The Nature Conservancy found that native trees are better for climate change than introduced and invasive trees. The study took place in the Palmyra Atoll about 1,000 miles south of the Hawaiian islands.
The team found native trees, such as pisonia grandis and heliotropium foertherianum, are better at capturing carbon than the invasive coconut palms that dominate 40% of the atoll.
Researchers think native trees have a more extensive root system. Therefore they can capture and put more carbon dioxide into the soil.
Alex Weggman, a senior scientist with The Nature Conservancy, told HPR, "This absolutely could work in Hawaiʻi."
"I don't think that coconut palms are invasive in Hawaiʻi the way that they were at Palmyra. However, I'm sure there are scenarios where, in Hawaiʻi, native trees or native forest systems will do a better job of capturing and sequestering carbon than the introduced plants that have replaced them," said Weggman.
The Nature Conservancy is currently working towards replacing 95% of the invasive coconut palms with native trees in Palmyra.
