02-03-2007, 02:40 AM
Indiscriminant clearing and grading affects more than the plants and other wildlife directly impacted. Plants moderate the fall of raindrops and buffer downpours to allow the land more time to absorb the influx of moisture. Without plants sudden heavy rains quickly flow off the land and take the soil with it if there are no roots to hold it. Even the most beautifully landscaped property does not duplicate the shielding effect of the multilayered canopy from the tall trees to the mat of roots and decay on the floor in a mature forest.
The following paragraph is taken directly off the Orchidland Community Association web site:
"The Kahikope Stream flows through Orchidland Estates and cuts across the roads in three places. As development above Orchidland increases the flooding is becoming more severe. Approximately 4 to 6 times each year an 88 lot section of the community (locally known as "The Devil's Triangle) is cut off for a period of 1 to 4 days. No person or vehicle can safely get in or out. This affects the lives and well-being of about 125 residents in 30 homes."
Of course the development above Orchidland is HA and HA complains about the flooding from the land above them. As any plumber knows s*#* flows down hill and the problems will get worse as more development occurs up country from where ever you are. We can't blame one person clearing his land for all the problems any more than we can blame one power plant or one car going to Kona for global warming. The cumulative effect will get worse as more people move into Puna and the more expensive it will be to fix the problems caused when we eventually get around to it. Uncontrolled land clearing is directly affecting many people in the form of decreased property values, lost property, disrupted lives and the cost of repairing roads.
It is also important to look to the future. People have expressed and interest in getting county water. In order to do this the county will have to increase ground water pumping from wells drilled into the aquifer. Those aquifers are replenished by rain percolating through the ground. As I noted above, land stripped of vegetation does not absorb water as well and we may find salt water when we try to tap the well in the future.
No body likes big government but the alternative is "staying the course" and letting someone else (hopefully) pay the piper.
The following paragraph is taken directly off the Orchidland Community Association web site:
"The Kahikope Stream flows through Orchidland Estates and cuts across the roads in three places. As development above Orchidland increases the flooding is becoming more severe. Approximately 4 to 6 times each year an 88 lot section of the community (locally known as "The Devil's Triangle) is cut off for a period of 1 to 4 days. No person or vehicle can safely get in or out. This affects the lives and well-being of about 125 residents in 30 homes."
Of course the development above Orchidland is HA and HA complains about the flooding from the land above them. As any plumber knows s*#* flows down hill and the problems will get worse as more development occurs up country from where ever you are. We can't blame one person clearing his land for all the problems any more than we can blame one power plant or one car going to Kona for global warming. The cumulative effect will get worse as more people move into Puna and the more expensive it will be to fix the problems caused when we eventually get around to it. Uncontrolled land clearing is directly affecting many people in the form of decreased property values, lost property, disrupted lives and the cost of repairing roads.
It is also important to look to the future. People have expressed and interest in getting county water. In order to do this the county will have to increase ground water pumping from wells drilled into the aquifer. Those aquifers are replenished by rain percolating through the ground. As I noted above, land stripped of vegetation does not absorb water as well and we may find salt water when we try to tap the well in the future.
No body likes big government but the alternative is "staying the course" and letting someone else (hopefully) pay the piper.
Larry