Changes could be coming to a state program that helps private landowners protect natural resources on their properties.
The Forest Stewardship Program provides technical and financial assistance for participating landowners to manage, protect and restore those resources.
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is considering amendments to the program and wants the public to weigh in.
Those amendments include including long-term leaseholders in the program, increased state cost-share support for the development of the management plans on private lands, allowing non-timber forest products to qualify for the program and financial support for portions of plan implementation.
Additionally, they could modernize eligibility criteria so that a “broader set of landowners can participate in the program,” the DLNR said in a news release.
More flexibility for program applicants to get support for the program could come via the amended rules.
The DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife will hold a public hearing on the proposed amendments at 5:30 p.m. on March 13.
The hearing will take place at the Kalanimoku Building at 1151 Punchbowl St. in Room 132.
Comments can also be sent to the department at foreststewardship@hawaii.gov. Attendants can also register for remote attendance via Zoom.
