125 



EXTENT OF THE ORIGINAL FORESTS. 



Originally the Hawaiian forests were limited no doubt only 

 by such natural conditions as lack of rainfall, elevation, and lava 

 flows. The extent of the original native forest is not known, 

 but that it was much greater than at present is certain from the 

 scant evidence that remains. Shells of land molluscs found on 

 Niihau in a subfossil state indicate a once heavy forest and con- 

 siderable moisture on that island. The forests on Kauai came 

 much further down than they do at present and on Oahu the 

 Leilehua plateau between the Waianae and Koolau ranges was no 

 doubt once densely forested. The few insects, peculiar to boggy 

 uplands, found on the higher forest region on Lanai indicate 

 that there was once a boggy region similar to the wettest part 

 of Molokai. On Molokai and Lanai there was evidently a con- 

 siderable growth in the early days- of koaia and koa on the lower 

 slopes below the elevation of 2000 feet, but these have been killed 

 out entirely on Lanai and only a few scattered koa trees remain 

 on Molokai outside the limits of the true forest. 



Even in the region on the dry lower slopes of the leeward 

 side of the islands, where the algaroba is now predominant, there 

 was once more or less open forest land, for Perkins tells us that 

 passerine birds regularly descended into the clumps of trees of 

 this open country and from there even, in Cook's time, they 

 passed still downwards and several species were found frequent- 

 ing the coconut tree on the beach. 



PRESENT FOREST AREA. 



The present area of original forest lands in Hawaii through 

 various agencies has been reduced until now it covers approxi- 

 mately only 800,000 acres or 20% of the total land area, tw^o- 

 thirds of which is under government control. 



This record of forest destruction is beaten only in countries 

 or islands of very dense population such as Porto Rico, for in- 

 stance, which was once completely forested but on which the 

 virgin forest area has been so materially modified by the acts of 

 man and beast during several centuries that it is now^ reduced 

 to only 2 per cent of the total land area. 



The destruction of the Hawaiian forest in the past was deplor- 

 able, but that it should continue in the present for one reason or 

 another seems inexcusable. 



FOREST TYPES IN HAWAII. 



As we find them today, what remains of the Hawaiian forests 

 together wath the forest of introduced trees, may be divided for 

 the purpose of convenience in forest management into forest 

 types. Technical botanists have classed the Hawaiian flora into 

 different groups or zones based on physical features mostly of 

 elevation. Hillebrand gives us five of such zones; the lowland, 



