HI HR179

Encourages Hawaii residents to select plantable native trees for holiday celebrations instead of importing evergreen trees from the continental United States to reduce carbon emissions and waste.

Requests the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force to design a scalable pilot program supporting the use of plantable native trees as alternatives to imported evergreen trees.

Directs the Department of Agriculture to work with nurseries and stakeholders to promote local production and marketing of indigenous Hawaiian trees for holiday use.

Directs the Department of Land and Natural Resources to identify and prepare land for reforestation using trees that become available for planting in January after the holiday season ends.

Requests support from the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission and University of Hawaii subject matter experts in establishing the pilot program.