Players
choose sides, strategy concerning waiawi
eradication 10.19.2008
- Hawaii County
Civilian, government and scientific organizations
are again lobbying in preparation for another
round in the debate over the fruitful strawberry
guava plant, also known as waiawi. The plant
is beloved by many local residents as a
useful food source. Others say it is an
invasive threat to native forests. The U.S.
Forest Service is prepared to release a
Brazilian scale insect, Tectococcus ovatus,
to curtail the growth of the plant.
Last week, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs
made public an intention to endorse the
insect release plan. OHA trustee Robert
Lindsey Jr. indicated to Stephens Media's
Honolulu Bureau that it is "something
that needs to be done."
The Hawaii Conservation Alliance had asked
OHA for their support in the hopes that
it would lend credibility to the scale insect
plan.
Meanwhile, the County Council will hear
a special presentation by government related
groups in favor of releasing the insect
on October 21 in Kona.
Pro-waiawi citizen Syd Singer is calling
for fellow
strawberry guava advocates
to boycott the meeting because "it
is one sided, unfair, and should have equal
time for presentations by those opposing
the insect release." He is encouraging
citizens to write the council members expressing
their opinions instead.
