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Tackle the African tulip tree invasion on island

Next time you drive any of the roads from Paia to Hana, count the African tulip trees.

They are taking over the landscape. Recently, I went to a gulch on Haiku Road that I regularly visited some 30 years ago. What I saw there was shocking. When I stretched my arms out in any direction, I could touch a mature African tulip tree! There were none there 30 years ago. The gulch has been completely overtaken.

One mature tree sends out hundreds of little airborne seed pods. Stand under one with a gentle wind blowing and it looks like it’s snowing. Soon, if action isn’t taken to control this invasive species, there will be one color to our rainbow landscape — orange.

Let’s all do our part to rid our properties of these trees and encourage the county to help tackle the problem.

Nancy Gilgoff

Makawao

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