Hawaii's Amazing 'Ohia Trees

 

"Fall" Season on the Big Island of Hawaii

 

Disappearing Garden Shed

 Aloha from Volcano! Waaaay back in August, Phil suggested that we needed (she needed) a garden shed so we began thinking about how to do it so that it would blend into the beautiful Forest Garden in front of the house. It is 8x8', has windows on all sides and a charming front and back doors and porches. The most important thing was that we wanted it to blend into the forest of ohia trees so choosing the right colors of paint was a priority.

Front door - dogs in the shadows

Here are photos of how we selected those colors, and views -- looking at it from the house, front and back doors....and finally, one of the "disappearing garden shed." It has a long working table, shelves for seedlings and a fold up table-cum-lounging bench. Enjoy....

This is the view of the shed from the house

P.S. (10/23) Phil has decided it needs a better name than "shed" -- so he has named it "Toll House" but all Lunel can think of is cookies.  Our propane delivery man even tried to give us a 25-cent coin. When we looked up an Hawaiian word for shed we found kamala, but we can't do that!

Back porch -- railing to be added

From all sides it really does blend into the forest!

Green Green GREEN

Clear day view of Mauna Kea

Many decades ago (1963) the New Christy Minstrels sang it, and most of us sang along (though we probably wouldn't admit to that or any other kind of "green" we may have done soooo long ago).

Green, green, it's green they say
On the far side of the hill
Green, green, I'm going away
To where the grass is greener still...

Lonely female chameleon who lives in the olive tree
just outside our back door lanai

Up here at 3500 ft elevation, there are different kind of flora and greens than we had in Leilani Estates on Luana Street. Although there are still hapu'u ferns and ohia trees, there are also walls of bamboo, eucalyptus and several kinds of pine trees.

"Instant picnic" just out our front door

View of the farm

We went on a guided walk early this week offered by Volcano Art Center and were awed by the size and shapes of several different kinds of ohia trees and some massive koa trees as well.

"Their grass is greener..."

The Volcano Art Center offers many opportunities to learn about the island from many different perspectives -- geological, ecological and cultural.

LINK to Volcano Art Center

Here at our new temporary home, we are enjoying new greens -- some of which come from the organic and hydroponic gardens. The view from our back porch/lanai is of the back portion of the farm/garden where there are many varieties of rare chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, and goats -- their milk is made into taste cheeses!

The corgyn (who surprisingly enough are green-grazers) are particularly interested in the goats, and have decided that the greens on the other side of the fence just must be better than the grass on their side.

Planting Ohia Trees for Easter

Ohia ready to plant (generator shed behind them)

Nearly three years ago we met a neighbor who was planning to put in a driveway where many baby ohia trees were growing.  We were able to rescue about a dozen small ohia trees, getting them into pots for future planting.

After doing so, we were told "ohia trees don't like to be moved -- and their roots are very sensitive." We figured they would have no chance at all left where they were.  For the past three years we have been caring for them in their temporary pots, hoping for the best. Two years ago, we began to transfer them into deep holes fortified with compost and have had 100% success.

In 2014 when the traditional Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoes (Hokule'a and Hikianalia) left for their world-wide tour, we chose to plant baby ohia trees. (For more info about Hokule'a go to this link:  Hokule'a  When Phil's mom died, also in 2014, we planted ohias in her honor.

A year ago as more was being discovered about the dying Ohia trees, I wrote a poem to express my own sadness.

“Silent Death”

Creeping slowing, striking swift.

One by one they wither -- 
Whether or not we see it.

Down the street, across the way, 
Silent death approaches.

Treetops against the sun, 
Not noticeable at first --

Until half-way down,

the sickness run.

In so few days first one

Easter -- digging holes for Ohia trees

Then another is gone -

No leaves, no life.

It is done.

Silent killer, but no

Reason found --

In the air or

On the ground.

No more home to bugs and birds,

They stand denuded and bare.

Such sadness can

Hardly find the words.

Ancient strong Ohia bold --

Sweet lovely Lehua old --

Are we to blame?

Is this our shame?

Lunel

August 2015

Spring Equinox

The other evening the sky was so dramatic Phil went outside around 5:30 pm, camera in hand, and took two photos both within a minute of each other. The mackerel clouds covered the whole sky and the moon was nearly full.  The first photo (left) was facing due east and the rising moon and the second one was taken looking due west down our long driveway.

