HI HCR19

Urges the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to partner with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to implement a native plant seeding project in Mililani Mauka to restore areas damaged by November 2023 wildfires.

November 2023 wildfires destroyed 2.5 square miles of critical ecosystem in Mililani Mauka, including portions of the Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge and Koolau Mountains that contained native koa trees, uluhe fern, and 22 federally designated endangered or threatened species.

Native Hawaiian plants are drought-tolerant, require less maintenance, and preserve critical biodiversity, while non-native grasses and shrubs are highly flammable and quickly recolonize burned lands, perpetuating future wildfires.

Directs transmission of certified copies of the resolution to Fish and Wildlife Service administrators, the DLNR Board of Land and Natural Resources Chairperson, and administrators of the Division of Forestry and Wildlife and Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.