The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-29
HAWAIIAN
FORESTRY
Expect forester Halls
Opinions After
Seeing.

report on the forests of Hawaii:
The governments course is plainly
to seek such management of the for
ests as will secure. the greatest pro-
ductiveness of the commercial interests
concerned. The plantations need an in
creased and regular water supply. But
the system of protection must not be
extended so far that its damage to the
ranches will outweigh its benefits to
the plantations. Each local problem
squarely, with due consideration of all
the interests at stake.
GOVERNMENT FOREST WORK IN
THE PAST.
/. Hitherto the government has given
attention principally to the question of
forest planting rather than to the
preservation of the native forests. In
1882 an appropriation of $12 900 was
made for forest work for the biennial
period; later legislatures have con-
tinued this appropriation. A nursery
was established and many trees have
since been grown, some of which have
been distributed for planting on pri-
vate lands. some of which the govern
ment itself has planted.
AS a result of the governments
planting there has been developed on
the slope of Mount Tantalus, facing
Honolulu, a fine forest of eucalypts
and other trees, covering several hun
bred acres. More recently a consider
able part of the Nuuanu valley, which
forms the watershed for the water
system of Honolulu, has also been
TortionS Of thasa
are handsome examples of planted for
ests and are rightly highly appreciated
by the people of the islands. it may
fairly be questioned whether they have
been profitable, considering their cost.
1t is certain that they have in no con-
siderable degree compensated for the
loss of the native forests during the
past twenty years, and it is equally
certain that no amount of planting
which the government can afford to do
can COMPENSATE for these losses under
present conditions.
The problem must be solved by first
protecting the native forests from the
forces which are working their destruc-
ton, so that as far as possible nature
may accomplish their reproduction, and
then by judicious planting in those
places where the forest is unable to re-
place itself.
PROPOSED FOREST SERVICE.
The people If Hawaii almost I'M
animously favor the immediate insti-
tuition of system which will protect
and restore the mountain forests. Guild
ed by this emphatic sentiment. the last
legislature passed a bill creating a for
est service, and outlining to some eX-
tent a forest policy. Under the law
the responsibility of the service rests
on a nonsalaried board of agriculture
and forestry, whose duty it is to gather
and publish informa ton concerning the
forests of the islands, to provide for the
introduction propagation, and planting
OF useful forest trees, to establish for
est reserves SO far as necessary for the
protection, extension, and utilization of
the forests and the safeguarding of the
sources of water supply, and to protect
the forest reserves from damage by
cattle and other agencies.
The board is authorized to appoint
a superintendent of forestry, who is to
be a trained forester, and under the
direction of the board is to have i'm
mediate charge of all forest work. The
superintendent of forestry is to have
such paid assistants and rangers as
the board may find necessary for hand
ling matters connected with the forests
and forest reserves
The board is also to appoint in each
district one or more consulting foresters,
who are to serve without pay and ad-
wise with the board concerning forest
matters in their districts.
biennial appropriation of approx
mately $4,000 per year has been made
to carry the law into effect.
The board of agriculture and forestry
has invited the Bureau of Forestry of
the United States Department of Agri-
culture to assume an advisory position
| in connection with its future policy.
On the nomination of the Bureau a
trained forester has been appointed as
! superintendent of forestry, and has al
ready entered upon his work. Appoint
ments of assistant foresters and rang
ers are being made as rapidly as the
needs of the service require.
FUTURE POLICY.
No attempt can be made here to do
more than point out the main principles
which must govern the future policy
! of the islands in the maintenance of a
forestry system. These are as follows:
FOREST RESERVES.
Nothing less will be effective toward
the preservation of the Hawaiian for
ests than a carefully worked out sys-
tenn of forest reserves. which will in
clude practically all of the mountain
forests previously mentioned, as well
as some potential forest land which
has been denuded. This reserve sys-
tenn should be established as soon as
possible, beginning probably in Kula
Hamakua, and Kohala. since in those
districts; there is greatest immediat e
need of protection. The Territorial
government owns most of the LAND
. which should go into the reserves, bu
the government land largely held by