Oahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC)

ROD on OʻAHU

Send photos and locations of sick/dying ʻōhiʻa:  CLICK HERE TO REPORT!

ROD Symptoms in ʻōhiʻa trees = brown leaves attached

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Healthy ʻŌhiʻa 

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Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) Detections on Oʻahu (as of March 2022) CLICK HERE FOR UPDATED MAP

  • Over 356 ʻōhiʻa trees have been sampled to test for the presence of ROD.
  • Only nine (9) trees have tested positive for the less aggressive ROD fungus, Ceratocystis huliohia.
    • Of the positive trees; 4 are residential locations, 5 are wildland locations.
  • There have been no detections of the very aggressive species, Ceratocystis lukuohia on O’ahu.

What Should You Do To Prevent the Spread? 

  • Don’t injure ʻōhiʻa trees.
  • Clean soil from shoes and tools and spray with 70% rubbing alcohol if can.
  • Don’t move ʻōhiʻa logs or plant parts.
  • Don’t transport ʻōhiʻa inter-island.
  • Wash any vehicles/bikes that have been off-road with high pressure hose.

HOW TO COLLECT & SUBMIT ʻŌHIʻA SAMPLES TO TEST FOR ROD – for Land Managers and Conservation Field Staff

OISC and DOFAW are the primary organizations surveying and sampling for ROD on Oʻahu. We are limited with time and staff. Assistance from land managers and conservation field workers to collect samples from suspect trees is needed. Collecting samples from dead/dying ‘ōhiʻa trees is easy and we can show you how prepare your team to sample ʻōhiʻa suspect trees they may come across when working in the field.

We can “train the trainer”, showing you how to collect samples, properly decontaminate your tools and self, and proper way to submit your wood samples for testing. We sample at least once a month, so contact us via email to arrange your training: oisc@hawaii.edu.

Resources for land managers and field staff to collect & submit suspect ROD samples.

What is ROD?

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) is a fungal pathogen new to science not ever seen before 2014. There are two (2) species of ROD:

  1. Ceratocystis lukuohia – VERY aggressive and rapid death as occurs in as little as two weeks.
  2. Ceratocystis huliohia – Less aggressive and death can take many months.

Quick Facts About ROD:

  • Symptoms of ROD are dead or dying ʻōhiʻa trees with brown leaves still attached.
  • Both species of ROD present the same symptoms: brown leaves on branches or entire tree.
  • ROD fungus lived INSIDE the tree, you cannot see it on leaves, branches or flowers.
  • ROD enters the ʻōhiʻa tree through a wound…do not injure ʻōhiʻa trees.
  • If you see suspect ROD, send photos to OISC via email: oisc@hawaii.edu or text to: 808-286-4616.
  • You can also always report using the free smartphone app: 643PEST

A variety of things can kill ʻōhiʻa trees and we canʻt know if itʻs ROD unless we get a sample of the wood from inside the tree. You cannot see ROD on leaves or branches…it grows inside the sapwood. This is where the tree moves water around. When the fungus plugs up the sapwood, no water can be moved and the leaves turn brown.

About ʻŌhiʻa

ʻŌhiʻa is the dominant canopy forest tree in the state with over 350 million trees across 800,000 on all the main Hawaiian islands. It is a keystone species, meaning itʻs integral to the ecosystem and the services they provide like clean water, water capture, as well as flood and erosion control. ʻŌhiʻa is also significant to Hawaiian culture and represented in numerous hula, moʻolelo, mele and oli. There are five species of ʻōhiʻa in Hawaiʻi. They are all endemic to our state, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world…and two of those five are endemic to Oʻahu island! You can see ʻōhiʻa in yards and in the forest.

For more details about ROD and ʻōhiʻa, visit: www.rapidohiadeath.org

FOURTH DETECTION OF RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH ON O‘AHU

Dead leaves still attached to ʻōhiʻa (as seen here from the air)…this is known as “flagging” and symptomatic of potential presence of ROD inside the tree.

(Honolulu) – An aerial survey of some 20,000 acres of forest on O‘ahu has resulted in the fourth detection of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD) in an ʻōhiʻa in the Moanalua Section of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve above Tripler Army Medical Center.

