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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.011 2018-2020Council of the County of Hawai `i 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1401 Hilo, HI 96720 July 7, 2020, 9 a.m. Re: Communication 988, Bill 178 Dear Hawaii County Council members, COUNTY CLERK COUNTY OF HAWAII RECEIVED Time 5 bl pM By Date JUL 0 2 2020 P/FC Sill ►18 Cohn ,988 I strongly support Bill 178, whose intent is to amend and improve the county code for native forest dedications. Bill 178 is revolutionary in that it would give landowners tax incentives for doing forest restoration on their land, either in native, functional, or successional forest. While this kind of incentive is actualized by some foreign countries, there are very few examples of it within the United States. Hawaii is already one of the very few states with a native forest dedication, and the additions to this bill will establish Hawaii as a national leader in forest restoration policy. In political terms, this bill will demonstrate that Hawaii County has a commitment to the environment. In personal terms, as a forest ecologist for over 25 years, I am motivated by improving the health of our `dina. This bill is low investment, high reward; it is a win-win for all parties. The more that we can prioritize forests over other land uses, the better the health of our island. Forests provide ecosystem services such as enhancing habitat for wildlife, providing clean water, sequestering of carbon out of the atmosphere, providing pest control for agriculture, gathering of plants for hula, and securing recreation and aesthetic beauty for people. Two types of land use would receive low tax assessments—existing native forest and restored forest. These tax incentives are tools that encourage the perpetuation of forest ecosystems, which are intimately linked to our identity, livelihood, and wellbeing, past and present. The present landscapes in Hawaii have suffered from a loss of biodiversity, and as stewards we need to think broadly about balancing human needs and environmental protection. What is most exciting about this bill is that it is based on years of research on Hawaiian forest ecology. With high rates of invasion coupled with high number of endangered species, there is no doubt that we need restoration. However, we cannot always put our forests back together again, in the way they were before human activity. The establishment of the functional forest category recognizes that new combinations of native and non-native, non-invasive plants can provide viable forest habitats. Research that I have personally lead has shown that not all areas in Hawaii can be restored to all or almost all native species. For example, we have employed the functional forest concept in the Liko Nd Pilina restoration experiment, in Hilo, HI, and we have demonstrated that functional forests are a promising technique to reduce invasion. Survival of the species that we planted is high—averaging 64% after being out in the field for 5 years. The typical invaded lowland wet forest that we have studied has almost no native seedling regeneration. In contrast, the functional forests are showing regeneration of planted native and iron -native, non-invasive species, pointing to the sustainability of this model. In addition, the technique has generated interest from several different resource management groups that would like to do some version of functional forest restoration. Comm. No. 61 9T. I I Ref. To: P 11K Ref. Dote JUL - 0 7 20 An important feature of this bill is that it contains safeguards. Every landowner must submit a forest management plan. In-order.to build'expertise within the Real Property Tax (RPT) office, RPT is hosting a UH Hilo Master's student from -,the Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science program. His responsibilities are 1) developing plant species lists; 2) developing guidelines for the content of the'forest management plan; and 3) providing training of RPT staff. His professional internship is being guided by collaborations and discussions with RPT, UH Hilo, USDA Forest Service, Hawaii Weed Risk Assessment, Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, and Hawaii Invasive Species Council. This process will ensure that plants used for functional forest restoration are appropriate and science-based. I readily acknowledge that the functional forest category is a paradigm shift, but this functional forest option is important for the survival of Hawai`i's forests. By 2050, two-thirds of the world will be living in urban areas, increasing the urgency of the need to conserve and restore Hawaiian landscapes. Hawaiian forests face many threats such as housing developments, Rapid `Ohi`a Death, invasive plant and animal species, climate change, and wildfires. Over the last 25 years, as I have researched these forests, I have simultaneously witnessed the loss and degradation of Hawaiian ecosystems. These losses diminish wildlife, cultural resources, social cohesion, and beauty across our landscapes. Bill 178 would establish Hawaii Island as a national leader in forest restoration, with its addition of inclusion of functional forests and successional forests. Bill 178 is a progressive policy that acknowledges the value of Hawaiian forests and rewards landowners for their protection, restoration, and expansion. I urge the County Council to take this bold action to establish Hawaii County as a pioneer in forest restoration policy. In this time of global uncertainty, Bill 178 provides an economical and just solution for our local environment. Sincerely, Rebecca Ostertag, Ph.D.