Why We Should Care About the ʻŌhiʻa

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Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death is affecting our native forests at an alarming rate. Currently 10% of ʻōhiʻa forests are being lost each year due to Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. If the spread of this disease continues at this rate, we could see the loss of 90% of ʻōhiʻa forests within a decade. Not only is the ʻōhiʻa important to Native Hawaiian culture, the species is also important to the Hawaiʻi ecosystem. Without the ʻōhiʻa trees, Hawaiʻi would lose its main source of fresh water. The ʻōhiʻa forests collect rainwater and sustain the underground aquifers which provide us with fresh water. Fresh water is not an unlimited resource. If the forests are not healthy, the quality and availability of freshwater is limited.