ROD education and outreach specialist Corie Yanger (NREM) was a significant contributor to the ‘Ōhi‘a Love Festival, hosted by UH and DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife on the Big Island. ROD, or Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, is a fungal disease that has killed off hundreds of thousands of acres of native ‘ōhi‘a forests on the island. Now in its second year, ‘Ōhi‘a Love drew more than a thousand people, who gathered to honor the important native tree and the many people working to stop the spread of ROD. See DLNR’s video of the festival, shown on Big Island Video News. Corie explained that ‘ōhi‘a plays an integral role in ecosystems and culture, from watershed to hula to enjoying the natural world while hiking. She said she was heartened by how much knowledge of ROD had increased over the last year. The festival included presentations, demonstrations, Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death information, educational displays, crafts, games, photo booth, food, entertainment, face painting, and scavenger hunts. See KITV’s story about the festival as well.