Encouraging land oners to protect mauka land

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO CONDUCT AN ANALYSIS OF INCENTIVES TO PROMOTE LANDOWNER PROTECTION OF IMPORTANT MAUKA LANDS


PURPOSE

This final report complies with House Concurrent Resolution 200, House Draft 1 (HCR 200) of the 2006 Regular Session, which acknowledges the importance, in Hawai‘i and throughout the World, of protecting and preserving natural resources that in turn provide ecosystem services to the communities surrounding them. Through this concurrent resolution, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) was directed to “conduct an analysis of local, national, and international incentive programs that promote landowner protection of important mauka lands and recognize the public benefits of the ecosystem services provided by those lands.” Furthermore DLNR was asked to generate ideas and recommendations, in consultation with relevant parties, to support effective stewardship of Hawaii’s diverse mauka lands, including intact forest, open woodlands, and pasture lands.

DLNR organized a project steering committee to aid in research, organization, and discussion related to this resolution. This Committee is committed to continuing to work on recommendations found in this report and suggest that this needed effort be continue and named the BEST Project - Benefits from Ecosystem Services Tomorrow.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Over half of the lands in Hawai‘i are privately owned and mauka lands, including intact forests, open woodlands, and pasture lands, and provide a significant amount of “ecosystem services,” that support all of Hawaii’s residents and visitors. These services include the delivery of clean drinking water, carbon sequestration that stabilizes the climate, components and plans for cultural practices, opportunities for recreation, and many others. These lands also play a critical role in supporting Hawaii’s unique native plants and animals. Therefore, it is essential to provide solid stewardship incentives for private landowners, especially for mauka lands that are critical in ecosystem service production.

While mauka lands provide life-supporting services of immense economic and cultural value, these services are often insufficiently monitored and undervalued in land use decisions. The responsibilities and costs associated with the production of ecosystem services fall largely upon mauka landowners, despite the broad benefits that accrue to the public. With over half of the land in Hawai‘i privately owned, there is a critical need to provide an array of incentives that meet the diverse situations of landowners to ensure a secure supply of ecosystem services for current and future generations.

The overall goal of this final report is to catalyze a major shift in the way we value natural capital and the ecosystem services it provides. The report is meant to implement a change in the way we look at the environment; not solely as a “free good” but rather promoting the understanding that by nurturing ecosystems, we are ultimately providing long-term benefits for everyone. The question is how will we accomplish this vast vision in the State of Hawai‘i?

Included in this report are a number of specific recommendations for enhancing mauka landowner interest in land use practices that protect and promote ecosystem services. The body of the report contains recommendations for both state and county government as well as numerous supporting documents to provide greater detail to the context of the work.

The HCR 200 Project Steering Committee recommends the following key initiatives to promote private landowner support for conservation actions and to establish incentives for landowner action.

• Expand the use and effectiveness of landowner assistance programs by continuing state funded programs, and working closely with federal counterparts to ensure programs work well together. Key actions include removal and reduction of disincentives to participation, increasing landowner access to information, and providing favorable cost share or other financial support.

• Establish state tax credits for donated conservation easements and landowner-funded activities that promote conservation on private lands. The combination of existing federal tax benefits and proposed state tax credits will stimulate expanded conservation on mauka lands.

• Expand Use of Real Property Tax Incentives. Programs are needed to remove barriers for landowners by reducing the financial burden of holding land with high economic potential for development, while simultaneously providing public benefits in its current use. Counties are encouraged to develop preferential property tax programs that provide landowners with tax incentives for preserving agricultural, ranching, forest, and conservation lands

• Fund pilot projects to quantify and value ecosystem services provided by mauka lands. This will require embracing new technologies, expanding research, and implementing on-the-ground projects to demonstrate costs and benefits of societal investment in ecosystem services.

• Establish an array of market-based funding mechanisms for ecosystem services, including launching a Hawai‘i Fund for Conservation to link buyers and sellers of ecosystem services.

• Dedicate a position to coordinate efforts among government agencies, stakeholders and experts to implement multiple new ecosystem service projects. A dedicated position for these efforts can also facilitate interaction among other important initiatives such as biofuels and green house gas emission reductions.

• Continue a planning and advisory committee to develop and promote ecosystem services in the State of Hawai‘i under the auspices of the BEST Project – Benefits from Ecosystem Services Tomorrow.

By acting upon these recommendations, we can take necessary steps towards valuing and protecting Hawaii’s ecosystem services for current and future generations.

Attached to this report are numerous supporting documents expanding upon all the recommendations, ideas, and discussion points presented in this report. Each topic is meant to encourage the continuation of this worthy effort and the vision from which it was created.