HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.042 2018-2020 .y
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KAMEHA.MEI IA.SCI-4001-So'
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Hawaii County Council
West Hawaii Civic Center
s
COUNTY CLERK
Time: 9:00 a.m.
RECEIVEDCOUNTY OF
e Date: August 5, 2020
Time QM ®® TESTIMONY
Date AUG_0 4 2020 By: Ndmaka Whitehead,
Senior Manager,Natural Resources
RE: Bill 178—Relating to Native Forest Dedications
Aloha mai e Luna Ho`omalu Chung, Hope Luna Ho`omalu Eoff, a me nd Uld o ka `Aha o ke Kalana
o Hawaii.
Kamehameha Schools supports the intent of Bill 178 to help protect our forests through preservation
and restoration in an economically and ecologically sustainable way by establishing an incentivized
dedication process for three native forest categories.
We believe that healthy, functioning native forests,through their cultural, biological, ecological,
educational, aesthetic and other value, are necessary to sustain a Hawaii in which our `diva and
people thrive, especially our keiki. Unfortunately,the extent and condition of native forests on
Hawaii are declining,primarily due to invasive species and the conversion of native forest and
successional forest lands to other uses.
Native forest dedication is a valuable tool to help ensure our irreplaceable forest resources persist for
fature generations by encouraging private landowners to invest in stewardship. We, therefore, support
the amendments in this bill,particularly the inclusion of new native forest categories,the expansion of
dedications to lands that have not yet met the native forest requirement, with approval of a forest
restoration plan, and the reduced assessment rate for dedicated lands.
Mahalo for the opportunity to support this bill,which will enable more stewardship, preservation and
restoration of native, functional and successional forests that provide a wealth of benefits to Hawaii
Island's communities.
Founded in 1887, Kamehameha Schools is an educational organization striving to restore our people
through education and advance a thriving Ldhui where all Native Hawaiians are successful, grounded
in traditional values, and leading in the local and global communities. We believe that community
success is individual success, Hawaiian culture-based education leads to academic success and local
leadership drives global leadership.
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