Posted at 12:34 a.m., Wednesday, October 3, 2007
USDA awards Hawaii $2 million grant
Advertiser Staff
The Department of Land and Natural Resources has received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Legacy Program to purchase a conservation easement on the Big Island of Hawai'i.This conservation easement represents the first of two installments totaling $4 million from the Forest Legacy Program to purchase an easement on 9,000 acres of the Kealakekua Heritage Ranch, located approximately 20 miles south of Kailua-Kona.
The Kealakekua Heritage Ranch is currently owned by the Pace family, according to DLNR news release. Prior to the Pace family acquiring the land in May 2004, the County of Hawai'i had approved a $25 to $30 million development plan for the construction of 500 residential lots and an Arnold Palmer golf course.
However, instead of developing the land in that way, the Pace family decided to permanently protect the majority of the property through conservation easements. Residential development on the property will be limited to only the makai portions of the ranch.
The Forest Legacy Program identifies important forest lands that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, and provides funds to state agencies that are equipped to protect these lands in perpetuity. The program allows states to utilize the program to either fully or partially fund acquisitions of forest land.
