Findings and purpose
HRS §195F-1
in effect195F-1. Findings and purpose
The legislature finds that:
(1) Much of the forest land in Hawaii is privately
owned and managed;
(2) The capacity to protect important watersheds and
native Hawaiian plants and animals and to produce renewable forest resources is
significantly dependent on these privately managed forest and formerly forested
lands;
(3) The factors essential to the quality of life in
Hawaii, including our water and air quality, mild climate, and habitat
available for plants and animals unique to these islands, can be maintained and
improved through good stewardship of privately managed forest lands;
(4) To accomplish these purposes, the present system
of state and federal financial and technical assistance programs needs to be
expanded to promote the long-term management of additional privately managed
forest and formerly forested lands throughout the State; and
(5) A forest stewardship program should be
established to supplement the natural area reserves system's programs under
chapter 195 by encouraging landowners of privately managed forest and formerly
forested lands that cannot qualify as potential natural area reserves to make
long-term commitments to protect, maintain, and restore important watersheds,
forest resources, forest products, fish and wildlife habitats, isolated
populations of rare and endangered plants, native vegetation, and other lands
that provide significant public benefits.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish a
program to financially assist landowners in managing, protecting, and restoring
important natural resources in Hawaii's forested and formerly forested lands.
[L
1991, c 327, pt of §2; am L 2021, c 221, §1]
Source: Hawaii State Legislature (capitol.hawaii.gov), via Internet Archive capturesURL: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol03_Ch0121-0200D/HRS0195F/HRS_0195F-0001.htmFetched: 11/10/2026