PATHWAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY-BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT IN HAWAI’I

ABSTRACT

This research explores the pathways and opportunities for community-based forest management (CBFM) in Hawai‘i. CBFM is a collaborative approach to forest stewardship that involves local communities and has the potential to enhance ecological, cultural, economic, and community resilience. While Hawai‘i has established formal legal mechanisms for designating community-based subsistence fishing areas (CBSFAs), there is not currently a clear structure for the establishment of CBFM in the state. This work explores the underlying conditions for successfully implementing community-based forests in Hawai‘i, addressing the state’s distinctive historical, cultural, and land tenure contexts. Using qualitative methods, including a systematic literature review of CBFM in the Pacific Islands, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in natural resource management in Hawai‘i, and participant observation, this dissertation investigates the central research question: What are the pathways and opportunities for the development and successful implementation of community-managed forests in Hawai‘i? Findings highlight the diversity of potential approaches to CBFM in the state, the importance of centering Indigenous Knowledge and Hawaiian stewardship practices and values, the need for clear land tenure rights and transparent governance arrangements, the need for advancement of legal mechanisms to empower Native Hawaiian communities, and the critical role of partnerships among agencies and local groups in fostering the success of CBFM. By addressing the legacies of colonization and supporting community-based biocultural approaches to forest stewardship, CBFM has the potential to support ecological, economic and cultural resilience in Hawai‘i.

Keywords: Community-based forest management (CBFM); Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM); Biocultural Conservation; Hawai‘i