Experts Battling to Save Coconut Palms in Hawaii pg.7
The death of valuable, mature palms along
fairways threatens to alter the island’s
reputation for fabulous golf.
Educating the public
People would care about the pathogen, if they were aware of it. We’re talking about probably tens of thousands of plants. If you have a palm dying from the pathogen, it’s only one out of perhaps a grove of 50, so it’s often difficult to recognize the pathogen and its potential to infect more. By the time the palm is sick and dead, trimmers may come along and cut it down. There are still 49 coconut palms, so it doesn’t appear that there’s a serious problem. However, you don’t wait until 30 percent of the population is infected with AIDS to recognize the problem. By then, you’ve lost the battle.”
With coconut palms, experts have an opportunity to manage the pathogen before it’s beyond control, according to Visintainer. He has received support from many people. “We charge a fee for injections, which is $20, and if there are 50 or more, we charge $15 each,” Visintainer says. “There is much more awareness today than there was five to 10 years ago. There’s a good possibility that we’ll win the battle.”
