<
https://apnews.com/article/lahaina-hawaii-maui-trees-wildfire-c35dd1e9fd63af23ca63a6eeb631c1d7>
"LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — For people around the world, the green leaves that
sprouted from a scorched, 150-year-old banyan tree in the heart of devastated
Lahaina symbolized hope following Maui’s deadly wildfire this summer. Teams
rushed to flood its roots with water, hoping to save a magnificent tree that
had provided shade for community events, a picturesque wedding venue and a
popular backdrop for posing tourists.
But the fire also nearly wiped out another set of trees, one with a much longer
history in Lahaina and a greater significance in Hawaiian culture: breadfruit,
or ulu, which had given sustenance since Polynesian voyagers introduced it to
the islands many centuries ago. Before colonialism, commercial agriculture and
tourism, thousands of breadfruit trees dotted Lahaina; the fire charred all but
two of the dozen or so that remained.
Now, as Maui recovers from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century,
one that left at least 98 people dead, a band of arborists, farmers and
landscapers has set about trying to save Lahaina’s ulu, kukui nut and other
culturally important trees, in some cases digging down to the roots of badly
burned specimens to find live tissue that could be used to propagate new
shoots.
They see the destruction as a chance to restore the trees to Lahaina, to teach
about their care and use, and to reclaim a bit of the town’s historic identity
amid a larger discussion about whether the community’s reconstruction will
price out locals and Hawaiian culture in favor of deep-pocketed outsiders
seeking a slice of tropical paradise."
Via
What Could Go Right? October 26, 2023
https://theprogressnetwork.org/brazil-amazon-deforestation-slowing/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
