Group hopes sanctuaries will help save Hawaii’s coconut trees from rapidly spreading pest

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A non-profit is trying to prevent a rapidly spreading tree killing pest from eradicating Hawaii’s coconut tree population.

Hawaii coconut trees are being killed by the coconut rhinoceros beetle — a pest known to also go after taro, banana and other plants.

After being contained to Oahu for a decade, the beetle is rapidly gaining ground spreading across the island chain in just a year’s time.

“My biggest fear here is that coconut is going to be very endangered,” said Jesse Mikasobe-Kealinohomoku, with Niu Now.

The group, created in October, has put in a tree growing sanctuary in Waianae.

The idea: To keep the beetle out and grow new coconut trees to replace ones being killed.

“It’s a depressing space to be in but you have to continue going forward with positive thinking,” said Mikasobe-Kealinohomoku.

The seeds grow for six to eight months before being planted in their new home, but protective efforts don’t stop once the trees leave their sanctuary.

At UH West Oahu, the non-profit is partnering with students to wrap their planted trees with these fishing nets.

Niu Now says it takes several hours to wrap one tree and the material needed costs under $100.

“It works very similar to catching a fish, the net catches the beetle,” said Mikasobe-Kealinohomoku.

Indrajit Gunasekara has been researching coconut trees at the University of Hawaii for the last 10 years. He says the beetle can still get into the tree with the net, but the threat is greatly reduced.

Gunasekara says because the beetle is largely on Oahu, neighbor islands likely don’t have to wrap their trees yet.

“Not yet. I hope they never have to get into this state,” said Gunasekara.

Niu Now says once the trees reach full maturity they would still have nets at the top.

The hope is that if the project proves successful, they could have dozens of sanctuaries across the entire state.

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