80 



the tighter and there will be a real need for ever}' drop of water 

 that can be conserved from the rainfall. 



With such a situation before us in the near future, it behooves 

 us to take every precaution now to guard 'our depleted forests 

 so that they will function to their highest capacity in conserving 

 the rainfall and it is the duty of every good citizen to help in 

 this most important work. 



Already our native forests have, by the destructive results of 

 fire, grazing animals, and man, been pushed so far back up the 

 steeper mountain slopes that they now conserve water on onb- 

 a portion of the catchment areas which should be serving the 

 population as water producers. Moreover, the forest on this 

 reduced area, owing to these deleterious influences, is not in 

 the healthiest of conditions. 



It is necessary, therefore, that what little remains of the 

 native forest on our important water-producing areas of the 

 steeper mountains, must, if not for the sake of the present popu- 

 lation, then for the future inhabitants of these islands, be most 

 zealously and carefully guarded. Not only must the injury done 

 to the forest be repaired by artificial and natural means but 

 every step must be taken to head off and prevent further dam- 

 age from whatsoever cause. 



The nature of the indigenous forest is familiar to all who have 

 ever delighted in tramping through it and even the casual ob- 

 server is familiar with the far-reaching damage which usually 

 results from trivial injury. The removal of the undergrowth of 

 delicate ferns and other succulent plants which causes the drying 

 out of the shallow-rooting system of the trees and results in 

 their gradual decline and death and the concomitant opening 

 of the forest to the invasion of injurious insects, fungi and 

 exclusive grasses is a phenomenon which you have seen only 

 too often. 



The fact that the balance of nature in our native forest is 

 so delicately poised and is so easily tipped in the wTong direc- 

 tion is- well enough known by those who have been long resi- 

 dents in these islands but is not so apparent to those who have 

 lived here only a short time. 



The duty of those who by law are required "to devise ways 

 and means of protecting, extending, increasing and utilizing the 

 forests and forest reserves, more particularly for protecting and 

 developing the springs, streams and sources of water supply, so 

 as to increase and make such water supply available for use" 

 is to maintain the native forest as nearly as possible in its primi- 

 tive condition. My predecessor was convinced and I am of the 

 same opinion that 'To get the best results from the water bear- 

 ing forests in Hawaii in the way of steady and continuous yields, 

 it is in many localities essential that^ both animals and men be 

 rigorously excluded." This is done on the watersheds of main- 

 land cities and is the accepted practice. 



