[PCA] Ohi'a Challenge: Unique Competition Launching in Fall 2018 to Save the ʻŌhiʻa – Hawaiʻi’s Sacred Tree

[De Angelis, Patricia]

This is an incredible public/private collaboration to save an irreplaceable
tree!

The Problem
Two newly discovered invasive fungal pathogens are killing hundreds of
thousands of ʻŌhiʻa trees (*Metrosideros polymorpha*) on Hawaii island.
This mortality is known as Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death. Currently, the only known
visual cue of infection is when a tree’s leaves suddenly turn brown, and
the tree begins to die - that is already too late. Once thetrees leaves
begin to turn brown, it’s already too late in the infection process to save
the tree or prevent spread of the infection.

The Challenge
The Saving the ‘Ōhi’a challenge is an open challenge to solicit ideas and
projects as potential solutions and encourage collaboration. Digital
Makerspace members can share their ideas and projects and get feedback and
support from the crowd to advance them. This challenge seeks tools and
solutions to address the following constraints:

1. FIELD-BASED DETECTION OF RAPID ʻŌHIʻA DEATH IN ASYMPTOMATIC TREES
2. DETECTION OF THE FUNGUS AT THE LANDSCAPE LEVEL
3. ENVIRONMENTAL PATHWAY IDENTIFICATION, INCLUDING PREDICTIVE ASSESSMENT

The challenge will be launched as a competition in Fall 2018 with a $70K+
prize purse. At that time, Digital Makerspace members can choose to submit
their projects separately to the competition on www.SavetheOhia.org

The Partners
Digital Makerspace, Conservation X Labs, University of Hawai'i College of
Tropical Agriculture, along with the National Park Service and Department
of Interior National Invasive Species Council are among the partners.
Additional partners are sought.

Learn more <https://conservationx.com/challenge/invasives/ohia> about the
problem, sponsorship, and how to respond to this challenge at:
https://conservationx.com/challenge/invasives/ohia
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