RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH

1. Brush/Scrape all dirt or mud off shoes. 2. Spray to coat the bottom of your shoes with 70% rubbing alcohol. Prevent spreading Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death by following these simple steps before and after visiting forests. Click here to watch a quick video on sanitation.

The Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Working Group, led by the Department of Land & Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife among others, has released its second strategic response plan covering work to address ROD from 2020 to 2024

Saving ʻŌhiʻa-Hawaiʻi's Sacred Tree has won 3 Emmy Awards! Check out this film capturing the story of Hawaiʻi's battle to save ʻōhiʻa from the threat of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death disease.

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death has killed over a million ʻōhiʻa trees (Metrosideros polymorpha) on Hawaiʻi Island alone. (Photo by JB Friday)

Crowns of affected trees turn yellowish (chlorotic) and then brown within days to weeks. (Photo by JB Friday)

Ceratocystis fungus appears as dark, radial staining in the sapwood, sometimes accompanied by reddish reaction wood in the heartwood of the tree. (Photo by JB Friday)

Don't spread ROD: Don't injure ʻōhiʻa, Don't move ʻōhiʻa, clean your tools, your gear, your vehicle. (Photo by JB Friday)

Fine boring dust produced by ambrosia beetles contains large numbers of fungal spores. Windblown boring dust could spread the disease long distances. (Photo by JB Friday)

ʻŌHIʻA ARE HAWAIʻI'S FOUNDATION

ʻŌhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha), the most abundant native tree in the state of Hawaiʻi, are dying from a new fungal disease. On Hawaiʻi Island, over a million ʻōhiʻa have already died from this fungus, called Ceratocystis. Healthy trees appear to die within a few days to a few weeks, which is how the disease came to be called “Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death.” This disease has killed trees in all districts of Hawaiʻi Island and has the potential to kill ʻōhiʻa trees statewide.

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WHERE IS ROD?

Hawaiʻi Island

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Kauaʻi

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Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death disease has been found on the Islands of Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi, Maui, and Oʻahu. Both Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi have confirmed Ceratocystis lukuohia (destroyer of ʻōhiʻa) and Ceratocystis huliohia (disruptor of ʻōhiʻa), the two fungal pathogens causing ROD. While C. lukuohia is a more aggressive fungus than C. huliohia, either species will kill ʻōhiʻa. In July 2019, a single tree infected by C. huliohia was detected on Maui and 5 trees was also detected with C. huliohia on Oʻahu. The tree on Maui was destroyed and there have been no positive ROD detections since.

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