“Fortunately,” explains State Protection Forester Rob Hauff of the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), this tree is infected with Ceratocystis huliohia, the less aggressive species of the fungus associated with ROD.”  The tree was located using a helicopter-mounted camera system developed by the University of Hawai‘i-Hilo, Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization Lab (SDAV).  The collected images were analyzed in partnership with staff from the O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC) and DOFAW, as part of an on-going effort to improve the ability of field personnel to spot potentially infected trees.

The previous detections of the same species on O‘ahu include single trees on Kamehameha Schools land in Waiawa, and on two private properties in Windward O‘ahu residential areas. Nathan Dube, the manager of the OISC said both of those trees were planted ʻōhiʻa. He said, “Both of these detections were from concerned landowners, who reported their dead or dying ʻōhiʻa to OISC.  An OISC field team cut down the trees, dissected them, and sent samples to a lab in Hilo for positive confirmation and for research purposes.”

The aerial survey that picked up the tree in the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve, focused on the area adjacent to the earlier Waiawa detection. Surveyors identified about 40 additional trees from the images that need to be sampled for the disease, including ground-truthing. That process will take some time, as the area is rugged and difficult to reach.  DOFAW and OISC crews, with the help from experts on Hawai’i Island, decided to remove the infected branch of the tree and monitor it monthly for further signs of disease. Crews used a sealant on the wound to prevent additional disease infection.

*Please report location of dead or dying ʻōhiʻa trees with dead leaves still attached on O‘ahu to OISC at: oisc@hawaii.edu  (Photos are helpful)

Surveying 20,000 acres of forest on Oahu. using helicopter mounted camera system designed by UH-Hilo, Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization Lab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residents and visitors can help protect our remaining ʻōhiʻa forests with the following actions:

  • Avoid injuring ʻōhiʻa. Open wounds on ʻōhiʻa are an entry point for disease spores. The disease can also spread from tree to tree on machetes or other tools.
  • Don’t transport ʻōhiʻa inter-island.
  • Don’t move ʻōhiʻa wood or vegetation, especially from areas known to have ROD.
  • Clean your hiking boots/gear/tools. Scrub off all dirt and spray boot soles and tools with 70% rubbing alcohol, and wash your clothes in hot water and use a dryer to ensure the disease is not spread on boots and clothing.
  • Wash your vehicle if driving near ʻōhiʻa forests. The disease can remain alive and infectious in soil, so wash all dirt off vehicles.

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death has now been detected on Hawai‘ Island, Maui, Kaua‘i and O‘ahu since the fungal disease was first discovered in 2014. To date, the more aggressive form of the disease has not been found on Maui or O‘ahu, and is extremely limited on Kaua‘i.

Aggresive ROD Fungus Confirmed on Kaua‘i

JOINT NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 21, 2018

 

DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

DAVID Y. IGE: GOVERNOR

SUZANNE D. CASE: CHAIRPERSON

 

 AGGRESSIVE RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH FUNGUS FOUND ON KAUA‘I

 (Lihue)-Detection of Ceratocystis lukuohia, the more virulent of the two fungal pathogens causing Rapid ʻŌhi‘a Death (ROD), has now been confirmed in three trees on Department of Hawaiian Homelands parcel behind Kalalea Mountain on the east side of Kaua‘i. This first detection of C. lukuohia comes after the other pathogen resulting in ROD, Ceratocystis huliohia, was detected on Kauai in three distinct locations this past year.

“These three trees that tested positive for C. lukuohia were spotted by our rapid response team as they were conducting botanical surveys across the island,” said Sheri S. Mann, Kaua‘i District Manager for the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW). “Later, a team trekked by foot to visually inspect and take samples from the tree.”

ʻŌhi‘a die for many reasons, although symptoms consistent with ROD include the sudden browning of leaves on limbs or the entire crowns of trees. The fungus is not visible on the leaves or the bark but grows in the sapwood just below the bark. The three trees that were sampled earlier this month stood out in a forest of green, because the entirety of the trees leaves had browned.

Samples were then sent to the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Hilo for the necessary laboratory testing that confirmed C. lukuohia in all three trees.

“This is obviously news we didn’t want to hear,” Mann said. “But within a day of learning the news, we scheduled a helicopter to conduct more digital mobile sketch mapping to identify any additional symptomatic trees. We followed that with pinpoint drone surveys conducted by the UH Hilo Department of Geography SDAV Lab and more tree sampling to try and determine the severity and distribution of the outbreak. It’s been a busy week.”

