HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0988.012 2018-2020SU611-6. MW
Pa'auilo, Hawai'I 96776
June 30, 2020
COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY `OF HAWAI ' I
RECEIVED
TimHY f
Date JUL 0 s 2020
Re: SUPPORT for Hawaii County Bill 178 Relating to Native Forest Dedication
Aloha Honorable Chairman Aaron Chung, Vice -chair Karen Eoff and Members of the Hawaii
County Council:
Paniolo Tonewoods (PT) is pleased to submit this testimony in support of Bill 178.
Paniolo Tonewoods is a Hawai`iregistered company focused on securing sustainably grown
tropical hardwoods for the manufacture of guitars and other musical instruments. Our
company is a collaboration between America's foremost guitar company and the country's
leading tonewood producer. Taylor Guitars and Pacific Rim Tonewoods share a common
mission: to ensure future wood supply for their businesses by fostering thriving conditions in
the forests from which the trees are harvested. PT's values reflect its owners' decades of
experience in all stages of the forest and wood -products industries, including forest harvesting,
milling, reforestation, scientific tree -improvement research, and the commercial manufacturing
of guitars.
For many years, Taylor Guitars has purchased high-quality koa logs from Hawaiian suppliers
and has sought to secure a stable supply of this unique Hawaiian tonewood. To that end, we are
currently harvesting and reforesting koa on 1,400 acres of Kamehameha Schools land at
Honaunau. We have also purchased 565 acres of open pasture between Waimea and
Honoka'a that we will begin re -planting later this year as a koa and associated native forest
species under a 10 -year state Forest Stewardship contract. On that same property, we have
already installed an access road and graded a mill site in preparation for building a state-of-the-
art sawmill as soon as economic conditions allow. In short, we are already deeply invested in
the future of koa forestry and milling on the island of Hawai'i.
Comm. No. —1
Ref. To:
Ref. Date.1111 _0 7 2
Since 20041 the current Native Forestry designation has resulted in 129 dedications, covering
681202 acres. This has been an important tool to assist landowners with a conservation ethic.
However, in these intervening 16 years, there have been zero (0) reforestation projects
registered with the county real property tax office.. Also; this designation tends to reduce,
rather than increase, the likelihood of some` m°ahbgement and harvest of trees that can help
the landowner meet the inherent costs--of--stewardsh-ip and,"land tenure. Our experience at _
Honaunau has shown that a selective.harv4st`of'koa-irr'a'degraded forest that has historically
had multiple entries can, nonetheless, pay for the costs of fencing, weed control and
reforestation. We have shared our experiences with others and believe this ordinance will go a
long way toward encouraging re -investment in stewardship by other landowners.
As advocates for management and stewardship of native forests, we are strongly in favor of
the proposed amendment that encourages reforestation and restoration while reducing the
property tax burden and holding costs for those landowners who pledge to manage their land
under an approved plan. Reducing that tax burden below the agricultural rate is appropriate
since the holding time for a forest to reach maturity (50+ year) and the inherent risks to
maintain a healthy forest for that period of time imposes a significant financial burden on a
willing landowner and his/her successors.
In addition, encouraging active forest management (in contrast to a passive dedication
strategy) will create a higher level of biodiversity, provide jobs both in the forest and in the
wood products sector, create additional economic benefits, sequester carbon, and reduce the
level of non-native invasive species.
We encourage the council to adopt this ordinance and to continue to work with forest
landowners and other interested parties to develop programs and policies that encourage
investment in and management of lands capable of regenerating native forest cover.
Mahalo-
Conservation & Community Engagement
Paniolo Tonewoods