HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

207

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR ULUPALAKUA RANCH FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD.

 

WHEREAS, Ulupalakua Ranch is a cattle ranch on the southwestern slopes of the Haleakala Volcano on the Island of Maui in the State of Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, the geological formation of the land beneath the Ulupalakua Ranch enables the ranch today to be the home of many ecosystems of dry land forests, which include ten listed endangered species and many other extremely rare species of endemic and indigenous Hawaiian flora and fauna; and

WHEREAS, the combinations of soil types, rainfall differentials, ecological zones, ecological history, and human introduction have led to a large variety of foliage cover, with the dominant cover being kikyu grass from Africa; and

WHEREAS, the lower elevations of the ranch are covered with buffle, guinea, and green panic, and many varieties of legumes are present on the property with white clover being the most well known and glycine tinaru becoming the most common; and

WHEREAS, along with the native dry land trees the ranch contains a large variety of introduced trees such as eucalyptus, mesquite, and black wattle, to name a few; and

WHEREAS, the ranch has a long history of managing its land resources in a well balanced manner, being mindful of the needs of balancing its production agricultural operations, the recreational wildlife, and the native flora and fauna on the property; and

WHEREAS, along with the rare and endangered native species on the property there are exotic axis deer, turkey, pheasant, francolin partridge (two varieties), chuckar partridge, peacocks, doves, quail, feral pigs, and feral goats; and

WHEREAS, Ulupalakua Ranch practices rotational grazing to have positive effect on the economics, pasture quality, soil retention, and wildlife of the ranch; and

WHEREAS, rotational grazing has also resulted in better management of water resources, better management of pasture quality and cover which leads to greater soil retention and increased wildlife habitat, and better protection of native flora and fauna from invasive species and fire; and

WHEREAS, Ulupalakua Ranch believes in restoration of the native plants and will continue its efforts to enhance the sustainability of the mineral and water cycle on the property; and

WHEREAS, the ranch's reforestation efforts have led to increase water flow in its catchment and seep water, resulting in extending the availability of water in times of drought; and

WHEREAS, the ranch is well aware that its reforestation efforts will have long-term sustainability consequences, and aware that the native trees have evolved in a climate of the ranch are more sustainable; and

WHEREAS, the ranch partners with numerous organizations to help preserve the native flora on the property, including the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Department of Geological Services Biological Resource Division, the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources, Ducks Unlimited, Nature Conservancy, Native Hawaiian Plant Society, and the Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Partnership; and

WHEREAS, the most ambitious partnership that the ranch has entered into is with the Leeward Haleakala Watershed Restoration Project to reforest thousands of acres on the southwestern slopes of Haleakala for the purposes of restoring the fragile habitat, which greatly enhances the sustainability of Ulupalakua Ranch for generations to come; and

WHEREAS, Ulupalakua Ranch received the Hawaii Environmental Stewardship Award from the Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, and has been nominated for the same award at the national level; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the Legislature expresses its support for Ulupalakua Ranch for the Environmental Stewardship Award given by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Ulupalakua Ranch, Mayor of the Maui County, and Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Ulupalakua Ranch; Environmental Stewardship Award