HILO >> A preliminary version of a controversial koa-logging proposal on private land north of Hilo has already been under way for a year, says a consultant for Koa Timber Co. Logging of dead koa
under way on land
north of HiloBy Rod Thompson
Star-BulletinThe company is seeking a permit from the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to log dead and dying koa trees on about 16,000 acres of private conservation-designated land mauka of Papaikou and Hakalau.
The proposed operation in the conservation area is controversial because a draft environmental assessment describing it contains some unclear and contradictory points, because of concerns that the company would take more than just dead and dying wood, and because of fear that native birds might be harmed.
At a Land Board hearing Wednesday, consultant Wade Lee revealed the company is already logging koa on agriculturally designated land, where no permit is needed.
Koa Timber, headed by Kyle Dong of Oahu, began logging in the area about a year ago on agricultural land owned by C. Brewer & Co., Lee said.
In July, Dong bought big parcels of land above Brewer's land and began logging on agricultural portions, Lee said.
The agricultural land has only one-quarter the density of koa trees found in the conservation area, he said.
All of the area is extremely wet, receiving 250 inches of rain per year.
The company is using a Huey helicopter rented from Maui to put down 10 workers in open, boggy areas four days per week, Lee said.
They cut timber three days per week into sections about 8 feet long and up to 26 inches in diameter.
Once a week, the Huey lifts out the logs to two small, portable sawmills on Brewer land. From there the wood is trucked to Hilo, barged to Honolulu and dried in a kiln owned by Dong.
The agricultural land is infested with strawberry guava. The company is using a small bulldozer to knock it down, and koa seedlings are popping up in their place, Lee said. The company will also plant koa.
The reference to a bulldozer was one of the items that brought criticism during the hearing, since the environmental document also said no roads would be built.
Lee said a bulldozer will not be used in the conservation area and that the reference to the bulldozer will be dropped.
At the hearing, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund representative Marjorie Ziegler said she was torn between possible benefit to the forest and possible harm to it.
She called for Koa Timber to post a bond to ensure it keeps its promises.
Lee said a $1 million bond is planned. If the company's advisory committee points out errors and the company does not correct them, the committee could make corrections using the bond money, he said.
The project would also be monitored by the international Forest Stewardship Council, which will make one scheduled inspection per year and three unscheduled ones, Lee said.
If a violation were found, the company would lose the council's certification, which allows a higher price for the wood.
Hawaii County
