The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity announced on March 30 that travelers attending the upcoming Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo are reminded that quarantine restrictions remain in effect for transporting ʻōhiʻa plants and related materials from Hawai‘i Island. The measures aim to stop the spread of rapid ʻōhiʻa death (ROD), a fungal disease affecting native forests.
The reminder comes as the Merrie Monarch Festival, which attracts hula hālau and hundreds of spectators, is set to take place from April 5 to 11. The ongoing quarantine restricts movement of all parts of the ʻōhiʻa plant—including flowers, leaves, seeds, stems, twigs, untreated wood, mulch, green waste and soil—off Hawai‘i Island. Even items originally from other islands cannot be transported back without a permit issued by the Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB).
To enforce these rules, PQB inspectors will be present at Hilo and Kona airports on April 12 and 13 to collect any prohibited materials for respectful return to native forests. The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience will provide collection baskets at festival events as well as airport offices.
A travel alert flyer with further details is available online through the department’s website. Violation of these rules may result in misdemeanor charges with fines ranging from $100 up to $10,000 for first offenses; subsequent violations within five years could incur fines up to $25,000.
Rapid ʻōhiʻa death was first noticed in Puna in 2010 before being identified by researchers as caused by new species Ceratocystis lukuohia and Ceratocystis huliohia. At least one million trees have been lost on Hawai‘i Island alone. The disease has since appeared on Kauaʻi (2018), O‘ahu (2019), and Maui (one tree destroyed in 2019). Its entry into Hawaii remains unknown.
The issue reflects broader state priorities such as supporting communities affected by environmental challenges like wildfires according to the official website. Efforts also include expanding healthcare access and addressing homelessness through housing programs according to the official website. State governance emphasizes public policy around housing affordability reforms and framing homelessness as a health care issue according to the official website, while collaborating with partners on renewable energy initiatives according to the official website.
Travelers seeking more information about inspection procedures can contact DAB’s Plant Quarantine offices.