The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-16
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/ -@-AA ~AA5 N4AC NtSkAD autumn DA ASBf i
| made an extended investigation OF the
| forest lands in that district, seeing as
| much of the forest as possible from
existing trails. and in general getting
in touch with the forest situation.
| South from Hookena the district is
practically undeveloped. Except for a
narrow belt along the government
road. that hardly anywhere reaches
above the 1000 foot contour line, the
| higher land is heavily forested: and
even the cultivated area is not con-
| tinuous for ancient lava fields and
| more recent. well defined flows confine
the good soil to pockets and kepukas
of varying size. In many of these the
soil is rich and of high productive ca
pacity but their location is known to
but few persons and what little accu-
rate information there is is not gem
orally available.
At irregular intervals lava flows.
mainly of the IA" type, extend TO
and below the government road. Many
of these are covered with ohia lehua
trees of large size and excellent Quail
ity, giving to what would otherwise
be barren stretches a valuable crop.
pure stand but elsewhere it is found
a mixture with the other trees char
acteristic of the lower forest zone. At
about 1000 feet all through South Kona
is an abrupt line of denlarkation be-
tween the ohia forest below and the
koa belt. which extends on up to about
$500 feet. Higher than this ohia again
appears but at this elevation it is
scrubby in type. as is also such scat
tering koa as is found in mixture with
1t. This formation runs up into the
great privately owned land of Kahuku
Owing TO the absence of permanent
ly running streams and the scarcity
even of springs, the chief value of the
forest in South Kona rests in its COM
n1ercial Importance. and because of the
growing demands for ohia railroad ties.
ohia as well as koa becomes a factor
to be reckoned with. / am confident
that rightly numbered the forest on the
government land in South Kona can
be made to yield a considera BILE reve-
nue. to the Territory and at the same
time be brought under a system Of
forest management that will lead to
an Improvement in the condition of
the forest and insure future returns
as well. While this statement applies
particularly to the area above an ele-
walton of $500 or 5000 feet I believe il
would be to the advantage of the
government to include in any plan of
forest utilization all the government
forest in South Kona that has COM
mefcial value In this way the stands
Of ohia on the lava flows that come
X n Nl-sa >
road would be included as well as the
otia and koa mauka.
It is recognized that this depart
ment is the appropriate branch of the
government to take charge of its for
est work. The disposition of the tim
Der on these lands is essentially a
forest problem. Therefore, in my
judgment all of the government lands
in South Kona on which there is now
a commercial forest should be set
apart-a: any rate for the present
as a forest reserve. To accomplish
this ii viii be necessary that the
boundaries Of a number of the lands
be run. that certain points be located
and that some other surveying work
be done, such as the location of the
principal topographic features. have
taken up the matter in a tentative
way with Mr.. Wall the government
surveyor, and find that were an official
request made il would probably be
possible for one of his assistants to
start almost at once to do such work
as may be required. In order that no
time may be lost I therefore recon-
mend that the Board authorize this
request.
There is an additional reason why
such a survey as is here proposed 1
should be made now. As has been
pointed out there is much good land
belonging to the government in South I
Kona but at present there is very lit /
tie accurate information available in /
regard TO its character and condition. !
With the development OF the district 1
through the opening up Of better ]
means Of transp0rta tion-of which 4
there now seems promise-wiu come !
a demand for this land. A cOmpre- (
hensive survey including the location 4
Of the boundaries and Of the main 1
topographic features IS iuperatively /
needed before any appraisal or aIlot- 4
nent can be made. The proposed sur
vey will make available these data I
as well as those in regard to the for
est.
If the Board approves this recon-
1iendation I shall. after the survey
g made submit a more detailed report /
Jn the forest situation IN South Kona.
Until more information is available
than at present it is impossible 10
accurately what bounda-
lies should be chosen as the limits Of
the projected reserve.
Very respectfully,
RALPH :. HOSNER.
superintendent Of Forestry.
A letter was received from the
County Clerk OF Kauai county, ac-