REPORT TITLE:
Timber Management 


DESCRIPTION:
Provides for reforestation and maintenance of timber harvest
areas on state lands; enhanced management of public forest
reserves; development of public education and training programs.
(SD2)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        1097
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO TIMBER MANAGEMENT.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that a sustainable forest
 
 2 products industry can help to revitalize rural economies and
 
 3 expand local business activities in the wake of the downsizing of
 
 4 Hawaii's sugar industry.  This can be done without compromising,
 
 5 and by in fact enhancing, the watershed and native resource
 
 6 values of our public forest reserves.  Although the forest
 
 7 reserve system was set up to be as self-sustaining as possible,
 
 8 public land managers need authority to use revenues from
 
 9 harvested timber and other forest products to fund essential
 
10 forest management activities.  Existing budgets allow for only
 
11 sixty acres per year to be harvested and reforested sustainably.
 
12 Thus, the commercial management of public forests makes little
 
13 contribution to the recovery and growth of Hawaii's economy.
 
14 Increased monitoring and compliance responsibilities are also
 
15 demanding more concentrated staff time.  A portion of the value
 
16 derived from the harvest of existing non-native forest resources
 
17 should be reinvested in order to reforest and manage harvested
 
18 areas and to more effectively manage other forest resources
 
19 within the forest reserve system.  This could all be done without
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 any impact on existing general fund revenue.  In addition, the
 
 2 public will respond more favorably to the use of its forest
 
 3 resources if proceeds derived from harvesting can be reinvested
 
 4 into our forests.  Funding should also be provided for
 
 5 environmental education materials and training programs that
 
 6 further the development of a responsible and sustainable forest
 
 7 management industry in Hawaii.
 
 8      The purposes of this Act are to:
 
 9      (1)  Provide for the reforestation and maintenance of
 
10           harvested plantation and naturalized non-native forest
 
11           areas on state lands;
 
12      (2)  Enhance the management of public forest reserves in
 
13           order to improve Hawaii's natural environment and
 
14           economy; and
 
15      (3)  Develop environmental educational and training programs
 
16           for the public.
 
17 This will be funded through the reinvestment of income derived
 
18 from the harvesting of non-native forest products from state
 
19 lands and the sale of tree seedlings from state nurseries.
 
20      SECTION 2.  Section 183-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
21 amended to read as follows:
 
22      "§183-16  Income from forest reserve.  (a)  In case any
 
23 moneys accrue from the harvest of non-native forest products from
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 any forest reserve or the sale of tree seedlings from state
 
 2 nurseries, the moneys shall be deposited into the forest
 
 3 stewardship fund.
 
 4      (b)  In case any other moneys accrue from any forest
 
 5 reserve, or the products thereof, [or the sale of tree seedlings
 
 6 from state nurseries,] the moneys shall be deposited with the
 
 7 state director of finance to the credit of the general fund."
 
 8      SECTION 3.  Section 195F-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 9 amended to read as follows:
 
10      "[[]§195F-3[]]  Establishment of the forest stewardship
 
11 program.(a)  There is established a forest stewardship program
 
12 to be administered by the board to assist private landowners in
 
13 managing, protecting, and restoring important watersheds, native
 
14 vegetation, timber resources, fish and wildlife habitats,
 
15 isolated populations of rare and endangered plants, and other
 
16 lands that are not recognized as potential natural area reserves.
 
17      (b)  The program shall reimburse landowners for a portion of
 
18 the landowners' total costs in developing and implementing
 
19 approved forest stewardship management plans, as set forth in
 
20 this chapter.
 
21      (c)  The program shall also assist in the forest stewardship
 
22 of public lands and in developing education and training programs
 
23 for sustainable forestry as set forth in section 195F-4(a)(2)."
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 4.  Section 195F-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(a)  There is established a special fund within the state
 
 4 treasury known as the forest stewardship fund [from which
 
 5 payments].  The fund shall be used:
 
 6      (1)  For payments that shall be made by the board pursuant
 
 7           to agreements entered into with qualified landowners to
 
 8           further the purposes of this chapter[.]; and
 
 9      (2)  To accomplish the following activities with moneys
 
10           collected from the harvest of non-native products from
 
11           state lands and the sale of tree seedlings from state
 
12           nurseries:
 
13           (A)  Replanting, managing, and maintaining designated
 
14                timber management areas;
 
15           (B)  Enhancing the management of public forest
 
16                reserves; and
 
17           (C)  Developing environmental education and training
 
18                programs pertaining to sustainable forestry;
 
19                provided that funding for the purposes described
 
20                in subparagraph (B) and this subparagraph shall
 
21                not occur unless the activities described in
 
22                approved management plans pertaining to
 
23                subparagraph (A) are adequately funded."
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 5.  Section 195F-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(e)  The board shall submit annually a detailed report to
 
 4 the governor and legislature [setting forth] that shall:
 
 5      (1)  Identify management objectives that have been
 
 6           completed[,] on private lands resulting from payments
 
 7           made as set forth in section 195F-4(a)(1) and provide
 
 8           an analysis of problems and issues encountered in
 
 9           meeting or failing to meet objectives as set forth in
 
10           the management plans[, the financial condition of the
 
11           fund, and management objectives for the next year.];
 
12      (2)  Identify all reforestation, forest management,
 
13           education, and training objectives that have been
 
14           completed as a result of any expenditures made as set
 
15           forth in section 195F-4(a)(2);
 
16      (3)  Describe the financial condition of the fund, including
 
17           receipts and expenditures for the fund for the previous
 
18           fiscal year; and
 
19      (4)  Describe plans and management objectives for the next
 
20           fiscal year."
 
21      SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
22 New statutory material is underscored.
 
23      SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999.