HR 35: urging the Department of Land and Natural Resources and other state agencies to work with committed community groups to co-steward community forests located on public lands for the betterment of the state's forests and communities.

HOUSE RESOLUTION

urging the Department of Land and Natural Resources and other state agencies to work with committed community groups to co-steward community forests located on public lands for the betterment of the state's forests and communities.

     WHEREAS, Governor Josh Green, M.D., has proclaimed 2025 the Year of Our Community Forests; and

     WHEREAS, the mission of the Department of Land and Natural Resources is to enhance, protect, conserve, and manage the State's unique and limited natural, cultural, and historic resources that are held in public trust for current and future generations of the people of Hawaii and its visitors, in partnership with others from the public and private sectors; and

     WHEREAS, community forests are forests where the people of Hawaii live, learn, work, and play; and

     WHEREAS, trees and community forests provide significant health benefits, including access to food and medicinal plants, stress reduction, and reduced incidences of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases; and

     WHEREAS, trees and community forests provide extensive environmental benefits, including clean air and water, reduced noise and air pollution, native species habitats, carbon storage, and reduced erosion; and

     WHEREAS, trees and community forests provide important economic benefits, including increased property values; cooling for cities and neighborhoods, with less need for air conditioning; increased spending at businesses near trees; support for arboriculture and forestry jobs and ecotourism and outdoor recreation businesses; and the sale of forest products such as food, fiber, timber, medicines, and textiles; and

     WHEREAS, traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices are supported through forestry stewardship and aloha ‘āina; therefore, it is critical for the State to build and maintain sustainable, healthy forests; and

     WHEREAS, the State manages over seven hundred thousand acres of public forest reserve lands, in addition to other public lands with trees and community forests such as state parks, school campuses, and transit corridors; and

     WHEREAS, investing in forest stewardship requires considerable dedication, effort, expertise, tools, human resources, and time and is often associated with community members' love of the land; and

     WHEREAS, there exists a need for sustained, collaborative relationships among communities and agencies that recognize and honor community investment; and

     WHEREAS, active co-stewardship of community forests between the State and the people of Hawaii will improve the State's communities and community forests; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources and other state agencies are urged to work with committed community groups to co-steward community forests located on public lands for the betterment of the State's forests and communities; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson and each member of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Report Title: 

Community Forests; DLNR; State Agencies

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1701

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

RE:   H.R. No. 35

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.R. No. 35 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES TO WORK WITH COMMITTED COMMUNITY GROUPS TO CO-STEWARD COMMUNITY FORESTS LOCATED ON PUBLIC LANDS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE STATE'S FORESTS AND COMMUNITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Land and Natural Resources and other state agencies to work with committed community groups to co-steward community forests located on public lands for the betterment of the State's forests and communities.  

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Food+ Policy; Hawaii Climate Change and Health Working Group; Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo; and two individuals.   

     Your Committee finds that trees and forests provide extensive environmental, cultural, and economic benefits.  Your Committee further finds that active community collaboration and involvement play an important role in the effective management of the State's forests.  Establishing a co-stewardship between the State and local communities for the management of community forests will greatly improve and benefit the State's communities and forests and aligns with the State's mission to responsibly manage and protect Hawaii's natural and cultural resources.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 35 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,