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