Case

HONOLULU – The state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is seeking new projects for its Hawaii Forest Legacy Program, which will protect important working forest lands from the threat of conversion to non-forest uses.

The program, administrated through DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife, is accepting applications for conservation acquisition assistance through the program.

The Hawaii Forest Legacy Program works with private landowners, state and county agencies, and conservation nonprofit groups to promote sustainable, working forests.

Roughly 66 percent of forestland in the State of Hawaii is privately owned, with the majority of private landowners wanting to preserve these forests and leave a lasting legacy.

Nationwide, millions of acres of privately managed working forests have been lost or converted to other uses, with millions more projected to be converted in the next decade. Hawaii is no exception to this trend.

“With the help of land trusts and conservation-minded landowners, we have been able to protect our important forest resources, preserve forest essential for water production, shelter endangered species and safeguard our culturally important sites,” said Suzanne Case, DLNR chairperson.

More than 2.5 million acres of threatened private forests in the U.S. have been protected under the Forest Legacy Program, of which 47,000 acres have been protected in Hawaii.

The Division of Forestry and Wildlife is currently working on projects that will protect an additional 3,700 acres of important forested watershed lands through the Forest Legacy Program.

The majority of Hawaii’s projects are conservation easements that allow landowners to retain ownership of the restricted title to their property while providing permanent protection from development or unsustainable uses.

Oftentimes, this economic opportunity provides landowners with an alternative to selling their land to development companies. Conservation easements are strictly voluntary to enter into, and the restrictions are binding to all future owners in perpetuity.

“The national Forest Legacy Program is very competitive, with only a few dozen projects funded by the U.S. Forest Service each year,” Case said.

“Hawaii always puts in strong projects that compete well in this national program.”

The Hawaii Forest Legacy Program has identified forestlands throughout the state as important and in need of permanent protection. More information about this status can be found in the State’s Assessment of Needs on the Hawai’i Forest Legacy Program website (dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/lap/ forest-legacy/).

The Hawaii program accepts both fee title and conservation easement acquisitions. Fee title acquisitions are voluntary and can provide landowners with the knowledge that their property will be managed and owned in perpetuity by the State of Hawaii.

The deadline for the next round of applications to the Hawaii Forest Legacy Program is Aug. 21, 2017. Applications can be found at dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/lap/forest-legacy/ and should be submitted to Malia Nanbara by e-mail at Malia.Y.Nanbara@Hawaii.gov.

Landowners and nonprofit entities that are interested in participating in the Forest Legacy Program are encouraged to contact Nanbara at (808) 587-4176 to discuss their property and interest in the program.