HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.010 2018-2020Ka'ahahui 'o Ka Nahelehele P.O. Box 2933, Kamuela H1 96743
President Mary Metcalf - Vice President Elliott Parsons - Treasurer Sally Rice - Secretary Peter Van Dyke
Marian Chau - Susan Cordell - Jen Lawson - Lisa Hadway Spain - Ron Terry - Jifl Wagner
July 6, 2020 COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAII
County Clerk Office RECEIVED
25 Aupuni Street Time II'OZOrn ByAff
Hilo, HI 967420 JUL 0 6 2020
via email to: counciltestimon hawaiicount ov Date
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Written Testimony on Bill 178 Relating to Native Forest Dedications
Dear Esteemed County Council Members,
This written testimony on Bill 178 relating to Native Forest Dedications, is to provide strong support of
the proposed amendments to Chapter 19, Article 8, Section 19-59, of the Hawai'i County Code.
Considerably less than ten percent of the once abundant tropical dry forests remain on Hawaii Island,
and though several projects have demonstrated success in restoring Hawaii's dry forests, very little
overall restoration progress has been made. Native forests are also being heavily damaged by Rapid
`Ohi'a Death (ROD), with 180,000 acres of 'ohi'a forests, which are critical for Hawaii's water supply,
impacted by this fungal disease on Hawai'i Island with no end in sight. The need for restoring our native
forests grows daily, along with the need for the many benefits they provide such as fresh water,
biodiversity and habitat protection for native flora and fauna, carbon sequestration for climate change
mitigation, and erosion control for protecting shorelines and coral reefs, to name just a few of their
many ecological and societal benefits.
Unfortunately, Hawaii County's current property tax structure provides an economic incentive to
convert forested conservation lands to pasture or other agricultural uses. The exception is Chapter 19,
Article 8, Section 19-59 of Hawaii's County Code which taxes landowners at the lower agricultural rate if
they dedicate native forest for preservation for a period of 20 years. The proposed amendments to this
section will strengthen this provision by providing improved native forest dedication categories and tax
incentives to restore native forests. Sixty six percent of the total forestland in the state of Hawaii is
estimated to be owned by private landowners. Given the considerable cost in forest restoration, these
proposed amendments will encourage much needed native forest restoration across the island, such as
dry forests remnants and the `ohi'a forests being decimated by ROD.
Wai (fresh water) is a vitally important resource for life, and a top priority in every aspect of land use
and planning. The fresh water provided by our native forests is essential for food production and overall
sustainability in these islands. We humbly request due consideration of the well thought out, proposed
amendments to the County Code, to help "ho'o wai wai" (bring prosperity) for all life dependent on
these natural resources.
Mahalo nui loa,
4 MTT�i i
Mary Metcalf, President
Comm. No. q $0 0
Ref. To: PI&
Ref. Date W-, 0 7 29N
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