The problem of the Hawaiian Palm
At the moment, only seven palms are known to be alive in the wilderness of the Hawaiian islands. The Hawaiian Palm is therefore one of the world's rarest plants alive. The population size of the wild Hawaiian Palm has decreased significantly over time. The cause of this is unclear. It is generally assumed that the moth, which was responsible to pollinate and reproduce the Hawaiian Palm disappeared on the Hawaiian Islands. It is likely, that this is the result of the arrival of human life on the islands of Hawaii.
The arrival of human life on the Hawaiian islands led to a natural imbalance that disturbed natural life dramatically over time because of the introduction of new plants and natural life including new wild and home animals which humans brought to the islands. Accordingly, new diseases and therefore new threats emerged for the balance of the Hawaiian ecosystem and it takes time for ecosystems to adopt. Fact is, however, that the Hawaiian Palm is one of the rarest plants on Earth and therefore it is worth the effort to build an international network with the goal to keep the Hawaiian Palm alive. I am even going so far to say that it is our responsibility to keep the Hawaiian Palm alive for the sake of future life.
Background of the Hawaiian Palm
The Hawaiian Palm is a plant, which can get about 30cm high. Perhaps the Palm can grow bigger. However, I have never seen a Hawaiian Palm, which was bigger. The Hawaiian Palm has also many different names. Its botanical name is Brighamia insignis. Often, the palm is also called Hawaiian Vulcan Palm, the Hawaiian Alula, the Olulu Palm, the Cabbage Tree or the Cabbage on a stick. From a natural historical perspective, the ancestors of the Hawaiian Palm probably arrived millions of years ago on the Hawaiian Islands.
Because of the isolated location of these islands in the Pacific, plants and animals were able to evolve mostly undisturbed and form unique and remarkable relationships. With the arrival of human life on the islands of Hawaii, however, the Hawaiian ecosystem transformed into something new, which was influenced by the development of modern human society in many extents. It was influenced so far that the Hawaiian Palm is facing extinction today.
