"One hundred years ago, Hawaii was on the verge of losing all of its forests to introduced animals. Public and private partnerships were developed in order to restore and protect Hawaii’s forested uplands. They were successful in their endeavors: millions of acres of forests were replanted and protected. This Forest Action Plan continues that tradition of protecting our forests and urban trees, which are essential for maintaining water quality, unique biodiversity, native Hawaiian culture, and the high quality of life enjoyed by residents and visitors alike."
In regards to wildfire:
"Native ecosystems in Hawaii are not adaptive to wildfire. Except in active volcanic areas, fire is not a part of the natural life cycle of native Hawaiian ecosystems, and only a few native species are able to regenerate after fire. Wildfires are occurring with increasing frequency due in large part to the introduction of non-native fire-adapted grass species. Wildfires in Hawaii place communities at risk, destroy irreplaceable cultural resources, cost taxpayers money, negatively impact drinking water supplies and human health, increase soil erosion, impact near shore and marine resources, and destroy native species and native ecosystems. Wildfire Priority Landscapes in our Forest Action Plan consist of any land that include communities at risk from wildfire and lands where DOFAW is the primary responder."