 A benefit for Kaua‘i is the hard-earned research conducted on Hawaii Island where ROD was identified more than four years ago. Hundreds of thousands of trees have died due to ROD on Hawai‘i Island, more than 90 percent due to C. lukuohia. Earlier this year, scientists at ARS described the two-different species of fungi that cause ROD as C. huliohia and C. lukuohia. Both species are new to science.

The difference between the two pathogens is how they move through the tree and how quickly they kill.

“The pathogen enters the tree through a wound; be it a broken limb, twig or, perhaps, a scuffed up exposed root. Whereas C. huliohia may take months to years to kill an ohia tree, C. lukuohia can kill a tree within weeks,” said James B. Friday, the extension forester with the University of Hawaii.

The Kaua‘i ROD Working Group does not know exactly when or how the disease arrived on Kaua‘i-whether it was the result of human activity or on its own, e.g. via the wind.

Once additional lab results and drone imagery are available, the rapid response team will consult with the ROD science team to determine what management actions should be taken.

“Our priority is to save ohia. It has a critical role in the ecosystem’s function,” said Tiffani Keanini, project manager of Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee (KISC). “We are currently determining the best method to contain the spread and prevent ROD from entering pristine watershed areas. At this point, we are treating the recent outbreak with rapid response actions.  As we learn more about the distribution and density of the affected area, we will likely adapt our management strategy efforts.”

The C. lukuohia detection site is located in a remote area at 550-foot elevation. This forest location is comprised of a mix of native trees and plants like ʻōhi‘a, koa, hala, and uluhe that are being crowded out by non-natives such as albizia, java plum, strawberry guava, and octopus trees. Unfortunately, any loss of a native tree will give rise to the faster-growing invasives unless aggressive native tree plantings take place.

As there is no known cure to ROD, prevention is the key to ensuring it doesn’t spread and both Kama‘aina and visitors can help by following these key five guidelines:

1) Keep your eyes open. If you see ʻōhiʻa with a limb or crown turning brown, take a picture, and contact KISC via email (saveohia@hawaii.edu) or phone (808-821-1490). Samples of the wood must be taken by trained technicians and tested in a laboratory to confirm the presence of the ROD fungi.

2) Avoid injuring ʻōhiʻa. Wounds serve as entry points for the fungus and increase the odds that the tree will become infected and die from ROD. Avoid pruning and contact with heavy equipment wherever possible.

3) Clean gear and tools, including shoes and clothes, before and after entering the forest and areas where ʻōhiʻa may be present. Brush all soil off tools and gear, then spray with 70% rubbing alcohol. Wash clothes with hot water and soap.

4) Wash your vehicle with a high-pressure hose or washer if you’ve been off-roading or have picked up mud from driving. Clean all soil off tires–including mountain bikes and motorcycles–and vehicle undercarriage.

5) Don’t move ʻōhiʻa wood or ʻōhiʻa parts, including adjacent soil. The disease can be spread to new areas by moving plants, plant parts, and wood from infected areas to non-infected areas.

 

 

MEDIA RESOURCES

(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

HD video-field survey training, digital sketch mapping (May 11, 2018)

  • https://vimeo.com/269082425 (shot sheet attached)

HD video-Kauai Rapid Ōhiʻa Death video news release (May 11, 2018)

  • https://vimeo.com/269288041

Photographs-digital sketch mapping, field survey training: (cut sheet attached)

Video-Ceratocystis: Tale of Two Species & Screening for Resistance:

For more on Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death:

Credit: Kauai Invasive Species Committee/Kim S. Rogers:

Seanne Igne (Protection Forester/DOFAW) is pictured while conducting Digital Mobile Sketch Mapping surveys via helicopter.

 

Media Contacts:

Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee

Kim S. Rogers

(808) 821-1490

(808) 634-6667 (cell)

saveohia@hawaii.edu

 

 AJ McWhorter

DLNR Communications Specialist

Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov

aj.mcwhorter@hawaii.gov

808-587-0396 (Communications Office)

808-587-0418 (Direct Line)

www.dlnr.hawaii.gov

Cedric Duarte

Information & Community Relations Officer

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

91-5420 Kapolei Parkway

Kapolei, Hawai’i 96707

Phone: 808-620-9591

Mobile: 808-342-0873

Cedric.R.Duarte@hawaii.gov

Public Hearings for Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death Quarantine Rule

Testify…and show your ʻŌhiʻa Love!  

