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:
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Report Title:
Rangelands; Pastoralists; Policies; Sustainability