Staff shaken after discovering brutal damage to trees in cherished forest: 'I don't understand why someone would do this'

Hawaiian island Moloka'i is home to the Kamakou Nature Preserve, which takes care of 250 species of native plants. The preserve is also part of the Kawela watershed, which provides 7 million gallons of water to residents every day.

With all its benefits to nature, it was a complete shock when conservationists for The Nature Conservancy discovered "an apparent act of senseless vandalism" with several trees chopped down and left in place, per The Moloka'i Dispatch.

The cut-down trees were ʻōhiʻa (Mestrosideros spp), the dominant native trees in Hawaiian forests that serve as homes for native birds and critters and are crucial for lei, hula, and other cultural materials. The trees are also beneficial in collecting water for the area.

"Every ʻōhiʻa tree is special and needed. I don't understand why someone would do this," field technician Kathy Coelho told the Dispatch.

The Dispatch article, which was written by Russell Kallstrom of The Nature Conservancy, explained that the trees preserve the native forest and provide fresh water. Kallstrom added that "less than 15 percent of our original native forest [is] remaining" and so "every tree matters."

Removing the trees doesn't just interrupt the fragile ecosystem; it impacts the native Hawaiian culture, which relies on the trees for cultural resources.

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"Cutting ʻŌhiʻa trees in our native forests hurts us all," Penny Martin, the education specialist for Papahana Kuaola, told the Dispatch.

In 2016, the Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death fungus severely threatened tree health elsewhere in the state, putting Hawaiʻi's water supply in danger.

"The water filters through the forest and then seeps into the ground, and recharges our aquifers," Corie Yanger, of the University of Hawaiʻi's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources told Hawaiʻi Business Magazine. She also noted that no other tree in Hawaiʻi "captures water the way ʻōhiʻa does."

Risk of rapid ʻōhiʻa death is still a factor in the health of Hawaiian forests. Vandalism that opens wounds on trees can cause a "greater risk of exposure to disease and fungus," per the Dispatch.

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To prevent the issue from continuing, the article put out a call to action: "Tell others about what our native forest does for us all,"

Increased education about wildlife will help you and others learn the necessity of supporting natural landscapes. Ultimately, it creates collective action that supports the planet and yourself.