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by the Governor on March 31, 1916, is for the specific purpose 
of fostering the purity and continuance of a part of Honolulu's 
water supply, first, by preventing contamination of the water 
from human sources, and second, by assisting the forest in every 
way possible to maintain itself so that it will serve most effective- 
ly in conserving the runoff. The new rule will affect 1,480 acres 
of land, owned entirely by the government, at the head of Palolo 
and Manoa Valleys. 
When promulgated, this rule will prohibit stock grazing on 
this area and will exclude from this particular portion of the 
Honolulu Watershed all persons excepting government officials 
and employees while in the discharge of their official duties. 
History of the Rule. 
Under the law, the Board of Agriculture and Forestry, is re- 
quired (Sub-Sec. 7, Sec. 481, R. L. H., 1915), "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." 
One of the matters that was first mentioned to me when I 
began my term of responsibility in 1915, was that attention should 
be given to the protection of the forests on the Honolulu Water- 
shed Forest Reserve. The first step in this direction was taken 
in March, 1916, when Rule HI, prohibiting persons from enter- 
ing the area draining into the Nuuanu reservoirs was, with the 
approval of the Board of Health, recommended, adopted by this 
Board, and approved by the Governor. 
The areas to the southeast of Nuuanu at the head of Manoa 
and Palolo Valleys, were then studied and kept under observa- 
tion in order to determine what steps, if any, should be taken 
for the benefit of the water supply and the protection of the 
forests on this area. In 1918, a careful survey was made of 
the forest along the trail from Pauoa Flats, across the head- 
waters of Manoa and Palolo Valleys, to Mt. Olympus and down 
Palolo Valley, when it was determined by actual count that 14 
per cent of the landslides on this area were caused by the exist- 
ence of the trail which had some years previously been cut 
through this region. The presence of Hilo grass along portions 
of this trail was also noted. 
Repeated observations have been made since then to keep 
check on the spread of Hilo grass from this trail and to deter- 
mine whether by any possible means I could be conscientiously 
persuaded that the continued use of this trail and the passing 
over adjacent lands by trampers could be allowed without detri- 
ment to the purity of the water supply originating on the area, 
or without injury to the native forest covering the steep moun- 
