Hawai'i State Land Fund a Reality

Governor Lingle signs the historic Legacy Lands Act. Photo courtesy of the Governor's office.

by Joshua Stanbro

The Legacy Lands Act—approved by the Hawai'i State Legislature in May and signed by Governor Linda Lingle on June 23, 2005, at a ceremony attended by dozens of conservation and cultural organizations—is a historic investment in Hawai'i's communities that will improve our quality of life.

This is the first time in the state's history that a permanent funding source for land conservation has been established, and the Trust for Public Land was proud to play a central role in the act's creation and passage.

"Forming creative partnerships and reaching across boundaries is the way to build 'ohana and succeed in Hawai'i," says Hawaii State Legislature House Speaker Calvin Say. "The Legacy Lands Act was a group effort both within the legislature and in the community."

"The act makes sense to almost everyone," says Ed Carter, co-chair of TPL-Hawai'i's advisory board. "After all, the natural beauty of the islands is the main reason people want to live here as well as visit."

The Legacy Lands Act will help protect Hawaii's natural and cultural resources. Photo by G. Brad Lewis

The act generates new funding through a modest increase in the conveyance tax on high-end real estate sales. Ten percent of the money generated—approximately $3.6 million per year—will go into the statewide Legacy Lands Fund to help protect watershed lands, the coast, wildlife habitat, and cultural sites. The remainder will be used to protect and steward Hawai'i's natural area reserves and to build affordable rental housing.

Distributed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources based on applications from the state, counties, and nonprofit conservation organizations like TPL, the fund is just one of several building blocks needed to finance land protection efforts. Legacy Lands grants can fund up to 75 percent of the total amount needed, with the other 25 percent coming from other public or private sources.

"We are tremendously grateful to Governor Lingle and the Hawai'i legislature for passing the Legacy Lands Act. Now, our donors are more important than ever in enabling us to protect lands around this beautiful state," says TPL-Hawai'i Director Tily Shue. Strong support from community members and donors will be the key to leveraging the Legacy Lands Fund: with their help, the fund's $3.6 million annual commitment could become up to $10 million of combined local, state, and federal buying power for protecting Hawai'i's natural land.

In the meantime, diverse groups are celebrating the success of the Legacy Lands Act. "The Trust for Public Land has brought an entrepreneurial spirit and collaborative approach to land conservation in Hawai'i," says Governor Linda Lingle. "The Legacy Lands Act is a prime example of this—and Hawai'i is better for it."

To find out how your support can help TPL leverage the Legacy Lands Fund and other local, state, and federal money, please contact Joshua Stanbro at (808) 524-8560 ext. 4, or email joshua.stanbro@tpl.org.

Posted 12/2005