RES 062 Draft 01 2016-2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

_ r _ FORWARii Rapid 'Ohi'a Death (ROD) is an extremely serious threat to Hawaii's native forests. Mortality caused by the disease is unprecedented with respect to scale, rapidity, and potential impact. To date, this dis- ease has only been found on 'ohi'a and is caused by an introduced fungal pathogen. ROD should not be confused with either 'ohi'a dieback, where groups of trees die over a period of a few years due to natural causes, or with Puccinia rust, an introduced disease that was first reported in Hawai'i in 2005 and affects new leaves and stems of 'ohi'a, rose apple, and other closely related plants. ROD has the potential to kill most 'ohi'a individuals in an infected forest. In the few years since ROD symptoms were detected in 'ohi'a trees in the Puna District of Hawai'i Island, the disease has already become well es- tablished in large areas of this district and has since spread to many more areas on Hawai'i Island. As a disease, ROD is particularly problematic because it is caused by two distinct but closely related fungal patho- gens within the genus Ceratocystis. While exhibiting different pathologies, apparent modes of spread, distribu- tions, and introduction histories, both Ceratocystis species cause high rates of mortality in 'ohi'a forests, complicating a.»y planning and response. Given the importance of 'ohi'a to the ecology, hydrology, economy, and cultures of Hawai'i, Hawaii Island as well as the high potential for further spread of ROD across Hawai'i Island and the rest of the State, this Strate- Pa1is gic Response Plan (SRP) represents a call for rapid, coordi- nated, sustained, and large-scale impact management of this unprecedented threat. This SRP also reflects the need to transition from emergency response to a more sustain- able and organized strategic response, and focuses on the following questions: What do we currently know about ROD? Locations where Ceratocystis is pres- ent and impacting 'ohi'a forests as of What do we need to know about the disease and November, 2016. (Anya Tagawa image, how do we address the unknowns? after ROD Working Group map) What do we need in order to manage this disease and its impacts? To address these questions, the best available science and input from many people working on ROD have been used to craft this plan that documents what we have learned since the cause of ROD was identified in late 2014, and the major needs for the next three years. To date, agencies, institutions, and non-government organizations (NGOs) have contributed more than $2,000,000 in staff time and in-kind support, and have applied for and received another $2,159,950 in ROD funding from federal, state and private sources in 2015-2016. This plan projects the additional needs of $3.6 million for 2017, and $3.2 each year for the next two years, 2018 and 2019, assuming that existing staff and agency in-kind support will continue at least at current levels. Public and private funds will continue to be sought to fund the priorities in this plan. I