Papaya Vandalism in Kapoho

[Carey]

Some where around 8,500 papaya trees were cut down some time this week. 8 years ago, vandalism of a thousand trees led to a shooting that we studied in one of the classes I took.... hopefully this will end up with the authorities finding the vandals & bring them to justice...
link for the new article:
http://www.khon2.com/content/news/develo...x?rss=2433

[hooligal]

Egads, how on earth do 8,500 trees get cut down without anyone seeing it. That couldn't have been done in one day, could it?

I hope this isn't a case of someone buying an 'old papaya field" & clearing the wrong lot. Tho I guess that's the only explanation that doesn't make me pissed.

Any word if the fruit or felled trees were taken?

* I'd rather fail at happiness than succeed at misery *

[fishnchamp1]

That is crazy! I'm eager to hear the follow up if authorities can figure out what happened...

William DeBoe
Delray Beach, FL

Moe'uhane Oihana mahi ai

[Cagary]

Were they growing GMO papayas?

[mdd7000]

8,500? That's a lot of chopping? It was done in one night? Must have been a number of people.

[maud gonne]

I think that may be an important question, cagary. Were the papayas GMO. It seems like the only motive I can think of - the article stated that the ripe fruit was not taken.

[maud gonne]

What a terrible waste! If it is a GMO attack why go after the farmer? He/she is only an individual business person. It would make more sense to protest the action of growing GMO by protesting Monsanto's development of these organisms. And not only Monsanto but other genetic modifiers like Dole, Chiquita, Pioneer, ConAgra and other seed and plant producers. They own the patents to these GMO's. The farmer is under their control and has little choice in the matter of what to grow.
Now there are fish farms that are growing GMO salmon. We don't know how or what this technology will do to our physiology. (We already know what high fructose corn sweeteners are doing to us!)
This comment is from Nick (Maude's number one "sqeeze")

[Seeb]

The new yorker in me would ask who profits. does the price of papaya go up, does the price of the land go down?

[Carey]

UH has done work on papaya variety development, & I think that they have done work on GMO's.

I do not know, and kind of doubt, that UH-Hilo has been involved in the development of GMO varieties (I am only guessing here, but I think that you would need the lab facilities that Manoa has - the Life Science labs at Hilo are rather limited)

I have really limited knowledge on GMO's, as I have recently studied Pacific Island Environmental Science, with an emphasis in coastal resources (it is a fairly broad research field, but doesn't really cross over much to the GMO's fairly narrow AG science field)

SORRY, probably an internet search will be much more helpful than me!

I do know that this field was a bit off the road.... seems like it is near or on King Papaya land (but I may be off there)
I have been to a few of the fields around where this happened (counting female fruit flies in traps)... some are small farmer owned others are large papaya growers..

No matter what the "reason" for the vandalism, it is still wrong, and may again blow up into violence as it has in the past.... more violence is something the area really does not need...

[Sue Nomie]

On May 26th 400 Papaya trees were cut down on a Millilani farm on Oahu. No farm equipment was stolen just the vandalism. 3 "boys" were seen running away from that senseless crime. Maybe this is simply a copy-cat crime.