Tunnel Vision

Invasive trees crowd out native species - Hwy 132

After Hurricane Iselle it took weeks to clear trees

In the few years we have both visited and lived here in Puna on the Big Island of Hawaii, there have been a few changes in a category that might be called ‘tunnel vision.’  

Prior to Hurricane Iselle in 2014, there was a stretch of Highway 132 (from Pahoa Village down to Kapoho) that was tunneled with overgrown giant savanna-like Albezia trees that had become infamous as “the trees that ate Puna.” The cleanup was long and messy, but as a result, it brought discussions about this horribly invasive species to the foreground; the result has been a heightened sense of public and county awareness towards appropriate management (somewhat illusive goal being eradication.)

"Mango Road" to the ocean

Looking up our driveway in 2012

One of the beautiful places here in Puna that first struck our hearts was the Mango edged one-lane road down to the boat ramp at Pohoiki – a magical tunnel I have featured several times in our blog entries.  Unlike the junky invasive trees, these mango trees are stable and strong, and produce piles of mangoes annually.   

We found another tunnel, oddly enough,when first looked at the house we now live in. The driveway into our property formed a long lush green tunnel.  Of course, later we learned most of that tunnel was invasive species.  We also lost some ohia long the drive.  We have since planted local, endemic, and hardwood trees as replacements.

Tree stump of large Albezia removed

"Tree Tunnels" on the way to our house (both now gone.)

For several years we have referenced "tunnels" to give directions to our house.  Our street was just past the "second tunnel" coming down Leilani. Fortunately the newly formed Big Island Invasive Species Committee is NOT suffering from "tunnel vision" and are taking a proactive stand to remove some of these giants before they fall over.

Big Island Invasive Species Committee  BIISC --is a cooperative of over 20 agencies including education, forestry, agriculture, transportation, tourism, watershed, university and National Guard.  Power and internet providers also have had to reconsider their own tunnel vision and take a serious look at how much prevention saves when disasters occur.

     

Bromeliad Hill Project

When we bought our Hawaii hale, there were a lot of junk trees on the property, introduced species that grow really fast, are unstable, and have a propensity to fall across roads, over power lines, and onto houses.

Early on we had professional tree trimmers come and take down several albezia trees (the worst offenders) as well as others that were too close to our newly installed power lines.  At the gate you see samples of them as well as a massive wall of undergrowth of bushes, guava and vine.  What was cool about this "corner" of the property was the fact that it was a 15' lava hillside with LOTS of potential.
 




Once the big trees were removed and we could get into the area, we spent a few weeks pulling old roots and removing lots of accumulated debris.  Here you can see the far left 1/3 of the area which Lunel has now planted with colorful bromeliads - with Dexter's help, of course.

Anniversary Guava Passion!

Today is our 27th anniversary and we are celebrating with "guava passion" - and what does that mean?

One of the many ubiquitous plants growing in the Puna district are wild guava trees that grow so thick you can't even walk through a patch.  We decided to make good use of them as raw materials for projects.

Here's Phil with some guava trees from our property that he has striped bark from and sanded.  Some we will be using along the front of the new addition -- as a railing.

Since we have two passion vines of Liliqois, we have built a fence for them to grow on using a dead ohia tree at one end (that also serves as our clothesline.)  Phil is attaching a stripped guava tree for the top railing.

Also, see that BIG tree in the background?  That is one of the invasive albezia trees that have invested Puna.  One of our first project on the property was to have several of them removed due to their tendency to fall over in heavy rains and wind.

It is not uncommon to have 2-3 brief power outages during the week because a tree -- somewhere along the lines -- has fallen across the road.  The one you see here is growing on the acre next to us (no threat to us.)  We enjoy it because it reminds us of the beautiful large acacia tree that grew in our yard in Eureka.

Liliquoi is one of the most loved favors in Hawaii and is used in desserts of all kinds as well as juices.  This is a picture showing the two kinds we have -- one of which has blossoms just in time for our anniversary!  Yum! -- liliquoi cheese cake!!

Forest & Jungle

We live in a tropical rainforest here in PUNA, which means that no matter what, you measure growth in inches-per-day, and feet-per-month.  It is widely rumored that the invasive albezia trees (which we had on the property) grow 4-6 inches per day.

Obviously the previous owner's focus was on building this wonderful house -- not on the forest that surrounds the house.  Here is a typical shot of the edges of the property. 

 We are fortunate that when the land was cleared lots of the native Ohia trees were left, and the center of the property is pretty clean.  While waiting for the moving company to deliver our container, our working time was spent either working on the outside property building lava walls for new beds, or inside, making improvements to an "almost finished" house.

Here's Phil beating back the jungle.  When we moved in, for example, these palms were completely overgrown with vines, ferns and fast growing shrubs.  The driveway you see is bounded by forest, and trees surround us on all sides.  We also have a wonderful variety of birds living in these trees.