H.C.R. 121 Summary

• Urges the Departments of Land and Natural Resources, Health, and Business, Economic Development and Tourism to support the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative (HLRI), a non-profit organization focused on restoring native Hawaiian rain forests on the Island of Hawaii.

• Requests state departments assist HLRI in developing and maintaining reforestation efforts including advancing use of forest products, establishing sustainable tree planting programs on state land, and conducting research on endemic Hawaiian plants and animals.

• Highlights HLRI's use of proprietary radio-frequency identification (RFID) geo-tagging technology to track individual tree growth, maintenance, and carbon data, with its carbon credit program certified by the Gold Standard Foundation.

• Acknowledges that reforestation efforts provide environmental benefits including improved air quality, watershed protection, soil conservation, and habitat restoration for endangered native birds like the io and akiapola'au.

• Directs transmission of certified copies of the resolution to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Hawaii's Congressional Delegation, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and relevant state department directors.