The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-08
EVA FOREST RESERVE
MATTER IS DEALT WITH
1t Is Settled FavorabIy so Far as the Commits
soners of Agriculture and Forestry
Are Concerned.

L ne pEOpOStu Eva L OICSL AhCoSA ' Z
matter was dealt with and settled SO
| far as lay in their power by the Board
| of Commissioners of Agriculture ami
| Forestry at their meeting yesterday
afternoon at the Bureau of Agriculture
and Forestry headquarters.
There were present Chairman L. A.
Thurston Secretary C. S. Holloway, w.
NJ. Giffard and a. w. Carter, of the
Board; R. S. Hosmer, Superintendent
of Forestry; Alexander Craw, Superin-
tendent of Entomology, and DR.. Nor
gard, Territorial Veterinarian.
+ SUPERINTENDENT FOREST RE-
SERVE REPORT.
| After the minutes of January 18th
| had been read and amended, the report
of the Superintendent of Forestry re-
| speeding the Eva Reserve was present
ed This report reviewed the work
done up to date since the matter was
first actively taken up three years ago
| by w. f. Dillingham;, the District For
| ester for Eva, who submitted a report
| thereon to Gov. Dole. The area APP
proved of in his report corresponds
| very closely to that now under con-
| sideration. This embraces the mauka
portions of the lands lying between the
western boundaries of Moanalua and
Wahiawa. the lower boundary follow
| ing the lower edge of the existing for
| est, although back of the Honolulu
Plantation, the Reserve extends fur
Their down the slope than at the north.
| The upper boundary is the main divide
along the crest of the Koolau noun
tains All the lands except Waianae-
uka and Wahiawa are in the Eva dis
trict, the waters from the two named
lands flowing towards Waialua.
| The purpose of the Reserve is to en-
sure the continuance of the forest on
| the KoOlau mountains and to increase
| its efficiency as a protection forest for
| the water supply by bringing the area
under system of forest administra-
| ton.
| The Eva basin contains some of the
! most productive lands of the Territory.
Three large sugar plantations, Eva,
Oahu and Honolulu, cover 2O,5O0 acres,
producing 20 per cent of the Oahu SUI
gar output, or 30 per cent of that of
the whole Territory. This land is de-
pendent on irrigation from water from
the KOolau and Waianae mountains
and from artesian wells, which latter
depend largely upon the rain precipi-
tatiOn on the koolau slopes. 1t is I'M
portant then that the forest on this
watershed be protected in order to con-
serve the rain waters and to protect
the low-lying lands from freshet wash
outs.
| The lands included are principally
held by private owners, while much of
the government land is leased, in some
| instances until 1912. Under one lease,
that of the lower portion of Waimano,
the area under the existing forest fence
was reserved. while the fence was to
be built and maintained. On Wahiawa
the leasehold covers the water rights
only. allowing the land to be set aside
as part of the Reserve. The Honolulu
Plantation Co. hold subleases of the
| area suitable for sugar cane on Hala-
wa B, Haawa a, Aiea, Kalauao, Ka-
onohi. Waieli and Waimanu. Similar
subleases are held by the Oahu Sugar
Company for the cane areas in Waiau,
Waimano, Manana, Waiawa and Wal
pic. Upon the expiration of the pres
ent leases on Halawa A, Kalauao and
Kaonohi, new lease running till 1910
is held bv the Honolulu Plantation Co.
while new leases, reserving the forest
land. come into effect for long terms
on Waieli. Waimalu and Halawa B,
when existing leases run out. Thus
after 1905 the only important land
above the forest line remaining unre-
served are Aiea government, Poha-
kupa Catholic Mission) and Waianae
uka ~ S. War Department., and pos
sibIv arrangement regarding them may
be reached with the present iessees. n
number of kuleanas are within this
tract. few definitely located, and these
need not he considered.
The forest on the western slope of
the KoolHn mountains are described as
characteristic of the elevations be-
tween one and four thousand feet III
the Hawaiian group, Ohia, Lehua and
Koa being the most important among
the trees in mixture, while shrubs,
large ferns. climbing vines and other
plants form a dense mass OF Vegaton.
In the gulches are Kukui. Guava and
Lantana.
A proposition to plant trees between
the existing woods and the upper line
of the agricultural lands has been made
by Jas. a. Low. of the Honolulu Plan !
tation. to the Bishop Estate and the
other land owners back of the planta-
ton. This plan is feasible and would
be of benefit to the plantation, while
the Division of Forestry is keenly in |
terested in Mr.. Low 5 proposal.
An extension of the Eva Forest Re
serve could be advantageOusly made !
on its southern border to include the
mauka portions of the lands of Moana-
Iua and Kahauiki a forest fence al
ready enclosing the forest and making
a private reserve.
In laying out forest line across
private land. the desire of the owner
has naturally much to do with ITS
location. Without exception these own
ars are in favor of forest reservation,
for thew appreciate the need and i'm
portance of guarding the Eva
waters bed The area must, however,