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4.3 Protect Agricultural Lands and Open Space <br />Community Action 5: Educate landowners about agriculture, ranch, and forestry land preservation <br />programs and encourage participation in these programs. <br />Need: One of the most effective ways to preserve agricultural land is through agricultural conservation <br />easements. Agricultural conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements between a landowner and <br />a land trust or government agency that permanently preserves the land for agricultural uses. The <br />agreements typically allow landowners to continue to own and use their land, and they can also sell it or <br />pass it on to heirs. Easements are a viable alternative to development because they can reduce property <br />and estate taxes and qualify the owner for tax deductions. <br />Potential Community Lead: Farm Bureau, Farmers' Union 4A <br />Potential Community Partners: Kamehameha Schools, Board of Realtors <br />Potential Allies: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, County Public Access Open Space, and <br />Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), The <br />Nature Conservancy, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, O'ahu Resource Conservation and <br />Development Council, The Conservation Fund <br />Potential Next Steps: %%,K <br />• Develop and implement an Information and Education (I/E) program focused on tax incentives, <br />conservation easements, and technical assistance available to establish conservation easements. <br />• Identify priorities for conservation easements in high priority watersheds. <br />• Encourage landowners to establish agricultural conservation easements. <br />• Support efforts of landowners to secure easements. <br />• Submit recommendations and nominations to the PONC. <br />Other Resources: USDA NRCS Farm and Ranchland Protection and Grassland Reserve Programs, DLNR <br />DOFAW Legacy Lands Conservation and Forest Legacy Programs, US Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Land <br />Acquisition and Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition programs <br />4.4 Protect Mauka Forests 'j <br />See Community Action 2 , Community Action 4:, Community Action 8, Community Action 9, and see also <br />Section 4.8 Establish and Manage Public Access for Community Actions related to public access through <br />forests. <br />Community Action Guide: 2017 15 <br />