The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-18

+ denuded- me results have been disas.
! trous and quickly felt IN the wav q.
dWlndllng water supply and decreased
productIveness OF the land.
Among tf1e people who have watched
conditions most closely In Hawaii the
! opinion has gained general acceptance
| that the forest has direct influence II
increasing the rainfall IN certain local.
ties. and indeed Il is a fact that the evi-
dence Tor this conclusion IS most con-
vir1cing. Moreover. il seems Dossihla
TO demonstrate the fact OF this influence
BIZ measurement
RAPID DECREASE IN FOREST
AREA
It Is said that the islands were heavilv
wooded one hundred years ago. Cattle
had been introduced late in the eig9,-
teenth century and were allowed 70
run wild without moiestatior7. as their
slaughter was prohibited. Bv 1879
they had increased TO such great Num-
bers as to be a menace to the forest.
and they have continued so till the
present time
The character OF the forest makes il
peculiarly susceptible to injury by
stock The tender. succulerlt under
growth IS easily trampled down. and
much OF It, notably some of the ferns.
Ie-ie, and banana. Is excellent food for
cattle. Yet tins underground IS a vital
part OF the forest: without II the ground
dries quickly and the shallow-rooted
trees soon die The normal Hawaiian
forests are as delicate as the plant life
III ctr greenhouses, and il is not TO be
wondered at that cattle easily DESTROY
them
Cattle have not gone through ali the
forests. Some were inaccessible. some
too Ir7penetTable for them to enter far
Al q time They have worked around
the edges. and year bv wear have en-
tered further Until IN MANY instances
they have gone through the entire forest.
Following the attacks OF cattle have
come other agents OF destruction IN
furious insects have frequently appeared
IN numbers sufficient TO deaden thou
sands of acres al a time. Koa, the most
valuable tree in the islands. has up
ward or d dozen insect enemies, which
threaten It's utter extinction
On many thousand acres of forest
land opened up by cattle rank-growi1g
grasses have come IN and rendered con
ditions prohibitive OF forest reproduc-
ton. Cutting and fire have also greatly
reduced the forest area
Goats were introduced into the islands
many years ago, and have been particu-
larry active agents Of destruction Wild
pigs. the progeny Of stock introduced
years ago. have done some damage on
all the islands. Deer, brought to Mo
lokaI IN the early sixties, have added
their efforts In the destructive work
With so many forces working its
devastation. how could the delicate
Hawaiian forests do else than recede
rapidly year after year? They have
already been destroyed on many thou
sand acres which should never have
been denuded. and are failing now Is
fast. no doubt. a at any time in the
past The problem which confref1ts
Hawaii IS 70 find means OF protecting
the forests which remain and of restor-
ing them III localities where their alb
sence viii hinder the development OF
the country
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
Nothing less viii be effective toward
his end than a carefully worked out
system OF forest reserves which VIII IN
>lude practically all the mountain for
=sts on the five important islands, as
well as some potential forest land which
has been denuded. This should be the
7rst step taken. and slouid be taken as
quickly as possible. The Hawaiian
and sy-;ern Is such that each OF the re-
serves VIII haze 10 be made, a section
1t a time, by the territorial government
exchanging with individuals, wherever
necessary. both leasehold and fee-siHple
ands for the portions II desires 10 pro-
ect as forest The territory owns L
10000 acres. OF which tie forest re
erves when completed should probably
include 10000 acres.
As soon as the reserves are formed all
attic should be driven ont, and the
.ertions which are accessible TO cattle
houid be fenced. Those wild cattle
Which cannot be driven out ard the
vild goats should be shot An effective
amer service should then be put into
peration 10 keep stock and fire out OF
he forest.
With the reserves well protected. the
crest viii replace itself on many Of the
aTnaged areas. as reproduction under
ONE conditions takes place rapidly
Where II viii not replace itself. plant
ag viii be necessary, and can be done
nth direct profit to the islands too. II
valuable species are made
Sc OF and are planted III the right stu
tons
It viii be fine problem for a forester
, determine what some Of the valuable
an7perate zone trees ike the Redwood
nd Red Fir viii do under the pTonls-