Public Rallies for Strawberry
Guava
(Waiawi)
Biocontrol Opponents Take Protest To Streets and Government
Rally and Meeting Planned for July 3 in Hilo
Contact: Troy Martinez, Concerned Citizens of Hawaii, (808) 938-8851
June 30, 2008
(Hilo, Hawaii) Hundreds of Big Island residents who want to stop the unpopular government plan to release an alien insect to attack strawberry guava trees will take their message to the street on Thursday, July 3, in front of the DLNR building on 19 E. Kawili Street in Hilo, at 11:00 AM.
The rally organizer, Troy Martinez, started the public action group Concerned Citizens of Hawaii, representing hundreds of residents who rely on wild foods to feed their families and who regard the strawberry guava as a critical natural resource, especially at a time of reduced supplies, and rising prices, for food and fuel. Rally participants also share grave concerns about the negative impact to wildlife caused by a loss of waiawi fruit, as well as the unintended environmental consequences of releasing an alien insect pest, which has the potential to change its species preference from strawberry guava to other tree species.
The insect attack, proposed by the USDA Forest Service and already partially permitted by the Hawaii government, will cause the strawberry guava, an ornamental fruit tree, to develop ugly galls on its leaves and stop making fruit. This will leave hundreds of thousands of acres of scarred, fruitless, and sick strawberry guava trees, depriving residents of a cherished food and useful fuel resource.
"This insect proposal is unacceptable " Martinez states. "At a time when the cost of living is so high that we're turning toward our natural resources to feed our families, the government is allowing these self-preserving agencies to take them away! We need the waiawi, not another invasive insect."
For more information, contact Troy Martinez at (808) 938-8851, and www.SaveTheGuava.com.