HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.018 2018-2020 il 17
.� tilcica'r HA AVI FOREST INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (HFIA) �® �� fir'ERK
COUNTY ,OF RAWAIII
P. O. Box 66 •'r `0`6kala, HI 96774RE CEI
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Phone:
808-933-9411
s Email: hfia@hawaiiforest.org Tian LZ —
;, 4 Website: www.hawaiiforest.orgDate
I
July 21, 2020
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Aloha Honorable Chairman Aaron Chung, Vice-chair Karen Eoff and members of the Hawaii County
Council
Re: SUPPORT for Hawaii County Bill 178 Relating to Native Forest Dedication
On behalf of the Directors of the Hawaii Forest Industry Association(HFIA), I urge the Hawaii
County Council to pass Bill 178 in support of Hawaii's native forest. I have worked in commercial
forestry since 1967 and I have worked for the last 20 years on developing a forest products industry in
Hawaii. The mission of HFIA is to promote healthy and productive forests and a sustainable forest
industry through forest management, education, planning, information exchange, and advocacy.
HFIA`s primary purpose is to promote healthy and productive forests. As a part of this mission we
strongly support all efforts to restore and maintain native forests. The benefits of native forests include
carbon sequestration, opportunities for native Hawaiian cultural practices, clean water, and native
species preservation and protection, particularly native bird habitat.
Native forest preservation and restoration is complicated by the presence of invasive species, most
particularly Strawberry Guava. US Forest Service now counts almost a thousand square miles of this
very aggressive species on our island. Bill 178 recognizes the complexity and the expense to
landowners who are trying to achieve public benefits by working to restore native forest habitat in the
face of aggressive competitors.
Please acknowledge and assist landowners who are working to do the right thing for Hawaii Island's
native forests.
Aloha,
Don Bryan, President
Hawaii Forest Industry Association
hfialc�t,hawaiiforest.org
Co
.To:
Ref. ANo. N.9 202r,