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May 03 2005 2: 24PM TNC 808 885-4219 c.'i The Nato p~ I 'Ihe Nature Conxrvancy of Hawai 'i reI (8o8'i 88s-s78f Conservanc / P O. Box G6oo rx (BoBj 889-4z~9 Kamuela, HI 96743 sawn w[ ~.ur mu' rues ow u,m, W WwnBW rs.org/ha,yai May 3, 2005 The Honorable Stacy Higa, Chairperson, and Members RECENI9i1 'Z . Hawaii County Council ~~35 25 Aupuni Street Dafe____I1A~8_ Hilo, Hawaii, 96720 County Cound! Re: Council Agenda for May 4, 2005 Bill 78, Relating to Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Thank you for the opportunity to provide our comments on Bi1178. The Nature Consc;rvanc_v strongly supports the enactment of Bill 78. The Mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to preserve the plants, animals and. natura.° communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the ]ands and waters they need to survive. Since 1980, TNC has directly helped to protect almost 200,000 acres of natu lands and established a statewide system of 12 preserves, totaling 32,000 acres. We have also joined more than 50 public and private partners across the State to forth nine watershed partnerships that promote wise management and conservation of water and the wide diversity of plant and animal species that inhabit our forested landscapes. • Despite our efforts and the contributions of many others, much more remains to be done to ensure that our residents, our visitors and future generations can enjoy our natural lands and opi;ar space. Bill 78 would facilitate effective land protection on the Big Island, as has sinvlaz legislation on Kauai, on Maui and in every other coastal State. Consider that this fund would: (1) provide a catalyst for land protection by leveraging other public and private s4urce~ o i funding; and (2) enable timely protection of critically irnpottant ]ands when they become available; amt (3) expand opportunities for recreation, education and culturally important land use; and (4) stimulate economic growth and expand tourism; and (5) increase private land values adjacent to protected azeas; and (6) contribute to the conservation of Hawai'i's unique and special natural resources. BOARD OF TRUSTEES S. Haunani Apoliuna Pear Baldwin Zadoc Brown, Jr 1>on Carroll Cad Carlson, Jr. Meredith Ching David Cole Samuel Cooke ~ ar Ccrnurlle V?altnr Dods, Jr. Peter Ehrman Krnton Eldridge 'I'hornas Gottlieb Guy Fujimum J. Stephen Goodfellow Jemcs Haynes Peter Ho Stanley liong Lawrence Johnson Kenneth Kaneshiro Bert Kobayashi Faye Kurren Patti Lyons Duncan blacNaughton Sill i~lu;+ Wayne Minami Michael PferEer H. Monty Richards Jean Roller Scott Roller Jamea Romig Hannah Springec Jcffrry Watanabe 166n< Y <~a[*i: Comm. No. ~a- Ref. To: PreseM~1 f;~f. L'.ate