A new law allows the state to give more authority to grassroots organizations that do conservation work.
Many community-led nonprofit groups already help the state manage natural and cultural resources, but the authors of House Bill 2218 said that “the lack of statutory authority and a formalized process limits their effectiveness.”
One example is the Hui Makaʻāinana o Makana, which was formed in 1998 to steward Hā’ena State Park on Kauaʻi. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has worked with the group for decades, but they haven’t been able to come to a long-term co-management agreement.
HB 2218 allows the land board to determine if community groups are qualified for a co-management agreement. That enables the state to share its “management functions and responsibilities and the rights of entry” with those nonprofit groups.
Olan Leimomi Fisher is an advocate for Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, which helped spearhead the bill. She spoke at a signing ceremony for the bill this month.
“For the Native Hawaiian and local communities that we work with directly, this means giving them a real seat and voice at the table as the community co-managers that they are and always have been for generations,” she said.
Community groups assist with managing wildlife sanctuaries, hiking trails and even fishing areas, like those in Miloliʻi, Hāʻena, Kīpahulu and Kealakekua.
The Hawaiʻi Land Trust, which does land stewardship work with both public and private partners, said in written testimony, “Community co-management is a proven model for effective stewardship, as it leverages local knowledge, ensures a consistent presence on the ground, and fosters a deep sense of kuleana among residents.”
