Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-07-21
KAHOOLAWE TO.
BE RESERVED
Plans On Foot To Make
Island Permanent
Forest Tract

VI Noh wv
In order that the Island of Kaho
olawe may become of some use and
that II may be saved from total OBJ
Iteration, which is fast going on, IL
will he set apart as forest reserve,
a vote to this effect being passed at
the meeting of the Board of Agri.
culture and Forestry this morning.
Kahoolawo has for many years
been used AS u range, and on &C.
count of being overstocked, every.
thug edible upon It has been nearly
demolished.
The island at present Is under
lease to Eben z. Low. and when this
lease runs out. on January /. 1918,
no Idea of its renewal will be con.
sldered. At that time all stock which
Mr. Low wants he will take away
and the goats and other animals
which are of no use will be de.
stroyed.
The report of Ralph S. Hosmer.
superintendent of forestry, on the
condition of the island and what
might be done with II as forest
reserve, follows:
AS the result Of long years OF
over-stocking, Kahoolawe has become
locally name practically synono-
nous with desolation and waste. The
object of declaring the island a for
est reserve is to put 1t In posi-.
ton where, upon the expiration of
could he taken toward its reclama.
ton. II is true that to bring back
a cover of vegetation over the whole
island would require long time and
a considerable outlay of money. But
not a little toward saving what re-
mains can be accomplished through
the complete removal OF the live stock
now on the island, so that what
vegetation there is may be given a
chance. This could be done at small
cost. More elaborate plans can walt.
Enthusiastically, the reclamation
of Kahoolawe can best be accom-
plished II the island Is In the con-
troll OF the branch of the Territorial
government that is equipped to un.
dertake such work-the Board OF Az
riculture and Forestry. II is for this
reason. and also that the public may
know definitely the intentions of the
government in regard to this piece
OF public land, that It Is proposed to
set Kahoolawe apart as a forest re-
serve. The proposal is made at this
time at the suggestion and request
Of the Governor. $780,.
Description of the Island.
"Kahoolawe is the smallest of the
eight inhabited Islands making up
the Hawaiian group. 1t lies to the
southwest of Maui. about eight miles
distant. The island is roughly about
ten miles long by from two to seven
miles broad; It's area is 2S,260 acres.
The highest point is toward the east
end, Pun Kahoolawe; elevation, 1927
feet. Kahoolawe is visited by but
few persons. When one does go, the
trip Is usually made by whaleboat
or gasoline launch from Lahaina.
THE Island of Kahoolawe consists
of one government land, at presen'
under an expiring lease held by Mr..
Eben p. Low, that runs out on Janu
AIRY /, 1918. This lease was for
merly held by Mr.. c. C. Conradt. now
OF Pukoo, Molokai, and was trans
ferred by him to Mr.. Low a few
years since. Prior to that time the
island had passed through many
hands. II has been used continu
ously for many years for the graz
Ing OF cattle. and especially OF sheep
A great part of the time IL has been
badly overstocked, a condition which
has resulted In the destruction Of the
original cover Of vegetation, follow.
ed by erosion and the loss OF large
quantities of valuable soil. much of
which has literally been blown ava!
to sea by the strong trade winds.
1T Is said by those who knew
the island in former times that there
used to be considerable forest on the
higher land and good cover of ma
tive grasses over the rest of the Is,
land, In recent years soil denuda.
ton has gone on so rapidly that now
large areas have been eroded down
TO hard pan. These areas are con
stantly increasing in size, and II Il
much to be feared that unless the
process Is checked within a compare
lively short time, by far the larger
part OF the island will be reduced
to a like condition. In many places
are to be seen tall columns of soil
protected by a bit of turf. These
show the original depth of the soil
and serve as an index of the great
quantity that has been lost.
In few of the more sheltered
gulches are scattering algaroba trees