Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 4, 1 April 1992 — New program will help Molokaʻī watershed [ARTICLE]

New program will help Molokaʻī watershed

Moloka'i Ranch management and Judy Haneoek of the Big Island have entered into 10-year forest stewardship partnerships with the state and federal governments. The stewardship grants awarded total $137,346. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved the two stewardship plans that are funded by the state legislature, augmented by federal funds, and matched by the landowners. The grants assist landowners to manage, protect and restore important natural resources on their forested and formerly-forest-ed lands.

Moloka'i Ranch will restore and protect a declining watershed in west Moloka'i, including brush and erosion control, reforestation, fencing and fire break maintenance, on some 425 acres at the Puu Nana summit. The plan is expected to alleviate siltation on the island's reefs and increase both land and marine resources.

Haneoek will restore dryland forest with remnant native trees: koai'e, naio, oiopua, 'iliahi and native shrubs. Stewardship will include building fences to keep out livestock, planting native trees, building a water storage pond and a nursery to propagate native trees. Nine landowners applied for the grants in response to DLNR's request for proposals published last June. Six who responded were asked to develop proposals and two chosen. The other four proposals will be considered this month by the land board. Hawai'i and Washington are the only states to set up the stewardship programs.