On a short and rainy day I explored a new abandoned road up near Kulani prison, just above the Army Road quadrangle, which was the last road left to explore on the South side of Stainback. This road is in the timber plantation area, where they bulldozed a swath of native forest and planted alien trees. The alien trees are spreading into the native forest, but aren't growing too fast, resulting in a mix of poor quality native forest and plantation trees with a lot of 'uluhe (matted fern). This tree seems to be fraxinus udhei - "mexican ash" or "tropical ash". The 1999 assessment of the timber plantations ironically notes that "fraxinus udhei plantings essentially failed on a large scale", however its seedlings are spreading into disturbed forest, perhaps weakly.
Some of these roads are frequently crossed by hunters, but I was probably the first person to enter the most remote section in many months. I'm not sure how many decades ago they were bulldozed through the forest - probably in the 1950's or 1960's - and cars probably haven't been on the furthest parts since the 1970's or early 1980's. I did a lot of trimming of the 'uluhe where it was trying to choke out the trail.
In this scrubby forest 'apapane still dominate, with some japanese white-eye, and small numbers of 'oma'o, 'elepaio, red-billed leiothrix, hwamei, japanese bush warbler, and i'iwi. 'io, house finch and nutmeg mannikin are much less common. On the edges of the bulldozed areas there is some remnant of the native forest, with a wider variety of native plants. I may return to go down some of the hunter and pig trails in the future.
While pulling some alien weeds my machete dropped out of its sheath, onto my knee. Fortunately it bled a lot, and I had a bottle of water to flush it with. The steady drizzle helped flush it out, as well.
I need to start carrying a bandage kit and antibiotic with me.
Some of these roads are frequently crossed by hunters, but I was probably the first person to enter the most remote section in many months. I'm not sure how many decades ago they were bulldozed through the forest - probably in the 1950's or 1960's - and cars probably haven't been on the furthest parts since the 1970's or early 1980's. I did a lot of trimming of the 'uluhe where it was trying to choke out the trail.
In this scrubby forest 'apapane still dominate, with some japanese white-eye, and small numbers of 'oma'o, 'elepaio, red-billed leiothrix, hwamei, japanese bush warbler, and i'iwi. 'io, house finch and nutmeg mannikin are much less common. On the edges of the bulldozed areas there is some remnant of the native forest, with a wider variety of native plants. I may return to go down some of the hunter and pig trails in the future.
While pulling some alien weeds my machete dropped out of its sheath, onto my knee. Fortunately it bled a lot, and I had a bottle of water to flush it with. The steady drizzle helped flush it out, as well.
I need to start carrying a bandage kit and antibiotic with me.
