AFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR THE EXPANSION OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT INCREASE TREE CANOPY COVERAGE AND INSTALL SHADE TREES IN URBAN AREAS TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF URBAN HEAT ISLANDS ACROSS THE STATE.

SR121

THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

121

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

AFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR THE EXPANSION OF programs and
projects that increase TREE CANOPY COVERAGE AND INSTALL shade treeS in urban
areas TO MITIGATE the effects of URBAN HEAT ISLANDS ACROSS THE STATE
.

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WHEREAS, an
urban heat island effect occurs when built environments with extensive
pavement, rooftops, and other heat-absorbing materials experience significantly
higher temperatures than surrounding areas; and

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WHEREAS, the
effects of urban heat islands are already being felt across the State,
increasing heat exposure and the risk of heat-related illness among residents;
and

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WHEREAS, a
tree canopy refers to the leaves, branches, and stems of trees that cover the
ground when viewed from above, and provide shade below; and

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WHEREAS, children,
kupuna, individuals with preexisting medical conditions, and residents of
low-canopy and lower-income neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable to
extreme heat and face heightened risks of heat-related illness; and

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WHEREAS, shade
trees mitigate the effects of urban heat islands by lowering ambient and
surface temperatures and providing cooling through shade and evapotranspiration;
and

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WHEREAS, the
City and County of Honolulu's Urban Tree Plan guides local efforts to expand the
urban tree canopy as a critical means to mitigate urban heat and improve public
health, including achieving its goal of increasing the urban tree canopy to
thirty-five percent by 2035; and

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WHEREAS, recent
urban tree canopy assessments documented a decline in tree canopy coverage in
Honolulu and identified disparities in canopy coverage among communities with
differing socioeconomic levels; and

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WHEREAS, statewide
programs, such as the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program and the
Shade Trees for Schools initiative, demonstrate successful models for expanding
tree canopy coverage and shade through coordinated public investment and
community partnerships; and

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WHEREAS, urban
tree canopy programs provide multiple co-benefits, including improved air
quality, reduced stormwater runoff, lower energy costs, enhanced biodiversity,
and better mental and physical health outcomes; and

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WHEREAS, collaboration
across state and county agencies is necessary to maximize the effectiveness and
equitability of shade tree and urban canopy strategies across the State; now,
therefore,

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BE IT
RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii,
Regular Session of 2026, that this body affirms its support for expanding
programs and projects that increase tree canopy coverage and install shade
trees in urban areas to mitigate the effects of urban heat islands throughout
the State; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that state and county agencies are requested to collaborate on efforts
to advance urban tree canopy programs and projects, including by assessing:

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(1)
�
The distribution of urban heat island
conditions, existing tree canopy coverage, trends in canopy loss or gain, and
disparities in canopy access across the State;

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(2)
�
Priority areas with high heat exposure and low
tree canopy coverage;

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(3)
�
Opportunities for integrating shade tree
strategies into capital improvement projects, housing development,
transit-oriented development, and climate resilience planning;

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(4)
�
Strategies for coordinating with community
organizations, schools, and the private sector;

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(5)
�
Best practices for tree species selection,
soil volume, irrigation, maintenance, and long-term canopy health; and

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(6)
�
Statewide urban tree canopy standards and
targets; and

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BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the
Governor, Chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, Director of the
Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and the Mayors of each county.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:
�

Governor;
BLNR; OPSD; Counties; Tree Canopy; Urban Heat Island Effects