The Forest Around Us

One of the things that we have become very aware of after moving into this upper elevation rainforest is the balance of the natural forest and how invasive plants and animals affect the on-going health of the forest.

Apparently, we are not the only folks pondering these thoughts.

The state motto is: "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono" - The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness

We have been trying to get to know the plants and animals that surround us. One of our projects is to aid the natural forest by eliminating the invasive plants that damage the forest.

We have two main targets:
Kahili Ginger. This is an attractive plant with gorgeous flowers and an exotic, beautiful smell. This plant will completely take over open space, crowding out native plants.
Linda and Virginia did an excellent job of riding the property of ginger. However, since it spreads by by seed and by rizome, we will need to be diligent to maintain the ginger-free zone.




Next is the Faya tree, also called the Fire tree. This tree was introduced in the 1800s. Like Ginger it has a tendency to take over open spaces before native species can grow. It grows fifteen times faster than the native ohia. It grows so densely that no understory can grow. This is a bad thing.


So, armed with books, images from the web and poison we hope to identify and eradicate. Ginger we can easily spot. Faya is harder.
Is this one, or not?
Still working on that. I don't want to kill an ohia, so will study further.





And then there's the animals.
Have you ever heard of a skink? I hadn't.