The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-04-08
A FOREST FORCE
IS REQUIRED
CATTLE MADE HAMAKUA FIRE
POSSIBLE AND ARE PAVING
WAY FOR ANOTHER.
INSPECTOR AND RANGERS OUGHT
TO BE APPOINTED.
Expert Griffith Says no Equal Area in
America Equals Honolulu-Kahuku
Stretch for Irrigation.

In his trips about the Islands expert
Forester Griffith found many places
where very serious damage had beer
done to the forests. The disaster at
Hamakua is discussed at length by him
and found to have been made possible
by the depredatiOns of cattle. GTiffiths
says another such fire is probable
where cattle are allowed to do similar
damage. The expert closes with re-
concentrations for the organization of
a forest force. His report is as follows:
Hawaii. During the three weeks
which were spent in the examination of
Hawaii, 1 was enabled through the
courtesy of the plantation and ranch
managers throughout the island to visit
all the districts and obtain a general
idea of the conditions of the forests and
what was being done to preserve them.
In treating the forest problems of
this island, the various districts will be
considered Gin their order commensing
with Hamakua.
"Hamakua. This district extends
from the northern slope of Mauna Loa,
north to the sea and includes the great
er portion of Mauna Kea which rises to
an elevation Of Il, sos feet
During the summer of 1901, a con-
siderable portion of the forest lying be-
tween Mauna Kea and the coast on the
o
There is very little question but that
most of the trees in this section are so
badly burned that they will die and
blow down. thus furnishing fuel for
succeeding forest fires. The under
growth had been destroyed by cattle so
that the fire had swept in fact, if
this had been a virgin forest with
rank underground it would probably
have been impossible to set it on fire.
The forest had been so opened up by
cattle that it died out thoroughly as is
proved by the almost complete destruc-
tiOn of the humus so that the bare soil
is now exposed. This latter result
would be extremely favorable to the
natural restocking of this burned area
by self sOWn seed but, very unfortuna-
tely, cattle are grazing in the forest and
viii destroy any young growth which
may come up.
Within the present generation for
est fires have been almost unknown in
the Hawaiian Islands but the indiscri-
inmate pasturing of cattle in the forests
makes their destruction by fire not only
possible but extremely probable either
through malice or careIessness in burn
ing brush, cane trash or by camping
parties.
"A large part of the burned forest is
on government land which has been
leased until 1906, but it is extremely inn
portant that the government should in
dUce the lessee, by an eXtentiOn Of time
on his cane land lease or in some other
way, to absolutely exclude cattle from
this forest and protect it by fencing.
THE forests in the remainder of the
northern portion of the district of Ha-
makua are being rapidly destroyed by
cattle, both wild and tame, so that the
whole section within a few years will be
a continuation Of the Waimea plains
HHnN loco 1s.g.H
protect the forests from cattle,
"The wild cattle, sheep and pigs
should be driven down from the noun
tains and the forests preserved by fenc-
ing.
"On the north slopes Of Mauna Kea,
the mamani forest is spreading itself
rapidly and appears to be holding out
against the cattle. which is truly re-
markable inasmuch as it is the only
case of the kind which was seen any
where on the islands. The mamani is
a tough mountain tree and it is be-
lieved that it could be used to good
advantage in restocking denuded
slopes.
Between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa
the extensive plain or table land is
covered with a rather broken growth of
ohia, with scattering koa and mamani,
while both mountain slopes are fairly
heavily timbered.
"On the whole the forests of Hama
kua are in very poor condition and in
some sections fast disappearing solely
on account Of cattle grazing and the
consequent forest fire.
North KOhala. The Kohala noun
tains which extend northwest and
southeast through the district were for
merly covered with very dense forests
which were practically impossible ex- |
(ContiD1ed to page slx.)