lush, green forests without realizing they’re almost entirely made of invasive species, or they hear these beautiful birds without realizing that they’re not even native to this area. And there’s this silent extinction crisis going on that may not be evident to the general public.”

I am sure we can all agree that we should "focus on whether there is something to be done about Hilo losing another research facility" but, again, what? Who is going to take this over? Who is going to pay for it? What is the worthwhile goal?

And to my original point, the closures of these research stations is just a minor fallout from the overall intended goal to turn the U.S. Forest Service's focus from environmental conservation towards vastly increasing domestic timber production.

How much longer before they come for the Koa wood? (emphasis Tang)

They you say?  What happens in 25 years???  (clutches pearls).  Buckle up DF, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Folks, geology operates on a slightly different schedule than we temporary occupants of this planet.  On a sufficiently long enough timeline, every species is "invasive".  

Imagine, if we in peak woke Hawaii, with all of our sunshine, Green Governor, and landmark, student activist lawsuits, in 2026, just can not seem to wean ourselves off of burning fossil fuels on ________________ (fill in with your preferred term e.g. "The Mother's", "Gaia's", "Pele's") abyssally ancient turf, then maybe these anthropocentric supremacist terrors you we have over your our desired funding, are simply a rebellion against Pachamamma's reparative population pruning via novel ecosystems.  

When you  we back way out, and come to grips with your  our complete cosmic insignificance, and then factor your our extraordinarily outsize, long-term impact on Mother Earth, then it becomes easy to accept this Gaian biotic reckoning as humankind's due comeuppance.

25 years? How about 250?  2500?  25,000, 250,000, 250,000,000?  No one will remember you any of us in 250 years but the damage you we have caused will linger on.  You  We are the ur-invasive species, so maybe you we have not earned the right to begrudge so called "invasive" allies with your our colonial invasive land ethics. Pachamama's praxis to enact planetary reparations by easing human over-occupation of the biosphere, marches on whether your our tax dollars are employed to resist her, or not.

Perhaps the massive lava fountains from Pele's belly, are her laughter at your our replacement fears, your our delusional human exceptionalism and your our fragile anthropocentric supremacy.  

Extractive anthropos' colonial/xenophobic hate directed at oppressed ecological agents and their biotic resistance for Puna, is a punchline in the comedy of time.  

"Much bigger" indeed.

[HiloJulie]

They you say?  What happens in 25 years???  (clutches pearls).  Buckle up DF, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Folks, geology operates on a slightly different schedule than we temporary occupants of this planet.  On a sufficiently long enough timeline, every species is "invasive".  

Imagine, if we in peak woke Hawaii, with all of our sunshine, Green Governor, and landmark, student activist lawsuits, in 2026, just can not seem to ween ourselves off of burning fossil fuels on ________________ (fill in with your preferred term e.g. "The Mother's", "Gaia's", "Pele's") abyssally ancient turf, then maybe these anthropocentric supremacist terrors you have over your desired funding, are simply a rebellion against Pachamamma's reparative population pruning via novel ecosystems.  

When you back way out, and come to grips with your complete cosmic insignificance, and then factor your extraordinarily outsize, long-term impact on Mother Earth, then it becomes easy to accept this Gaian biotic reckoning as humankind's due comeuppance.

25 years? How about 250?  2500?  25,000, 250,000, 250,000,000?  No one will remember you in 250 years but the damage you have caused will linger on.  You are the ur-invasive species, so maybe you have not earned the right to begrudge so called "invasive" allies with your colonial invasive land ethics. Pachamama's praxis to enact planetary reparations by easing human over-occupation of the biosphere, marches on whether your tax dollars are employed to resist her, or not.

Perhaps the massive lava fountains from Pele's belly, are her laughter at your replacement fears, your delusional human exceptionalism and your fragile anthropocentric supremacy.  

Extractive anthropos' colonial/xenophobic hate directed at oppressed ecological agents and their biotic resistance for Puna, is a punchline in the comedy of time.  

"Much bigger" indeed.

While your missive started out just fine with using the colloquial "we" about all this, you then went and had to start with and change over to the use of everything being "YOU," and "YOUR"

Let me guess, everybody's poop stinks except yours? Right?

Now, speaking of more Federal cuts as it relates to the Big Island and Hawaii, but have you seen this one yet?

Tutu and Me program shutting down sites statewide amid funding cuts

[Punatang]

While your missive started out just fine with using the colloquial "we" about all this, you then went and had to start with and change over to the use of everything being "YOU," and "YOUR"

Super fair on the we/you.  Point taken.  Steps taken. 

Also in fairness to you HJ, while I quoted your post, I was responding to the overall narrative of the last few posts. My apologies.

[HiloJulie]

Thank you for the acknowledgement and changing to the more appropriate “we.”

However, to your entire point, and while some may claim the world is only 5,000ish years old and up to 4.5 billion years old, depending on individuals beliefs, I’d say it's fair to say that only within the last 75ish years has humanity even come close to understanding the environment. 

While humanity is indeed the single biggest invasive species to mama earth, and while our lifetimes are a mere very small pencil dot on the entire timeline, we must become stewards of this place we only temporally inhabit. In my very short lifetime of almost 70 years, as a young girl in my formative years I remember learning about Love Canal and seeing the Cuyahoga River in Ohio in flames.

So, cutting funding that can possibly mitigate humankind's invasiveness serves no real purpose other than more or less telling Mother Earth to XXXX off. And even more egregious and insulting is when that funding cut is nothing more than a political stunt, and really is something being disguised so that the land can be raped even more, of which, some people just can't seem to see.

At any event, who/how can we get to provide other funding to continue the Tutu and Me program, now cancelled by those same political stunt funding cuts? Maybe the generation of the Tutu and Me student toddlers of today, might have a better answer tomorrow? But why even bother educating them in the first place, I guess.

[Punatang]

However, to your entire point, and while some may claim the world is only 5,000ish years old and up to 4.5 billion years old, depending on individuals beliefs, I’d say it's fair to say that only within the last 75ish years has humanity even come close to understanding the environment. 

Hmmm. My "entire point" was about invasive species and zero about what you posted here.  As an aside, every 75 years humans say that humans didn't know crap until the most recent 75 years, and they are 100% correct.  Let's meet up in 75 years and compare notes.

[HiloJulie]

Hmmm. My "entire point" was about invasive species and zero about what you posted here. 

So, you think "invasive species," including humans, has no impact on the environment?

OK then...

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

every 75 years humans say that humans didn't know crap until the most recent 75 years, and they are 100% correct.

Statements like that are an excellent example of what happens when there are funding cuts to educational institutions, museums, the arts, etc, etc, etc.  And for the sake of argument, if there is even a shred of truth in the quoted statement above - - THEN WHY WOULD YOU CUT FUNDING FOR SCIENCE AND RESEARCH if in 75 years we will make discoveries that supersede previous beliefs?  Of course you could be a nihilist plying your trade.  But then why get up in the morning if that Puna sunrise, first in the islands is so meaningless?