Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [49]
Hawaii was once rich in fragrant ′iliahi (sandalwood) forests, but these were sold off to foreign traders by the mid-19th century. Rare nowadays, these tall trees are found in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
The widespread and versatile ohia is one of the first plants to colonize lava flows. Its distinctive tufted flowers (lehua) consist of petalless groups of red, orange, yellow and (rarely) white stamens; the flowers are considered sacred to Pele and are one of the most popular flowers in leis. Native forests of ohia and hapu′u (tree ferns) are vital, endangered habitats.
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Ancient Hawaiians didn’t have metals and never developed pottery, so plants fulfilled most of their needs. Ethnobotanist Beatrice Krauss describes this fascinating history in Plants in Hawaiian Culture.
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Brought by early Polynesian settlers, the kukui (candlenut tree) has light silver-tinged foliage that stands out brightly in the forest. The oily nuts from Hawaii’s state tree are used for making leis and dyes and can be burned like candles.
Other notable trees include ironwood, a nonnative conifer with drooping needles, which acts as a natural windbreak and prevents erosion from beaches; majestic banyan trees, which have a canopy of hanging aerial roots with trunks large enough to swallow small children; and towering monkeypods, a common shade tree that has dark glossy green leaves, puffy pink flowers and longish seed pods.
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STEP LIGHTLY
So many travelers come to enjoy Hawaii’s legendary scenery and wildlife that only strict protections keep certain extremely popular, beautiful places – like O′ahu’s Hanauma Bay – from being loved to death. But many equally scenic and fragile areas have fewer regulations, or little oversight, and the question becomes: just because you can do something, should you? What are the impacts, and what are the best ways to experience nature without harming it in the process?
For many activities, there isn’t a single definitive answer, but here we highlight a few universal guidelines and impacts to consider. Among other things, Hawaii is a high-profile test case in whether humans can maintain a truly sustainable relationship with nature.
Coral-reef etiquette When snorkeling or diving, never touch the coral reef. It’s that simple. Coral polyps are living organisms, so oil from fingers and broken pieces create wounds and openings for infection and disease. Watch your fins; avoid stirring up clouds of sand, which can settle on and damage reef organisms. Don’t feed fish.
Dive etiquette Practice proper buoyancy control to avoid hitting the reef. Don’t use reef anchors or ground boats over coral. Limit time in caves, as air bubbles can collect on roofs and leave organisms high and dry.
Encountering wild turtles, seals and dolphins Federal and state laws protect all wild ocean mammals and turtles from ‘harassment.’ Legally, this means approaching them closer than 50yd or doing anything that disrupts their behavior. If these animals approach you, simply admire them. The most important actions to avoid are pursuing wild dolphins to get close to them, and disturbing seals or turtles resting on beaches.
Captive dolphin swims Boat tours promising swims with wild dolphins are notorious for ignoring both federal law and dolphin welfare. What about swims with captive dolphins? Some feel reputable companies are no different than zoos, and some feel that captivity itself is too harmful to justify. For more, Click here.
Helicopter rides Some places you can’t reach except by air. However, as air tours increase (as on Kaua′i; Click here), aircraft noise disturbs visitors on the ground, and it may stress bird populations.
ATVs and 4WDs As a rule, nonmotorized travel has less impact than motorized; avoid driving if you can walk. However, when using 4WDs, always stay on the road; avoid creating or