OUR STORY
My name is Laurie Sumiye. I am an environmental artist and documentary filmmaker from Hawai‘i who is passionate about native Hawaiian species, especially birds! I wanted to help my friends Anya and Corie at the Division of Forestry and Wildlife on and the University of Hawai‘i on Hawai‘i Island to spread awareness about a newly identified disease called Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death and fundraise using my art and video skills.
OUR PROJECT
I LOVE ‘ŌHI‘A is a forest fundraiser to support efforts to prevent the spread of a disease that is killing native Hawaiian forests. Hawai‘i's most abundant native tree, the ‘ōhi‘a lehua, is a keystone tree species that is vital for Hawai‘i's drinking and agricultural water, and habitat for numerous native plants and animals (including endangered birds!). These trees are thought of as Hawai‘i's forest mother, often the first to colonize fresh lava flows and then remaining to create the foundation of old growth forests. ‘Ōhi‘a are also highly important to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiian cultural practices, like hula.
Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD) is caused by a fungus that grows in ‘ōhi‘a trees. ROD is a serious threat because it can attack trees and can kill them within one year, devastating because ‘ōhi‘a trees only grow 1mm a year (less than your pinky nail grows in two weeks)! Sadly, there is no cure for this disease... but there's hope! Researchers are working quickly to understand and manage this disease, and my friends at the Division of Forestry and Wildlife and the University of Hawai‘i have been working tirelessly to get information out to the public.
Pictured above is lush, native lowland ‘ōhi‘a forest that supported diverse plants and animals (left) before Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death moved through and killed the ‘ōhi‘a trees (right).
WHY IT MATTERS
ROD has been found in many places on Hawai‘i Island, but so far it hasn't been found in the northern part of Hawai‘i Island or on any of the other Hawaiian Islands. We need everyone's help to limit the spread of ROD by not moving ‘ōhi‘a wood around, cleaning our shoes, clothes and tools properly before and after entering forests, and not traveling on planes with ‘ōhi‘a lei.
This disease has the potential to kill ‘ōhi‘a trees statewide. The most important thing we can all do now is help prevent ROD from spreading and share awareness with others.
OUR BUDGET
We need $4,000 to fund 500 decontamination kits that will be handed out the public. If we reach our stretch goal of $7,000, we can fund 100 more decontamination kits and 400 test kits for landowners to test their trees.
Any funds above $7,000 will go towards purchasing a mobile incinerator.
Fundraiser costs include: rewards*, shipping, administrative and transaction fees.
*Rewards are tax inclusive and sold at wholesale price.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Please help fund kits to prevent the spread of ROD and save our precious ‘Ōhi‘a forests, and for your contribution you will receive special rewards featuring Laurie's Love ‘Ōhi‘a artwork! To learn more about ROD, visit rapidohiadeath.org
Love ‘Ōhi‘a Tshirt (adult sizes S, M, L, XL, 2XL)..
‘Ōhi‘a for our Future stickers.
To select your t-shirt size, we will contact you after the campaign is over to confirm your shipping address and what t-shirt sizes you would like.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Laurie at [email protected]
OUR TEAM
Laurie Sumiye is a Hawai‘i-born artist and filmmaker who investigates environmental tensions between humans and nature. Her passion is to encourage children and young adults to observe the rhythms of the natural world and express those experiences through art. She has shown her films at DOC NYC, BAMcinemaFest and PS1MoMA, and exhibited her art internationally. She has a MFA in Integrated Media Arts from Hunter College in New York, and studied art at Lorenzo De’ Medici in Florence and Pratt Institute in New York. Laurie is currently working on a documentary for PBS A Paradise Lost about the native Palila bird. See more of her work at lauriesumiye.com
Anya Tagawa works as the Outreach and Education Specialist for the Hawai‘i Island Natural Area Reserves Program, administered by the Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife. She enjoys being in a position that allows her to do what she loves best; helping to conserve and enhance native ecosystems and sharing that experience and knowledge about those areas with the community. Her efforts to share ROD information with the public include: creating and distributing informational materials such as brochures, stickers, and signage, hosting information tables, and visiting schools and engaging students with activities. Anya is also an avid nature photographer and crafter.
Corie Yanger is the Outreach and Education Specialist for Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death on Hawai‘i Island, a position supported by the University of Hawai‘i Cooperative Extension Service. She is excited to be in a position that melds her science background with her concern for nature and people, and to work with a highly motivated team of ROD researchers, managers, educators and community members. Her efforts to share ROD information with the public include: talking with communities, speaking at events, visiting landowners, providing information tables, training groups at ROD workshops, and engaging students with activities.
Mahalo ("Thank you") to Dirk Fukushima for his assistance in editing the video, Anya Tagawa and Nate Yuen for use of their photographs, Chris Farmer of American Bird Conservancy for permission to use the ‘apapane footage (Greg Homel/Natural Elements Production), and many others who have helped make this happen!
