Bamboo theft suspected
on state land

A witness describes chain-saw
harvesting down a Tantalus trail

CORRECTION Friday, December 24, 2004 » The state had issued a permit for cutting bamboo in the Tantalus area on Dec. 11 and 16. In a Page A1 article Monday about possible illegal bamboo harvesting, a Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman mistakenly said the state had not issued any permits for such activity on those days. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

What appears to be illegal harvesting of bamboo in state parks has conservation officials concerned.

Bill Weismann, a mainland visitor, said he was hiking in Tantalus on Thursday when he heard the buzz of a chain saw for a half-hour and saw two to three men dragging bamboo logs out from the forest to three trucks parked on Roundtop Drive.

"They made a mess of the trail," Weismann said. "It's like a hurricane came through there."

The area is within a five-minute walk from the trail head.

Weismann witnessed similar activity the previous Saturday in the same area.

The harvests were illegal, since no permits for bamboo harvesting in the forest reserve had been issued by the State Department of Land and Natural Resources for Saturday, Dec. 11, or last Thursday, when Weismann reported seeing it, said DNLR spokeswoman Deborah Ward.

Ward said the rules are in place to protect and preserve the forest reserves and that violators could be subject to citations or administrative penalties.

She said collection permits allow the use of hand tools but not chain saws.

Considering the time of year, the harvesting of green bamboo was probably for the "kadomatsu," a Japanese New Year arrangement of pine and bamboo, symbolizing long life and prosperity for the coming year, widely sold in Hawaii.

The cuttings left 2-foot stumps, and leaves, unwanted trees and debris strewn around. The harvesting was done at various spots along the trail. Weismann said he heard the chain saw deep in the forest.

Ward said the state issues permits for the collection of one stalk of bamboo per family. Tantalus and Nuuanu are designated areas for collection but generally not in areas where it would be apparent, Ward said.

"My concern is the destruction is day by day," Weismann said. He finds the bamboo forest beautiful not just in how it looks, but the clicking of the trees, and said he does not want to see entire stands wiped out.

Commercial activity is not permitted without written consent from the state, according to state administrative rules.

Anyone who witnesses such activity is urged to call the police or DLNR with descriptions of violators and vehicles, along with license numbers.

Ward cautions witnesses not to put themselves at risk by confronting anyone, but to call the DLNR Forestry Division at 973-9778, and an officer will be dispatched.