Presentation by: Melissa Irene Sprecher, Cooperative Resource Management Forester

DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife

November 15, 2012 Koa Symposium

Forestry Incentive Programs for

Land Management and Conservation

Hawaii Forestry Incentive Programs

Department of Land and Natural Resources

• Hawaii Forest Stewardship Program

• Forest Legacy Program

• Community Forest Program

• Recovery Land Acquisition program

• Hawaii Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

• Natural Area Partnership Program

• Urban and Community Forestry Program

• Watershed Partnership Program

• Legacy Land Conservation Fund

USDA Natural Resources Conservation

Service

• Environmental Quality Incentive Program

• Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program

• Wetland Reserve Program

• Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program

• Grassland Reserve Program

• Conservation Stewardship Program

USDA Farm Service Agency

• Conservation Reserve Program

• Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

• Partners for Fish and Wildlife

• Safe Harbor Agreements

• Coastal Program

US Department of Defense

• Army Compatible Use Buffer program

Tax Incentives

• Federal

• County

H&G Koa and Dougherty

Location: Hamakua, Hawaii Island

Acres: 10 acres & 7 acres

Programs: Forest Stewardship Program

Project: lower elevation koa restoration J.B. Friday

J.B. Friday J.B. Friday

Location: South Hilo, Hawaii Island

Acres: 6

Programs: Hawaii CREP

Project: forest restoration

Glatzer

J.B. Friday

Location: Laupahoehoe, Hawaii Island

Acres: 21

Programs: FSP, Community Forest Program

Project: lower elevation forest production, community forest

Ookala Community Demonstration Forest

J.B. Friday J.B. Friday J.B. Friday

Location: Kalihi, Oahu

Acres: 30

Programs: Urban and Community Forestry, FSP, Community Forest Program

Project: forest restoration, agroforestry and community gardening

Ho’oulu Aina

Urban and Community Forestry

Community Forest Program

Kaulunani improves the health and viability of trees in Hawaiian communities through educational programs, financial support in the form of cost-share grants, technical training, Arbor Day promotion, and partnerships with the public and private sectors, community groups and not-for-profit organizations.

CFP protects forests that are important for people and the places they call home.

• Community forests provide many benefits such as places to recreate and enjoy nature; they protect habitat, water quality and other environmental benefits, and they can provide

economic benefits through timber resources.

• Community Forests have also long been sites for environmental and cultural education.

Umikoa Ranch

Location: Hamakua, Hawaii Island

Acres: 850

Programs: Stewardship Incentive Program

Project: koa scarification and silvopasture

J.B. Friday J.B. Friday

J.B. Friday J.B. Friday J.B. Friday

Ola Honua

Location: Hana, Maui

Acres: 275

Programs: Forest Stewardship Program, IRS donation

Project: conservation easement donation, timber production, forest restoration, and agroforestry

FSP and timber production (payback provision)

Kona Hema Preserve

Location: South Kona, Hawaii Island

Acres: 8,000

Programs: Forest Legacy Program, Big Tree Champion

Project: 3 conservation easements projects, koa scarification J.B. Friday

J.B. Friday

Hawaii Forest Legacy Program http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/forestry/hflp

Requirements

Competitive funding for land and conservation easement

acquisitions

Conservation Agency must hold the title to land

Program

Purpose of the program is to protect environmentally important

forest lands from the threat of conversion to non-forest uses

Legacy involves partnerships with Federal, State, Non-profits,

and Private landowners

Eligible land is based on the State Assessment of Needs

There is a lot of “due diligence” to be completed before

an acquisition can close. This must be factored into the

timeline.

Conservation easement rights - minimum is development

rights.

Kealakekua Heritage

Ranch

Management plans and 25% match

Location: South Kona, Hawaii Island

Acres: 9,000

Programs: FSP, FLP, EQIP

Project: conservation easement, working ranch, forest restoration, forest products

Environmental Quality Incentive Program

Kukaiau Ranch

Location: Hamakua, Hawaii Island

Acres: 8,000

Programs: Hawaii CREP, FLP, LLCF, Watershed Partnership Program

Project: conservation easements donation and purchase, fee title purchase, koa restoration

Legacy Land Conservation Fund

Watershed

Partnership Program

• Watersheds protection • Parks • Coastal areas, beaches, and ocean access • Natural areas

LLCP provides funding from the Land Conservation Fund for the acquisition of lands, including easements, for:

• Habitat protection • Agricultural production • Cultural and historical sites • Open spaces and scenic resources • Recreational and public hunting area

Watershed Partnerships are voluntary alliances of public and private landowners committed to the common value of protecting large areas of forested watersheds for water recharge and other values.

Location: Puna, Hawaii Island

Acres: 40

Programs: FSP, EQIP, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Native Forest Dedication

Project: forest conservation and restoration

Ku ‘Ohia Laka

Educational project

Native Forest Dedication (Hawaii County)

Administering

agency

Hawaii County

Purpose Preservation, restoration, and conservation of native forest

(defined as at least 25% tree cover and 60% cover of native

forest species)

Land Eligibility Private property or lease of at least 20 yrs, minimum 3 acres

Incentive Low tax assessments, same as for pasture

Time frame 20 year agreement to use land as native forest

Other

Requirements

Forest management plan; written affidavit from recognized

forestry professional that restoration plan is likely to succeed

within the designated time period

Contact Real Property Tax Division – Appraiser (808) 961-8354

http://www.hawaiipropertytax.com

Click “Forms & Instructions,” then “Dedications,” then “Native

Forest Dedication”

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/Data/incentives.html#hawaii%20native%20forest

Location: Various

Acres: 3/80, 40, 300

Programs: FSP, Hawaii CREP, WHIP, EQIP

Project: forest restoration, conservation and agroforestry

Dalton, Neirode, Ohulehule

Joint Forestry MOU

Kainalu Ranch

Location: Molokai

Acres: 1,500

Programs: FSP, Landowner Incentive Program, FLP, Recovery Land Acquisition program, LLCF, Grassland Reserve Program, Wetland Reserve Program, Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program

Project: Multiple project across the ranch property – conservation easement, forest plan and management, grassland management, wetland restoration, wildlife habitat improvement

Timeline

Program Information

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/Data/incentives.html

Melissa Irene Sprecher, Cooperative Resource Management Forester

DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife

Melissa.I.Sprecher@hawaii.gov

(808) 587-4167

www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw