{"id":229239,"date":"2026-02-10T12:45:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T22:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=229239"},"modified":"2026-02-10T12:45:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T22:45:26","slug":"ohia-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/10\/ohia-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawaiʻi Island community celebrated ‘love’ for ʻōhiʻa"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

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Building on the success of past community gatherings<\/a>, the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at M\u0101noa\u2019s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience<\/a> (CTAHR<\/abbr>) hosted the ʻŌhiʻa<\/span> Love Fest and East Hawaiʻi<\/span> Master2 Gardeners plant sale at its CARES Komohana station in Hilo in January.<\/p>\n

Originally conceived as a way to raise awareness about the devastating disease Rapid ʻŌhiʻa<\/span> Death (ROD<\/abbr>), the festival has grown into a collaboration between CTAHR<\/abbr> and many government and community partners involved in the scientific research in the fight against ROD<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

From ma uka to ma kai<\/h2>\n

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The festival highlighted the interconnection between the ʻōhiʻa<\/span> tree and Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s environment, from ma uka to ma kai. CTAHR<\/abbr> Educational Specialist Charlotte Godfrey-Romo explained that ʻōhiʻa<\/span> makes up approximately 80% of Hawaiʻi<\/span>\u2019s native forests and is essential for recharging the island’s aquifers.<\/p>\n

“Everything relies on ʻōhiʻa<\/span>,” Godfrey-Romo said, adding that when invasive species replace them due to ROD<\/abbr>, invasive species take over and reduce the ability of the watershed to recharge the aquifer.<\/p>\n

Fun and community learning<\/h2>\n

The event featured interactive educational booths and a popular plant distribution from the East Hawaiʻi<\/span> Master Gardeners, the 东精影业<\/abbr> Indigenous Cropping Systems Lab and the Ornamental Extension Program. People lined up early to take home spices, peppers, herbs and vanilla, ʻulu<\/span> (breadfruit), ko (sugarcane), ʻawa<\/span> (kava) and many more plants.<\/p>\n

One guest described the atmosphere at the Komohana station as “one giant hug,” noting how the facility’s circular layout brought people together in a shared mission of conservation.<\/p>\n

Key educational takeaways:<\/p>\n