Page 3 - MidWeek Winddward - Feb 15, 2023

FEBRUARY 15, 2023 3
Making Moves To Reduce Albizia Threat In Windward O‘ahu
Community members of the Rapid Albizia Death Hui treat non-hazard albizia trees in areas including Windward O‘ahu to protect green spaces and public infrastructure. PHOTO COURTESY KO‘OLAU MOUNTAINS WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP
For the past seven years, the Ko‘olau Mountains Wa- tershed Partnership has treat- ed more than 11,000 Albizia trees (Falcataria moluccana) across the Ko‘olau Moun- tains to reduce their threat to the watershed and communi- ty.
tains. Through detection, treatment, scaled manage- ment, community and part- nership strategies, KMWP is actively targeting Albizia across 23,000 acres and has surveyed more than 57,000 acres to detect and document populations.
presentations and educational materials are available from KMWP.
According to KMWP, Albizia is one of the fast- est-growing trees in the world and impacts the urban, agricultural, infrastructure, tourism and priority water- sheds sectors on O‘ahu. This invasive tree poses a major safety risk and costs stake- holders millions in repairs annually, KMWP adds.
The partnership shares that boots-on-the-ground efforts have become safer and more efficient due to the imagery and aerial surveys available. It continues work in additional important wa- tersheds like Ha‘ikū on the Windward side.
To increase watershed health, KMWP will restore forest zones in Waihe‘e with native Hawaiian plants. Con- tinued maintenance and care will be led by KMWP with volunteers to plant, educate and increase public aware- ness on water quality in the Waihe‘e watershed. Efforts to increase watershed health are supported by partners like the state Department of Health, Honolulu Board of Water Supply and Hawai‘i Invasive Species Council.
Albizia is one of the high-priority invasive species that the partnership works to manage across the water- sheds of the Ko‘olau Moun-
“Stopping Albizia trees from populating the sum- mits of the Ko‘olau Moun- tains is crucial. These trees are dangerous and quick to populate Hawai‘i. We can see it quickly spreading in
our urban areas now,” states KMWP field crew supervi- sor Jordan Lewis.
watershed regions to remove Albizia populations, commu- nity members are volunteer- ing to identify, assess and remove non-hazard Albizia
trees. These teams, known as the Rapid Albizia Death Hui, are trained volunteers estab- lished in areas including Ka- halu‘u and Waiāhole. Public
For more information about watershed manage- ment of the Ko‘olau Moun- tains, to get involved with a RAD Hui or to volunteer, vis- it koolauwatershed.org.
As KMWP support staff continue efforts in the summit