The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-12-07
WORK FOR
FORESTERS
Commissions Now
Being Sent
Out.
Instructions as to Their
Duties Accompany
Letter.
Rangers to Keep Forest Fences Up
and to Have Charge Of
Rsforestins.

The Board of Agriculture and Fores-
try is sending to the volunteer forest
ers their commissions and instructions
as to their duties. The circular letter
allows considerable discretion to the
foresters as the law is not very ex-
| plicit. The following is the circular
letter now being sent out:
Honolulu, T. H., Dec. I, 1903.
Dear Sir: I take pleasure in for
warding to you herewith a commission
as forester under the Board of Agri-
culture and Forestry, which office you
have kindly signified your willingness
| to accept.
The duties of the Office are not mar
rowly defined by the law; all there is
on the subject being the first para
graph of the subsection entitled For
esters," on page of the Forestry Act
of 1903. I suggest the following, how
ever, as being some of the principal
matters which will call for your atten-
| ton:
1. Forestry Reserves.-Considerat
of the proper boundaries of a forest
reserve in your district. Final deter
mination of such boundaries will de-
pend upon the action of the Board of
Forestry and of the Governor, but your
| local knowledge and influence will be a
strong factor in determining what such
boundaries shall be.
In this connection, talking with those
who own or lease land in the sug
forest reserves and andna VOr-
| ing to secure their support will be of
the greatest value. There is no APP
preparation for. purchase of private
lands. Provision is made, however, for
remission of taxes on private lands de-
voted to forestry purposes, and ex-
change can probably be made for gov
eminent lands or leases if the owner
is willing to transfer title to the gov
eminent, absolutely.
If you have already forwarded a re-
port on this subject to Governor Dole.
it will not be necessary to repeat it,
as all such reports sent to him have
been turned over to the Board; but il
you have not sent such a recommended
ton, or have any modification to sug-
gest, or further recommendation to
make, they will be valued by the
Board.
2. Fencing-As soon as Forest Res
ervation boundaries are decided upon,
| the matter of fencing the Reservation
should be taken up.
There is no available appropriation
for this purpose, and it will be neces-
sary to secure the assistance of those
locally interested, if fencing is to be
done. In number of places the local
interests so strongly favor forest re-
s"~ves that fencing will be paid for by
them.
An important duty will be to promote
cooperation and active work in this
respect.
8. Forest Rangers.-TheS law pro-
vides for a limited number of Forest
Rangers. Their duties are broadly de-
fined at the bottom of page of the
Forestry laws.
These Rangers will probably have to
cover several districts each, as the ap-
preparation will not allow of one for
each district.
The most obvious duties of the For
est Ranger will be:
(a) To keep forest fences in repair;
(b) To keep trespassers, both hui
man and others, off the reservation;
(c) To have charge of tree nurseries
and reforesting;
(g) Generally to assist in the execu-
ton of the Forestry law.
The Rangers will be appointed by the
Board, upon consultation with the For !
esters in whose district they will OPP
crate, and will be subject to the orders
of the Foresters concerning Forestry
matters within their several districts. ,
4. Tree Propagation.-For the i'm |
mediate future the Board intends to
exert its chief efforts toward getting |
forest reserves set apart. AS soon as
this is accomplished, however, reforest-
ing denuded areas will be taken up.
Meanwhile anything that can be ac-
complished in this line will be of value.
In this connection the influence and
example Of the local Forester will be
of the greatest value.
SO far as practicable it is suggested
that the Rangers be men capable Of
giving instruction in this respect, and
that one of their duties be to show
those DESTROYS of planting trees, what
the best method is Of propagating,
transplanting and caring for them. /
The Superintendent of Forestry will
visit the several districts as frequently
as practicable, and consult with the
Foresters upon the Forestry problems
in their several districts. His advice
and cooperation as well as that of the
Board will always be available to For |,
esters and others interested in the SUBJ /
ject of Forestry.
L. A. THURSTON,
President Board of Agriculture and
Forestry. |