The annual Bamboo Festival last weekend in Papaikou made me think of our island in the “good old days.” Of course, the concept of the good old days depends on your perspective. I’ll just take it back to the 1950s and ’60s, since those were the days I remember on Oahu and living in Ka‘u. As we drove from Kona through Waimea and on to Hilo, I realized just how special each of our island communities are even after 50 years of change. Each little town or village has its own special charm. Even though there have been major shifts in land use from sugar to forest and orchards, we still have that special charm that makes life good living.
The annual Bamboo Festival last weekend in Papaikou made me think of our island in the “good old days.” Of course, the concept of the good old days depends on your perspective. I’ll just take it back to the 1950s and ’60s, since those were the days I remember on Oahu and living in Ka‘u. As we drove from Kona through Waimea and on to Hilo, I realized just how special each of our island communities are even after 50 years of change. Each little town or village has its own special charm. Even though there have been major shifts in land use from sugar to forest and orchards, we still have that special charm that makes life good living.
Then I thought about what it must have been like for the first Polynesian. The moral of this story is that we had better learn to adapt to change but keep as many of the good qualities of the past that we can.
Conservation is a popular word. We are all concerned about the conservation of our islands’ soil and water, forests, seashores, rivers and wildlife, but talking about conservation is kind of like talking about the weather. Most people figure they can do little about it themselves.
Nothing could be further from the truth. As individuals, we can be conservationists in our own gardens. We can grow native plants. We can also plant species to encourage desirable wildlife such as native birds if we live in an upland forest area. In the lowlands, we can protect our shorebirds and enjoy wildlife including mynahs, doves, tropical finches and cardinals.
Trees and other forest plants are vital for Hawaii’s wildlife. We have a wide variety of plants that provides beauty and food for birds, geckos and other garden creatures. By keeping lush vegetation an integral part of our communities, we actually do our part to fight pollution and make life more enjoyable. As individuals, one of the easiest ways to decrease the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere is to plant trees. There are a number of trees that can help accomplish this purpose. Among the best are natives like the loulu palms, ohia, hala, wiliwili, hoawa, alahee and alalii. Other plants, such as the beach and mountain naupaka, are attractive to many birds and also make good ornamentals for a garden. Flowers including ohia lehua, koa, hau, milo and mamane may even attract some native nectar feeding birds such as iiwi, amakihi, apapane and elepaio.
The ohia is a valuable wildlife food tree, since the flowers are attractive to birds. Specimens of ohia trees can be found in different colors and forms at some area nurseries.
The hala tree is another native of interest and beauty.
Lauhala, or leaf of the pandanus plant, has probably been used for thousands of years by Polynesians. Not only are the leaves used for walls, floor mats and thatched roofs, but modern Polynesians use it to weave purses, shopping bags and hats. Even parts of the fruit, which resembles a pineapple, were eaten during periods of food shortage. Today, island campers use the fibrous segments as a toothbrush.
The Pandanaceae family, closely related to palms, is found throughout the Old World tropics. There are hundreds of species, from miniature shrubs to large trees. Most may be distinguished by their aerial roots. These roots give them the common name of “walking trees.”
In Hawaii, we have two common native species. The puhala, Pandanus odoratissimus, is found along many coastal areas. The mountain ieie, Freycinetia arnotti, is found climbing vine-like up ohia trees in mauka forests, sometimes 80 feet or more.
Many species of Pandanus, such as P. baptistii from New Britain Isles and P. sanderi from Timor, are grown as houseplants on the mainland.
P. utilis specimens are sometimes called screw pines because of the spiral rosette formed by the leaves. Here they make beautiful garden plants.
Another group of plants to consider are those the Polynesians brought with them including coconut, kukui, mountain apple, banana and breadfruit.
Nurseries in our area have a vast variety and number of good native and exotic ornamentals, including ones that produce fruit or flowers attractive to wildlife. If you are in doubt as to which plants would be best for you, check with area nursery workers for advice.
Several nurseries are beginning to specialize in native plants and can help you get acquainted with the best ones for your situation. Area bookstores also carry a variety of books that will help you become an expert at identifying local plants and birds. “A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians in the Hawaiian Islands” by Sean McKeown is a must for your home library. This handy guide will help you identify all the chameleons, geckos, skinks, anoles, frogs and toads that help control those nasty bugs.
So when you find yourself mourning the loss of days gone by, remember our today hopefully will be remembered as the good old days. We need to think a lot about how we can contribute to making the future something that folks will remember in an even more distant future as the good old days.