For Dawn Chang, director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the first few months on the job have not been easy.
Climate change presents her department with unique challenges, but she told The Conversation that she is facing them head-on.
One recent issue came in the form of Gov. Josh Green's emergency housing order. The order exempts developers from environmental and cultural regulations. Chang said the public should not be worried.
The proclamation involved "months of consultation with the different agencies, with community members, to try to develop a process that will be more streamlined, but not compromise the integrity of either our natural resources, or our cultural resources," she said.
She wants people to know that there are safeguards in place to protect the environment and culturally significant land, including burial grounds.
"This is not one where the governor has said, 'I'm exempting everything,'" Chang explained. "He has said, 'Let's look at the process. Let's make it more streamlined.'"
Protecting Hawaiʻi's endemic species has also been a priority of Chang's.
Last month, she attended a press conference in Heʻeia, where U.S. Secretary Deb Haaland announced $16 million in funding to help save Hawaiʻi's native birds.
DLNR said the situation is dire for ʻakikiki birds, a type of honeycreeper. There are less than half a dozen left in the wild.
"I know if we don't do anything, those birds will die, they will never come back. I'm not willing to take that risk," Chang said.
Conservation efforts, she added, would not be possible without the support of her staff.
"These are people who are so dedicated," she said. "That's what moves me. That's what moves the department."
Looking forward, she hopes the millions of dollars in federal funding will help free up resources to protect other native species.
This interview aired on The Conversation on July 18, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. This interview was adapted for the web by Emily Tom.
