Community Comes Together to Protect ʻōhiʻa at Limahuli Festival
Hundreds of residents and visitors gathered at Limahuli Garden and Preserve on Saturday for the ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest, a daylong celebration of Hawaiian biodiversity and the relationship between people and the ʻāina. The free event offered native plant sales, educational talks including updates on rapid ʻōhiʻa death, and a sponsored plant adoption program that highlighted local stewardship and pressing conservation needs for Kaua‘i.
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ʻŌhiʻa Love Fest took place Saturday, November 8 at Limahuli Garden and Preserve, bringing together conservation groups, cultural stewards, government partners, and community members to focus attention on ʻōhiʻa and the ecosystems it supports. Hosted by Limahuli Garden and Preserve in partnership with the Kauai Invasive Species Committee, the event ran from 10 am to 4 pm and offered a range of activities designed to inform and engage residents about both cultural connections and ecological health.
The day featured a native plant sale, booths from conservation organizations and education partners, music, family friendly activities, and a prize wheel. Educational presentations were scheduled throughout the day at 10:30 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm, covering topics including rapid ʻōhiʻa death updates, ʻōhiʻa diversity, invasive species, and Indigenous stewardship. A Grow Aloha Plant Adoption program sponsored by Southwest Airlines made the first 40 ʻōhiʻa available for adoption free of charge, a move aimed at increasing local planting and restoration efforts.
Partners at the event included the County of Kaua‘i Office of Economic Development, the Kauai Invasive Species Committee, Bishop Museum, and the Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project among others. Organizers pointed attendees to the National Tropical Botanical Garden event page for full schedule information and details on contact and parking.
For Kaua‘i residents the festival underscored immediate ecological and public health stakes. ʻŌhiʻa trees play a central role in watershed protection that supports drinking water and agriculture. The continuing threat of rapid ʻōhiʻa death has implications for biodiversity loss and for cultural practices tied to native forests. By spotlighting the science of tree disease and practical steps for invasive species control and native planting, the event aimed to translate awareness into community action.
There are also broader public health and equity dimensions. Accessible green spaces and opportunities to participate in restoration can support mental health, community cohesion, and resilience to climate impacts. Free admission and the sponsored plant adoption helped reduce financial barriers to participation, though the limited number of free plants highlighted persistent resource constraints. Supporting sustained invasive species management, increased funding for restoration, and partnerships with Indigenous stewards remain key policy priorities if Kaua‘i is to protect both environmental and human health equitably.
Organizers encouraged residents to follow local partners for ongoing updates on rapid ʻōhiʻa death and future community events, and to consider how household and neighborhood planting choices can contribute to broader conservation and public health goals.
