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<Where does the Hawaiian Palm live?
The Hawaiian Palm lives on some of the highes volcanic slopes in the world. Because of the steepness and inaccessibility of the terrain the species has been realtively safe frome the feral goats, pig and other introduced species that are so numerous on Hawaii.
Scientists involved in conservation efforts have had to use mountaineering equipment and helicopters to visit the last few plants in the wild. Hand pollination and seed harvesting was sccomplished using ropes or hanging on rope-ladders out of a helicopter.
Some of the slopes are more than a 1000 meters high. Pretty exciting!
Regular expeditions and population counts are made over the Hawaiian territory, very often in areas rarely visited by humans. The work has produced many other results, with new species being identified and the discovery of examples of other species that were thought to be extinct in the wild.
Rescue work
For plants that are classified as Critically Endangered, conservationists attempt to harvest seeds or other parts so that a rescue program can be set up. The successful multiplication of the material that has been gathered in this way often involves very specialized techniques.
Many species have built-in barriers which inhibit germination or root formation from vegetative parts except under certain conditions. Only with the discovery of optimal conditions will seed germination or rooting of cuttings be achieved.
The task is often made more difficult by the scarcity of material available. Thus the skill and knowledge of the scientists is paramount for the success of the rescue workl
Vulnerable ecosystems
The ecosystems of the Hawaiian islands, which have evolved independently for millions of years, can be compared with those of the Galapagos Islands and the Mascarenes. These ecosystems are very vulnerable when changes occur due, for example, to the introduction of alien species or climatic variations such as atmospheric warming.
The islands of Hawaii represent a particularly important area for conservation with more than 50% of species cited in the USA lists of threatened species occurring in the area.
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