When we first moved to the Big Island's Puna District in 2012 everyone on The Continent thought we must have palm trees and white sand beaches. " No," we would explain.  "We live in an ohia forest!" Then, however we did not get this western view so low to the horizon.  Sadly, our neighbors across the street have lost nearly all their beautiful ohia trees**.  You can see some of the bare branches outlined by the brilliantly colored sky.


**If you don't know about our dying Ohia trees -- refer to our March 9th entry where there are links to stories about this sad disaster.  Hard sometimes to admit that life IS change.  Or, this newest article just put out by NPR (very sad) we live at "ground zero!)

Elegant solitary Lehua blossom over the bed of orchids

Bed of Nun's Cap Orchids (under Ohia tree)

Even the weather is changing!

As a result of our significant drought several weeks earlier in the year, this spring's bloom of Nun's Cap orchids and the Lehua blossoms on the Ohia trees are late -- but nonetheless beautiful.

Planting Ironwood Trees

Graceful Ironwood Tree at MacKenzie Park on the Big Island

Today we planted three Ironwood trees.  During the last six months, we have been slowly and sadly replacing our dead Ohia trees and still have about eight other varieties to plant.

(If you don't know about this ecological tragedy, you can read about it at this link:  Dying Ohia Trees.    Or, Possible cause:  Beetle Spreading Fungus?

This week we narrowed down the right places for our three Ironwood trees that each came from different places on our Big Island.

The first one we found uprooted down at MacKenzie Park in an area known as Opihikao.  It is one of our favorite places along the famous “Red Road” here in Puna. During Hurricane Iselle in 2014, the park was hit hard by Hurricane Iselle that swept ashore pulling trees right out of the ground.

The Park is name for ranger Albert MacKenzie who planted many of the ironwood trees that cover the 13 acre park.  The "Casuarina" trees were brought to many islands as seeds, floating on logs or pumice.   The park has a fascinating history including prison convicts, King Kamehameha's Highway, and ghost stories.  (CLICK on this for great stories! MacKenzie Park )

The park is 20 minutes from our house along "Red Road"

"Take me home with you."

We purchased the second Ironwood tree months ago as one replacement for some of our dying Ohia trees. And, just this last week we found a third one in a very unexpected place.

We were running an errand, with our Tundra truck, to pick up a load of volcanic red cinder that's being quarried right from a volcanic cinder cone a few miles from our house.  This tiny tree (with three small trunks) was pushing its way up through a pile of red cinder the size of a house and it looked like it needed a new home.

Totem Tree

Platform builder and helpers

Phil strips off bark

When our tree guys cut down our dying ohia trees last week, we asked them to just top a couple of them, thinking that maybe they would become garden art of some kind.  Today we decided to take the left over logs and build a platform so that the resident wood artist would have something to stand on while carving.


There were lots of 2-3 foot lengths we could use to build up around the base of the tree that we stabilized by pounding re-bar around them so they would not roll or slide.  Then we placed sheets of plywood on the top, leveled it all, and screwed down the plywood for a platform.

 It will be fun to see just "who" or "what" is in the tree wanting to come out. Phil has not worked with anything this size for a long time and is looking forward to the project.

Arbor Day ... of a different kind

BIG whole for new forest tree

Yesterday's headlines read "Ohia in Trouble" and shared a similar story to those we included in previous blog entries.  One additional quote stood out, however.  A research ecologist with the US Forest Service graphically outlined the severity of this crisis with the following quote.


"Ohia (trees) form the foundation of our native forests...a keystone species in terms of forest development...and, they comprise approximately 50% of the biomass of a native forest." 

Marc and Chris at work

This is not just about the loss of "some" trees, but is a very serious condition that could place the entire island ecosystem at risk.

Today, the chain saws are buzzing as the last of our our recently dying ohia trees are cut down, about 15-16.   Today, we ALSO dug a gigantic hole for one of our new forest trees.  (see 6/13 post for all the new trees)  It seemed an appropriate response to something over which we have no control. 

"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."  Maya Angelou

If you live here on the Big Island, and need tree work, we would have no hesitancy in recommending the two amazing tree guys who did our work:  Call Chris or Mark 968-7527 or 209-1311