This educational postcard introduces students and community members to Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD), a fungal disease threatening Hawaiʻi’s native ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha). It includes a dual-purpose format: one side features a colorful message to raise awareness, while the reverse includes a coloring activity depicting a native bird among ʻōhiʻa blooms, alongside the message: “ʻŌhiʻa For The Future.”
Coloring prompt: Learners color the bird and lehua blossoms, reinforcing identification of ʻōhiʻa flowers and fostering connection to native species.
ROD Awareness: Read and discuss how the fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata spreads and what communities can do to prevent it (e.g., cleaning boots, avoiding transporting ʻōhiʻa wood)
Plant pathology: introduction to ROD and its impact on forest health
Watershed function: ʻōhiʻa’s role in protecting freshwater systems
Civic ecology: how individuals can participate in biosecurity and conservation
Visual learning & stewardship messaging: using art to connect with ecological values
