RECOGNIZING 2026 AS THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF RANGELANDS AND PASTORALISTS IN HAWAII.

HCR31

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

31

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

RECOGNIZING 2026 as THE international year of rangelands
and pastoralists in hawaii
.

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WHEREAS, rangelands
are natural ecosystems in which the indigenous vegetation is predominantly
grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs, and rangelands cover up to 19,800,000,000
acres of land globally, covering fifty-four percent of the terrestrial surface;
and

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WHEREAS, rangelands
include prairies, grasslands, pampas, shrublands, wetlands, woodlands,
savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundra; and

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WHEREAS, rangelands
are economically, socially, and culturally vital to human communities through
an array of ecological services, including food and fiber production, water
resources, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration and
storage, and provide renewable and nonrenewable energy resources and aesthetic
and recreational opportunities; and

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WHEREAS, over
twenty-five percent, or over 1,000,000 acres, of Hawaii's land mass is
classified as rangelands; and

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WHEREAS, the
State's rangelands are ecologically, economically, and culturally vital to all
communities of the State because of the ecosystem services they provide through
food and fiber production, soils stabilization, carbon sequestration and
nutrient cycling, and clean water; livestock ranchers they support, and rich
Paniolo traditions they help perpetuate; and

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WHEREAS, pastoralists
are people who raise livestock or semi-domesticated animals on rangelands,
including ranchers, nomads, and transhumant herders; and

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WHEREAS, Hawaii
ranchers raise livestock on over 750,000 acres of rangelands and contribute
over $50,000,000 annually to the state economy; and

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WHEREAS, pastoralists
have stewarded rangelands for millennia through deep knowledge and connections
with the land; and

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WHEREAS, Hawaii
ranchers are acknowledged as critical stewards of the State's rangelands; and

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WHEREAS, pastoralism
exists in some form across six continents and a multitude of cultures; and

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WHEREAS, shared
experiences of land, livestock, and stewardship connect pastoralists around the
world through historical knowledge and integration of innovative technologies
toward sustainable rangelands; and

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WHEREAS, the
United Nations, in recognition of the vital nature of rangelands and the
significance of pastoralism to the stewardship and societal benefits of
rangelands, designated 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and
Pastoralists; and

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WHEREAS, national,
regional, provincial, and local governments around the world will celebrate the
International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026 through education,
advertisements, film, and adoption of national and local policies that are
supportive of rangelands and pastoralists; now, therefore,

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BE IT
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the
State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, the Senate concurring, that 2026 is
recognized as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in Hawaii,
in solidarity with the United Nations; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that this body:

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(1)
�
Recognizes the economic, social, and
ecological importance of rangelands and the ranchers, farmers, land managers,
and partners who have been caretakers of Hawaii's rangelands for generations;

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(2)
�
Encourages state agencies, the University of
Hawaii, and organizations across the State to engage in activities that promote
education, research, and outreach related to rangeland management; and

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(3)
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Recommends the adoption of policies that will
further conserve rangelands and protect the livelihoods of Hawaii's ranchers;
and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Governor; Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity; President of
the University of Hawaii; Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu; and Mayors
of the Counties of Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:
�

International
Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists