State and federal agencies hope to lift land-use restrictions for landowners who pursue conservation efforts aimed at protecting five native endangered birds.

The birds include: the nene or Hawaiian goose; the koloa maoli or Hawaiian duck; 'alae 'ula or Hawaiian moorhen; 'alae ke'oke'o or Hawaiian coot; and the ae'o or Hawaiian stilt.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service will hold public hearings starting tomorrow on a proposed statewide "safe-harbor agreement," which would exempt landowners from federal and state land-use restrictions if they agree to conservation efforts to protect the endangered species.

"This agreement will be yet another great example of cooperative conservation that streamlines our ability to form partnerships with private landowners to help recover our state's endangered species," said Peter Young, chairman of the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Landowners who make improvements to wetlands, streamsides and upland areas that benefit the five birds can enroll in the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Farm Bill Conservation Program to join the program. It will be administered by local NRCS offices in each county, in consultation with the DLNR and Fish and Wildlife Service.

A copy of the draft agreement is at www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/pubs/index.html.

Public hearings on the program will be held at 7 p.m. on the following days:

Today, Lana'i High School.

Thursday, 1151 Punchbowl St., room 132.

Dec. 12, Lihu'e Neighborhood Center.

Dec. 13, Mitchell Pau'ole Center, Moloka'i.

Dec. 19, Velma McWayne Santos Community Center, Wai-luku.

Dec. 21, State Division of Forestry and Wildlife office in Hilo.