Preserve old Hawaii with plants

We just returned from the annual Palm Society BBQ in Hilo and it made me think of our island in the good old days. Of course, the concept of the “good old days” depends on one’s perspective. Let’s just take it back to the 1950s and ‘60s since those were the days I remember as a boy 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 tends to be even after 50 years of change. Every 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 island life good living.

Then I thought about what it must have been like for the first Polynesian pioneers who found and developed these islands we call home. The forests in those earliest days of human activity were very different than when Capt. James Cook arrived. What is now pasture used to be forests. Trees like loulu palms flourished in abundance, but it wasn’t long before the introduction of pigs and rats radically changed things. We have no real clear records of that time, but throughout Polynesia, it is obvious that humans and the animals and plants humans brought with them have had a tremendous impact on the species that evolved on the many isolated islands of Pacifica. Today, erosion is a big problem on most high islands due to damage being done by feral grazing animals like goats. The rising ocean is swallowing the low atolls that have been the homes of islanders for thousands of years.

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 in almost anyone’s vocabulary. We are concerned about conservation of our Islands’ soil and water, their 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 as individuals. Nothing could be further from the truth. As individuals, we can be conservationists right in our own gardens. We can grow native plants. We can also plant species to encourage desirable wildlife like our native birds if we live in an upland forest area. In the lowlands, we can protect our shorebirds and even enjoy exotic wildlife like mynahs, doves, parrots, tropical finches and cardinals.

Trees and other forest plants are vital for Hawaii’s wildlife. All animals including man owe their existence to vegetation of one kind or another.

We have a wide variety of plants both native and introduced. Therefore, we have a tremendous array for beauty and food source for animals such as birds, lizards and other garden creatures. By keeping the 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 aalii. Other plants, such as the beach and mountain naupaka, are attractive to many birds and also make good ornamentals for a garden. Flowers like the ohia lehua, koa, hau, milo and mamane may even attract some native nectar feeding birds like iiwi, amakihi, apapane and elepaio.

The ohia is a very valuable wildlife food tree, since the flowers are attractive to birds. Unfortunately, a fungus disease called rapid ohia death (ROD) is making it difficult to purchase plants. It is also dangerous to transplant small trees from the wild since the disease may be spread through living plants or even firewood of infected trees. Fortunately, other trees in the family myrtaceae like eucalyptus, bay rum, clove, guava and allspice are attractive to our native honeycreepers.

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 the Polynesians. Not only are the leaves used for walls, floor mats and thatched roofs but modern Polynesians weave purses, shopping bags and hats. Even the parts of the fruit, which resembles a pineapple, were eaten during periods of food shortage. Today, island campers will use the fibrous segments as a toothbrush.

The pandanus family, closely related to palms, is found throughout the old world tropics. There are hundreds of species, from miniature shrubs to large trees. Most species may be easily distinguished by their aerial roots. These roots give them the common name of “walking trees.”

Here in Hawaii, we have two common native species. The puhala, pandanus odoratissimus, is found along many coastal areas. The mountain ieie, Frecynetia arnotti, is found climbing vine-like up ohia trees in mauka forests, sometimes 80 feet or more.

Many species of pandanus are grown as house plants on the mainland such as Pandanus baptistii from New Britain Isles and Pandanus sanderi from Timor. Some like Pandanus utilis are sometimes called “screwpine” because of the spiral rosette formed by the leaves. Here they make beautiful garden specimens.

Another group of plants to consider are those the Polynesians brought with them like coconut, kukui, mountain apple, banana and breadfruit.

Fortunately, 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 your local nurseryfolks for advice. Nurseries are beginning to specialize in native plants and can help you get acquainted with the best ones for your situation. On Saturday, several nurseries banded together at the Old Kona Airport for a big plant sale. It was a good time to learn from the experts. Local bookstores also carry a variety of books that will help you become an expert at identifying local plants, animals and birds. For example, “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. But remember all land reptiles and amphibians found in Hawaii have been introduced since first Polynesian contact. Even our many species of geckos originated elsewhere. Since the gecko has been revered by Polynesians for thousands of years, they may have been purposely introduced as early as A.D. 700 Of course, these little fellows may have been stowaways as well. Although they are all non-native species they certainly help keep our gardening headaches under control.

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 about how we can contribute in making the future something that folks will remember in an even more distant future as the “good old days.”