HCR121.DOC

WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI) is a non-profit organization located on the Island of Hawaii that is focused and committed to the revitalization, reforestation, and restoration of the native Hawaiian rain forests, by and through its coined Hawaiian Legacy Forest and Legacy Trees; and

WHEREAS, HLRI was created to establish a new way of sustainable reforestation that is found nowhere else on Earth; and

WHEREAS, HLRI's mission is to promote and assist in the reforestation of precious Hawaii forest land with the endemic species of trees and plants native to Hawaii, including koa, O’hia, and sandalwood; and

WHEREAS, HLRI promotes the integral relationship between the native Hawaiian culture, tradition and history with the resource management of the endemic Hawaiian rain forest; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Islands were once covered with ample koa forests; and

WHEREAS, however, over the years the Hawaiian koa wood forests have substantially declined and much of the habitat in these forests has been diminished or depleted; and

WHEREAS, koa wood is rich in value, both historically and culturally; and

WHEREAS, HLRI also facilitates the planting of native understory trees and shrubs like māmane, naio,‘ōhi‘a, kōlea, ‘ākala and ferns; and

WHEREAS, planting a new forest of trees creates an environment that evolves to encompass the return of wildlife once native to such lands, including birds, bees and animals; and

WHEREAS, as a result, HLRI promotes reforestation efforts and the preservation of managed rain forest ecosystem by planting endemic trees, including koa, o’hia, and sandalwood, while providing a native habitat for Hawaii's rarest birds like the endangered io, pueo, akepa and akiapolaʻau; and

WHEREAS, by emphasizing forestry and increasing the production of native trees, our entire community benefits from improved air quality since trees generate oxygen as they grow in the biosphere; and

WHEREAS, the innovative and ground-breaking program, Legacy Carbon, has been launched and is producing certified carbon credits for the reforestation of its endemic koa trees; and

WHEREAS, HLRI uses a "proprietary radio-frequency identification (RFID) geo-tagging technology that tracks ongoing growth, maintenance, genealogy, and carbon data of every single tree, so every purchaser of a carbon credit can track the quantifiable impact of their purchase of koa trees planted for permanent reforestation in HLRI's Hawaiian Legacy Forest"; and

WHEREAS, this certified carbon credit program is the only certified carbon credit program of its kind in Hawaii and has been certified by and through the Gold Standard Foundation based in Switzerland, which serves as confirmation that HLRI's program has implemented the best practice rules; and

WHEREAS, the Gold Standard, which is the toughest certification standard in the world, and established by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and other non-governmental organizations to maximize positive environmental and social outcomes by ensuring quality, integrity, and strong governance in climate change initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the WWF also works with more than 1,100 projects in over 70 countries and maintains that Gold Standard projects have delivered billions of dollars in global greenhouse gas emission reductions and life-changing sustainable development in local communities; and

WHEREAS, in addition, the reforestation efforts advanced by HLRI facilitate countless other benefits to the environment through watershed protection and the improvement of water quality and quantity on forested lands, stream quality, and coral reef habitat; and

WHEREAS, further, HLRI's reforestation goals and benefits also encompass the facilitation of soil conservation as forest cover reduces erosion; and

WHEREAS, trees and foliage have been found to benefit the public health by improving community aesthetics and air quality, encouraging physical activity, and reducing energy use; and

WHEREAS, this State has designated certain habitats critical for survival for trees endemic to Hawaii, such as 'Aiea, and instituted measures designed to protect such areas through fencing, weed and fire control, and planting; and

WHEREAS, combined efforts with this State and HLRI would be in furtherance of the Hawaii Exceptional Tree Act, Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 1975, in which the Legislature established the public policy that rapid urban development had led to the destruction of many of the State's exceptional trees; and

WHEREAS, because of this, Act 105 was enacted to ensure that the State recognize that trees are valuable for their beauty and that they perform crucial ecological functions; and

WHEREAS, during the Regular Session of 2016, the Legislature has acknowledged, recognized, and supported various programs to address carbon offset -- meaning the compensatory measure made by an individual or entity for carbon emissions – including those which facilitated the planting of trees endemic to Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, HLRI promotes and offers a service of great public benefit that:

(1) Has favorable environmental impact that is culturally and historically particular to this State;

(2) Reinforces improvement of air quality; and

(3) Furthers the extremely important goal of increasing the size and quality of native forest in Hawaii;

now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session 2016, that this body urges the Departments of Land and Natural Resources, Health, and Business, Economic Development and Tourism, to support the efforts of HLRI in restoring, revitalizing, and protecting endemic species in the State of Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Departments of Land and Natural Resources, Health, and Business, Economic Development and Tourism assist HLRI in actively developing, continuing, and maintaining reforestation efforts, including but not limited to:

(1) Advancing the optimal use and economic benefit of forest products;

(2) Establishing working programs related to the sustainable planting of trees within this State and ON its land; and

(3) Participating actively in the continued research of endemic Hawaiian plants and animals as reforestation progresses;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; the Lieutenant Governor; the members of Hawaii’s Congressional Delegation; the Chair and Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; and to the Directors of Land and Natural Resources, Health, and Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Legacy Tree Reso

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	121
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII