County of Hawaiʻi Expands Native Forest Dedication Program

The County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Division has expanded its Native Forest Dedication Program. Eligible Hawaiʻi County landowners with a minimum of 2.75 acres of forest can reduce their property tax for dedicating their land to native forest preservation or restoration. Additional information and resources about the newly updated County of Hawaiʻi Native Forest Dedication Program includes:

• Native Forest Ordinance 20-60 expanded the Native Forest Dedication Program to include two different types of dedications:

  • Preservation – maintain current conditions (already have native forest, with 60% native species cover)

  • Restoration – improve current conditions to develop native-dominated forest

• The addition of a functional forest and successional forest land-use dedication which provides Hawaiʻi County landowners with more options to qualify for the property tax incentives offered by the County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Division.

• Watch a webinar about the newly updated Native Forest Dedication Program.

• A plant species list with 68 native and 66 carefully selected non-native/non-invasive plant species with descriptions of each plant can help individuals determine what types of plants they can incorporate into their native forest restoration endeavors. This plant species list is available on the County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Division website

• A native plant nursery list which includes an alphabetical directory of Big Island nurseries that specialize in selling and distributing native plants including their contact information, address of the business, phone number, and email address if available. The native plant nursery list is available on the County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Division website

• A management plan template document that is intended to provide landowners with a simple step-by-step guide on how to dedicate land to one of three native forest dedications and a management plan template that takes the guesswork out of developing a native forest management plan. The management plan template document is available at the County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Division website

This program, which combines improved financial incentives and the latest research in restoration ecology, is designed to ensure the continuation of native forest habitats for present and future generations. To learn more about this program and what you can do to get involved, please visit the County of Hawaiʻi Real Property Tax Division website for more information.

This table was designed to help landowners interested in native forest restoration decide which land-use dedication is best for them. Each dedication type is listed above and has a corresponding color that highlights the eligibility requirements for each land-use type, and how they differ in terms of native forest structure. Refer to pages 3 through 7 for additional details.

3* indicates that in order to qualify for this particular dedication, the property needs to be 3 acres or larger, with at least 2.75 acres being intact and contiguous native forest, functional forest, or successional forest.