State Board of Land and Natural Resources to consider setting aside 2 parcels that would be leased for pastureland

Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources during its meeting today will consider setting aside two parcels of state-owned Big Island land to Hawai’i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity that would then be leased out as pasturelands for producers of grazing livestock such as cattle.

While the action has become rather common practice during the past 23 years with agriculture lands owned by the state, some are pushing for these two properties to be retained by the state because of their close vicinity to Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge.

Opponents claim the action would “destroy the area” cared for, protected and which continues to thrive with the help from countless people who worked hard to save the critical habitat — a sanctuary — for some of Hawai‘i’s rarest native species.

One parcel is located in Hāmākua and encompasses 3,110 acres. The other is in Piʻihonua, South Hilo, and includes 4,534.5 acres. Together, they provide slightly more than 7,600 acres proposed to be transferred to the state Agriculture Department.

The Hāmākua property is planned to be leased to Ernest De Luz Ranch and the South Hilo parcel expected to be leased by beef cattle producer Freddy Nobriga Enterprises. Both are state-owned and already have been leased out as pasturelands for at least more than 40 years to a De Luz or Nobriga, respectively.

Setting aside certain agriculture lands under jurisdiction of the state Land Department to the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity was mandated in 2003 by state law to ensure long-term productive use of public lands already under lease or available for lease.

Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources transferred about 28,450 acres prior to 2023, but retained large pasture leases adjacent to forest reserves because of their important natural resource value.

The state Land Department reconsidered its position, however, and now recommends the transfer of certain pasture-leased lands — including both parcels on today’s board agenda — to Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

A recommendation to Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources calls for approval of setting the parcels aside and asking Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green to issue an executive order doing so.

Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge is home to many native Hawaiian animal and plant species, including some that are critically endangered or on the brink of extinction. There are endemic birds, plants, land snails and insects that live within the refuge and found nowhere else on Earth.

“These parcels have been pasture for a very long time, but still have some native trees and forest,” wrote Conrad Newfield in a public post on the Hawai‘i Conservation group page, estimating the parcels have been used as pastureland for more than 100 years. “They are ideal candidates for forest restoration like what has been achieved at Hakalau.”

Newfield added that if left alone the two properties in question would create lots of critical habitat for endangered honeycreepers alone, but if transferred and again put out for lease, “they likely will stay pasture for the rest of our lifetime.”

Conservation Council for Hawai‘i reports U.S. Geological Survey models show restored forest in these two parcels would not only greatly increase habitat size but could support translocation of extinct-in-the-wild or critically endangered forest birds from Kaua‘i, such as ʻakikiki.

Furthermore, native forests on these lands help sustain water supplies for North Hilo and Hāmākua. Protecting those watersheds supports the region’s farms, ranches and communities, especially during drought, which has become more and more common during the past several years.

Another of the several reasons the council opposes the proposed transfer of the lands is so a highly flammable invasive shrub doesn’t continue to spread within either parcel or even the wildlife refuge.

Keeping the parcels under Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources management would lead to better control of gorse, which only increases wildfire threat.

“If status quo continues, gorse will continue to spread and the area will be useless for both pasture and reforestation,” said Conservation Council of Hawai‘i.

You can find additional information about the proposed setting aside of both parcels at the Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources website.

Today’s board meeting begins at 9 a.m. The two parcels will be considered as item D-6 under the Land Division section of the board’s agenda.

Those who want to provide testimony still have several ways to do so.

In-person testimony:

• Attend the board meeting live at 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 132, at the Kalanimōkū Building in Honolulu. Arrive at least fifteen 15 minutes prior to meeting start time in order to add your name to the sign-in sheet.

Video testimony:

• Testify online via Zoom.

By telephone:

• At the start of the agenda item, dial 1-719-359-4580 (Zoom); input meeting ID 822 3757 4903 and follow the prompts.

Those who want to watch today’s meeting but cannot make it in-person but don’t want to testify can watch the board’s livestream on YouTube.