The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-04-08
DANGER TO CABLES A FOREST FORCE
lContinucd from page Sd

through largely increased evaporation
ON the exposed soil and the rapid run
Off.
There is a large amount of natural
grazing land such as the Waiaua
plains and the lower slopes of the two
ranges above the cane lands so that the
necessary protection of the forest areas
does not mean doing away with the cat
tie business. There is also a large
amount of fine agricultural land on the
Waialua plains but these win be abso-
lutely worthless unless the water supply
is protected.
THE reforestation of Tantalus by the
Department of Agriculture and Forestry
is an unusually fine piece of work very
successfully carried out but it clearly
demonstrates how difficult and eXpen-
sive the reclamation of such land e.
comes when all the forest growth has
been destroyed. 1t emphasizes the fact
of how much easier it is to fence and
protect the forests i'm time while a few
trees remain to seed up the surrounding
soil than it is to delay until artificial
reforestation is necessary.
IF the lower slopes of the forests
on the Waianae and koOlau ranges ARE
fenced off as soon as possible, the ssdt-
tering trees win gradually reforest tho
slopes, the young kOa, which at present
is being eaten off and tramped by cat
tie, will come up and small amount Of
planting of those areas which are ab51-
lutely denuded will be necessary. The
| fencing should have been done long
ago and at present the reClama ton of
the forests will be very slow on account
of the few seeds which remain and the
mass of Hilo grass which has covered
the soil and makes reproduction ve"y
difficult if not impossible.
80 much of the government land on
this island has been leased for a long
term of years that the effective pro-
lection of the remaining forests depend
upon the planters and other lessees
will be benefited However, it is hoped
that the government can assist in build
! ing the fences and they will appoint a
ranger to patrol the forest lands not
under lease and see to it that all cattle
| are excluded.
In future the forest areas on this
| island should never be leased for graz
! ing purposes and the lessees of cane
and agricultural lands should be obliged
! by the terms of their lease to build
stock fences and keep them in repair.
Recommendation for the OrganiZa-
ton of a Forest Force, In order tC
thoroughly protect the forest areas anG
carry out the forest policy of the gov
| eminent, the organization of a field
force is extremely important. The fol.
lowing forest force which is similar tC
those in charge of the forest reserves ii
the United States is recommended, viz
A forest inspector who shall be a practi
cal forester and have charge of all gov
eminent forest land and direct the worl
of the forest rangers. -Four Forest Ran
gers who shall have had some practica
training in forestry, understand lum
bering and tree planting, with range
as follows: One on the island of Oahu
one on the island of Hawaii; one on tn
island of Kauai; one for the islands o
Maui and Molokai.
Their duties should consist in patrol
ling all government forest land within
their ranges and enforcing the terms
of the lease, experimenting the con
struction of all government fences act
ing as fire wardens and taking charg
of all the planting.
If thoroughly competent men are ap
pointed such a force should prove won
derfully efficient in protecting an
building up the forest reserves.