SCR 102

THE SENATE
S.C.R. NO.
102
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
AND DEPARTMENT OF education TO CollaboRATE TO ESTABLISH A formal, long-term
collaborative Program to EXPAND, equitably distribute, and sustain Tree-Canopy
coverage across Public Schools STATE wide.
���� WHEREAS, increasing
heat in Hawaii threatens student health and limits outdoor-learning and
recreational opportunities across public schools statewide; and
���� WHEREAS, only
twenty-one percent of elementary schools currently meet the recommended
thirty-percent tree-canopy coverage needed to provide adequate shade and
cooling; and
���� WHEREAS, Title
I schools and schools that serve lower-income communities often have less tree-canopy
coverage and suffer from higher heat exposure, raising significant concerns
about equity; and
���� WHEREAS, in
addition to lowering the temperature on school campuses through shade,
transpiration, and reduction of the heat-island effect, trees also absorb storm
water, clean the air, beautify spaces, and help achieve state and county
environmental goals; and
���� WHEREAS, there
are twenty-nine agricultural or natural-resource programs on Department of
Education campuses statewide, where tree propagation, planting, and care offer
relevant educational opportunities for students; and
���� WHEREAS, the
Department of Land and Natural Resources, through its Kaulunani Urban and
Community Forestry Program, successfully partnered with the Department of
Education under a 2025 Memorandum of Agreement to implement the Shade Trees for
Schools initiative and successfully partnered in 2024 in a Fruit Trees for
Schools pilot program initiative on campuses with agricultural programs; and
���� WHEREAS, these
efforts demonstrate strong demand and measurable benefits but have been tied to
specific short-term funding opportunities; 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
Department of Land and Natural Resources and Department of Education are
requested to establish a formal, long-term collaborative program to expand,
equitably distribute, and sustain tree-canopy coverage across public schools
statewide; and
���� BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the program is requested to incorporate and plan for the
long-term maintenance of the trees and the selection of species and locations
that would ensure durable climate, health, and educational benefits for
Hawaii's students; and
���� BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that this body supports the creation of staff positions to implement
and sustain the work of this formal, long-term collaborative program; and
���� BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the
Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and Superintendent of
Education.
OFFERED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:�
Tree Canopy; Public Schools