The Department of Agriculture will hold public hearings to receive testimony on the proposed amendment to add a permanent rule that will maintain the current, temporary quarantine restrictions to prevent Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death from spreading from Hawaiʻi Island.

The hearing on Oʻahu will be on August 31st, 2016 from 5pm-7pm, at the Dept. of Agriculture’s Quality Assurance Division at 1851 Auiki St.

TESTIFY IN PERSON:

The hearing on Oʻahu will be on August 31st, 2016 from 5pm-7pm, at the Dept. of Agriculture’s Quality Assurance Division at 1851 Auiki St. Please register with staff prior to the convening of the hearing…sign up sheet.

WRITTEN TESTIMONY: COMMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY SEPTEMBER 7th by 7pm.

Via postal mail to:  Plant Quarantine Branch,  1849 Auiki Street, Honolulu, HI 96819

or via FAX at:    (808) 832-0584

or via e-mail at:   hdoa.pqspec@hawaii.gov.  Please include the word “testimony” and the subject matter when submitting testimony by e-mail.

It is imperative to stop the spread of this devastating fungal pathogen; and the temporary quarantine has successfully intercepted infected ‘ōhi‘a from being shipped to neighbor islands.

ʻŌhiʻa trees are the keystone species of our native forests and an integral part of our state’s most valuable watersheds. ʻŌhiʻa forests cover 865,000 acres statewide, and half of the native trees on Hawai‘i Island alone are ʻōhiʻa.

A team of state and federal scientists continue researching ways to save healthy trees by searching for any genetic resistance, minimizing transference of the fungus, and possible fungicides.

If the permanent rule cannot be established, ʻŌhiʻa logs, plant parts and soil will be able to freely move inter-island with NO inspection for the disease.

Ohia Notice of Public Hearing

Ohia Rule Amendment

For more information on ROD, visit www.rapidohiadeath.org  and like them on Facebook.

SHOW YOUR ‘ŌHI‘A LOVE!

Board of Agriculture to hold hearing on proposed permanent ‘ōhi‘a quarantine rule on Monday, May 9th at 1:30pm.

The current quarantine restricting the movement from the Island of Hawai‘i to other islands, of ‘ōhi‘a wood, plants, plant parts, and soil without a permit has been extremely effective–for example, the Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD) fungus has been detected in ‘ōhi‘a logs that would have otherwise been shipped to counties. This is a TEMPORARY interim rule, and if a permanent rule is not in place by August 25th, ‘ōhi‘a wood, plants and plant parts, and soil will be free to move anywhere in Hawai‘i WITHOUT Ohia Graphicinspection or permits. In order to prevent the free movement of the ROD fungus, the process to make this quarantine permanent has begun.

The Board of Agriculture (BOA) Plants and Animals Committee meeting will be hearing and discussing the proposed permanent ‘ōhi‘a quarantine rule, which is the first step.  The Committee will discuss the proposed rule and recommend whether or not the proposed rule will be sent to the BOA as is, or with changes, and whether or not they think the BOA should approve the proposed rule for public hearing.   The Plants and Animals Committee meeting is at 1:30 p.m. on Monday May 9 at the HDOA PQ Conference Room on Auiki st., and is open to the public. Agenda

Public comments will be accepted at the hearing.  Written letters of testimony are also accepted.  Please send them at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, or they may not make it into the public record. Send to:

Jonathan K. Ho
Acting Inspection & Compliance Section Chief
Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Branch
1849 Auiki Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
FAX: (808) 832-0584
Email: jonathan.k.ho@hawaii.gov

Ohia Sticker

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Us

Oahu Invasive Species Committee (OISC)
Office: (808) 266-7994
Fax: (808) 266-7995

OISC Manager: Nate Dube
E-mail: oiscmgr@hawaii.edu
OISC Outreach Coordinator: Erin Bishop
E-mail: oisc@hawaii.edu

Pest Hotline: 808-643-PEST (7378)
Report a Pest Online