HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.002 2018-2020TO:
FROM:
RE:
J
Watershed Alliance
County Council, Committee on Finance
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY'OF HAWAII
RECEIVED
Time 11:56 aM By
Date JUL 0 6 2020 1,
Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance Coordinator, Cheyenne Perry
Supporting Bill 178
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I am writing to urge the Council to make protection and restoration of our forests and
watersheds a top priority for Hawaii County. As we move into an era of increasing
drought and continued impacts from climate change, it is more critical than ever that we
ensure that these resources will exist and be plentiful for the generations to come.
2014 marked the publication of the National Climate Assessment by the U.S. Global
Change Research Program, a report compiled with input from over 300 experts from 13
government agencies, including NOAH, NASA, and the National Academy of Science. It
made this statement about our state: "In Hawaii, average precipitation, average stream
discharge, and stream baseflow have been trending downward for nearly a century,
especially in recent decades... increased temperatures coupled with decreased rainfall
and increased drought will reduce the amount of freshwater available for drinking and
crop irrigation."
Coupled with expected population growth, the stress on our freshwater supplies makes
clear the need for strategic management and a strong commitment to protection and
restoration of our native forests and watersheds. Effective management includes
providing the management tools and opportunities to promote reforestation and
restoration for land owners.
We know that:
1. In east Hawaii alone, 85 million gallons of groundwater recharge a day are lost
daily, due to disruption of the ecosystem by non-native plants;
2. Only 10% of the area identified as "priority" watersheds in the state are currently
protected;
3. Soil runoff from degraded forests degrades our coastlines, smothering coral reefs
and destroying habitat for economically important fish species and tarnishing the
iconic coastal scenery upon'which our tourism industry depends;Comm. No. $$.2
Ref. To:
Ref. Date JUL 0 7 2020
4. Ensuring a food -secure future for Hawai'i requires the availability of plentiful
freshwater for our farmers and communities.
It is no coincidence that the Hawaiian word for "wealth" is waiwai: the ancestral and
current stewards of these islands recognize the value of fresh water. For over a century
land managers have recognized the close relationship between healthy upland forests
and water supplies. We ask for your support in continuing the tradition of protecting
Hawaii's most`precibu` s natural resource.
I�
Cheyenne Hiapo Perry
Mauna Kea Watershed Alliance Coordinator
60 Nowelo Street, Hilo, HI 96720
office: (808) 854-2610
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