URGING THE STATE TO CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF RANGELANDS AND PASTORALISTS AND ADOPT POLICIES THAT FURTHER SUSTAIN RANGELAND HEALTH AND PASTORALIST LIVELIHOODS.

SCR120

THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

120

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

URGING THE STATE TO CONSIDER THE IMPORTANCE OF RANGELANDS
AND PASTORALISTS AND ADOPT POLICIES THAT FURTHER SUSTAIN RANGELAND HEALTH AND
PASTORALIST LIVELIHOODS
.

����
WHEREAS, rangelands
are natural ecosystems in which the indigenous vegetation is predominantly
grasses, grass-like plants, forbs, or shrubs, and cover up to 19.8 billion
acres of land globally (fifty-four percent of the terrestrial surface); and

����
WHEREAS, these
natural ecosystems include prairies, grasslands, pampas, shrublands, wetlands,
woodlands, savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundra; and

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

����
WHEREAS, over
twenty-five percent (1,000,000 acres) of the State's land mass is classified as
rangelands; and

����
WHEREAS, the
State's rangelands are ecologically, economically, and culturally vital to all
communities because of the ecosystem services they provide (food and fiber
production, soils stabilization, carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling,
clean water, etc.), the livestock ranchers they support, and the rich paniolo
(rancher) traditions that endure; and

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

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

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

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

����
WHEREAS, pastoralism
exists in one form or another across six continents and a multitude of cultures;
and

����
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

����
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 the International Year of Rangelands and
Pastoralists; and

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

����
BE IT
RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii,
Regular Session of 2026, the House of Representatives concurring, that the
State is urged to consider the importance of rangelands and pastoralists and
adopt policies that further sustain rangeland health and pastoralist
livelihoods; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the State is requested to proclaim 2026 the "International
Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists" in solidarity with the United Nations;
and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the State is requested to recognize the economic, social, cultural,
and ecological importance of rangelands and the ranchers, farmers, land
managers, and partners who have been caretakers of the State's rangelands for
generations; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the State is requested to encourage 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

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the State is requested to adopt policies that will further
conserve rangelands and protect the livelihoods of the State's ranchers; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Governor, Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity, and Mayor of
each county.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:
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Rangelands;
Pastoralists; Policies; Sustainability