[§195F-1]  Findings and purpose.  Thelegislature finds that:

(1)  Much of the forest land in Hawaii is privatelyowned;

(2)  The capacity to protect important watersheds andnative Hawaiian plants and animals and to produce renewable forest resources issignificantly dependent on these privately owned forest and formerly forestedlands;

(3)  The factors essential to the quality of life inHawaii, including our water and air quality, mild climate, and habitatavailable for plants and animals unique to these islands, can be maintained andimproved through good stewardship of private forest lands;

(4)  To accomplish these purposes, the present systemof state and federal financial and technical assistance programs needs to beexpanded to promote the long-term management of additional privately ownedforest and formerly forested lands throughout the State; and

(5)  A forest stewardship program should beestablished to supplement the natural area reserves system's programs underchapter 195 by encouraging private landowners of privately owned forest andformerly forested lands that cannot qualify as potential natural area reservesto make long-term commitments to protect, maintain, and restore importantwatersheds, timber resources, fish and wildlife habitats, isolated populationsof rare and endangered plants, native vegetation, and other lands that providesignificant public benefits.

The purpose of this chapter is to establish aprogram to financially assist landowners in managing, protecting, and restoringimportant natural resources in Hawaii's forested and formerly forested lands.[L 1991, c 327, pt of §2]