Hawaii pledges planting, conservation of 100 million trees by 2030
Hawaii is pledging to plant, conserve or restore 100 million trees by 2030 as part of a worldwide initiative to combat global warming.
The One Trillion Trees Pledge is part of the World Economic Forum’s efforts to accelerate nature-based solutions and was set up to support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030. The Hawaii pledge is led by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and supported by the state departments of Transportation and Defense.
This initiative is a direct approach to combating global warming, according to a news release.
“Forest carbon projects withdraw carbon dioxide (CO2), the greenhouse gas largely responsible for global climate change, and stores it in trees or other biomass,” DLNR Chairperson Suzanne Case said. “The actions planned until the end of this decade will contribute to our net-negative carbon goal. Already we’ve seen progress.”
In 2017 Hawaii forests sequestered 2.69 metric tons of CO2 and this is anticipated to increase by 2030, Case said.
“We will permanently conserve 43,000 acres of forest and we will build conservation fences to protect an additional 106,816 acres from feral ungulates in our watersheds to ensure this number grows,” Case added.
The state DOD has also pledged to plant more trees on properties under its jurisdiction. Hawaii Adjutant Gen. Kenneth S. Hara said the department will be planting 1,200 trees annually and “Is proud to be a part of this global initiative.”
Throughout the worldwide initiative, DLNR’s goals will be guided by seven action areas, such as protecting existing forests, conserving private land through legal protections, planting trees to restore existing forest lands, planting trees to reclaim unused rural lands where forests used to exist, planting trees to advance agroforestry, planting trees in urban areas and facilitating natural regeneration. The state already has a legacy of protecting forests and trees, including the Hawaii 30x30 watershed protection goals or the Kaulunani Urban & Community Forestry Program.
There are also fencing and planting projects in the Nakula Natural Area Reserve on Maui.
The key to reaching the 100 million goal is the involvement of private partners through watershed partnerships and the DLNR forest stewardship program, the department said.
“Ensuring privately held forest lands are protected can be accomplished by best practices, such as natural resource management, conservation easements or acquisition by the state,” according to the news release. “DLNR also plans to continue work with federal partners to raise funds for the purchase of priority forests to bring them into permanent conservation under state protection.”
For more information about the One Trillion Trees Pledge, visit www.1t.org/.