Pro tip for your next hike 🌋🌿 Bring a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol to clean your shoes and gear. Why? To help stop the spread of Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death—a disease threatening our beloved native ʻōhiʻa lehua trees. This Native Hawaiian Plant Month, @waiakea and @laulimahawaii invite you to celebrate ʻōhiʻa lehua, Hawaiʻi’s most important tree. This forest staple helps collect, store, and filter rainwater 💧 This vital function of ʻōhiʻa lehua provides the islands with clean drinking water and protects reefs from sediment runoff 🪸 ʻŌhiʻa lehua also supports many other forest inhabitants. Native birds and bees rely on lehua nectar for sustenance while many native plants benefit from the shade provided by ʻōhiʻa’s canopy 🌳 Protecting ʻōhiʻa lehua from Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, a fungal disease, is crucial for the health and survival of the forest. The fungal spores can easily spread, so remember to thoroughly clean your gear and spray with 70% rubbing alcohol before and after visiting native forest 🥾 The disease spreads through wounds in the trees, so avoid breaking branches or cutting any parts of the tree. Additionally, it’s best to avoid picking flowers from ʻōhiʻa lehua, because this can create pathways for the disease to spread and causes unnecessary trampling in native forests. Join us in spreading awareness of the importance of ʻōhiʻa lehua and how we can work together to protect these forest treasures. It’s our kuleana to protect what connects us all. Mālama ʻāina and hike with intention 🌱 #nativehawaiianplantmonth #earthmonth #ohialehua Music: Kalei Yamanoha