Retailer should stop
selling Australian fern
On a recent trip to Hilo Home Depot’s garden center, I was disturbed (and a little triggered) to see Australian tree ferns for sale.
These ferns, though sometimes used for landscaping, and legal to sell, are highly invasive and damaging to Hawaii’s environment, and conservation agencies are working hard to control them in native forests throughout the state.
As a former employee at Haleakala National Park who used to remove them in remote areas in Kipahulu Valley, I know firsthand how damaging they are to native Hawaiian rainforests.
Not only do they out-compete native species, but their nasty scales rub off easily, can float in the air and cause skin irritation and even eye damage — hardly a desirable trait for homeowners or landscaping!
Selling this invasive tree fern is also unnecessary, since we already have a much better local alternative. Native Hawaiian tree ferns, such as Hapu‘u, are preferable to Australian tree ferns for landscaping because they are adapted to Hawaii’s unique ecosystems and support native biodiversity.
Unlike the invasive Australian tree fern, which spreads aggressively and can out-compete native species, Hawaiian tree ferns grow more harmoniously within local habitats. They provide essential cover, habitat and organic matter for other native plants and animals, preserving the natural balance and promoting ecosystem health.
I respectfully ask Hilo Home Depot to reconsider its sale of Australian tree ferns and urge customers not to buy them. Discontinuing their sale would be the socially responsible thing to do and would generate goodwill with the stewards of our native ecosystems, and with members of the public concerned about the impacts of invasive species in our islands.
By choosing not to sell invasive species, Hilo Home Depot could play a crucial role in protecting Hawaii’s unique ecosystems for generations to come.
Chuck Chimera
Honokaa
