DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

News Release

LINDA LINGLE

GOVERNOR

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PETER T. YOUNG, CHAIRPERSON

Phone: (808) 587-0401

Fax: (808) 587-0390

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For Immediate Release: March 1, 2006

Workshop To Assist Landowners Who Want To Help
Conserve And Restore Hawaii's Native Plants And Animals

HONOLULU— The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i, is offering a free workshop titled, “Landowner Assistance: Environmental Conservation and Restoration, from 8:30 a.m. to 12: 30 p.m. on Monday, March 13, 2006.

The workshop will be held at Windward Community College in Kane‘ohe, 45-720 Kea‘ahala Rd., Hale ‘Akoakoa building, room 103.

“DLNR believes there is a critical need to engage Hawai‘i’s private landowners in the conservation and restoration of habitat for our native plant and animals,” said DLNR chairperson Peter Young. “We are working to establish state, federal, and private partnerships to more effectively conserve and protect our native ecosystems and watersheds.”

“This workshop is a collaborative effort between multiple state and federal agencies to inform private landowners, in one forum, about several programs which can provide funding and technical assistance to landowners who want to do conservation and restoration,” Young said.

“It is also a method of carrying out our conservation priorities as identified in the recently completed Hawai‘i Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, as well as many of the recovery plans for threatened and endangered species,” he said.

Participating agency staff can assist private landowners with various conservation concerns such as restoration planning, outplanting, and evaluation as well as invasive species concerns and controls.
Workshop topics include:

• how to restore your land to native forest or wetland
• how to improve native wildlife habitat on your land
• how to address problems with invasive species on your land
  

Representatives from DLNR, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S, Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as the Oahu Invasive Species Council, and The Nature Conservancy Hawaii will be present

For more information, and to register, contact Elizabeth Cody via e-mail at lizcody@hawaii.gov or by calling (808) 587-4155. Walk-ins are also welcome.

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Directions to the Landowner Assistance workshop: as you arrive at Windward Community College, follow the main road up until you are facing the administration building (road will become a "T"). Take a left; when you go over one speed bump, then take a right hand turn (up towards the mountain), as you approach the top, Hale Akoakoa will be on the right; a parking lot will be in front of the building. The workshop is located in the middle room of Hale Akoakoa. Organizers will place signs to direct people to the building.

For more information, media contact:
Clifford Inn
DLNR Education and Outreach Coordinator
Phone: (808) 587-0407