STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3876

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 61

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 61 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO WORK WITH ITS PARTNERS TO INCREASE INVESTMENT IN POLICIES, INCENTIVES, WORKFORCE, AND NURSERY CAPACITY TO REFOREST HAWAII'S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Land and Natural Resources to work with its partners to increase investment in policies, incentives, workforce, and nursery capacity to reforest the State's public and private lands.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Reforestation Policy Hui, CivicNexus, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that, though state forests form the foundation of the State's unique environmental prosperity and Native Hawaiian culture, numerous manmade and ecological malpractices have resulted in the clearance and degradation of native forests. Your Committee recognizes that reversing this history of decline will require widespread, coordinated efforts on the part of government and private entities. This measure will prioritize reforestation as an investment toward achieving the State's climate resilience, watershed protection, and ecosystem restoration goals.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 61, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, Culture and the Arts,

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CHRIS LEE, Chair