30×30 Watershed Initiative

30×30 Watershed Initiative

An image of a forest on either side of a protective fenceOne of the primary goals of the Division of Forestry & Wildlife is to protect our native watershed forests. These forests are the foundation upon which all life in Hawaiʻi persists, and provide our only source of fresh water in Hawaiʻi. This work extends across the various program areas within the Division, as our mauka forests support native plants and wildlife, provide opportunities for cultural practice and recreation, store carbon, and reduce the risk of wildfires.

An image of a waterfall

Blue Hole, Kauaʻi

The Division’s 30×30 Watershed Initiative is ambitious but simple: protect 30% of Hawaiʻi’s priority watershed forests by the year 2030. Our goal to protect watershed forests is part of the broader Aloha+ Challenge tracked by the Hawaiʻi Green Growth Initiative.

To reach 30%, continued funding is needed to control damaging invasive species and diseases, plant trees, prevent wildfires, and educate the community about the importance of our forests. To learn more about our various programs that support this overarching initiative, visit our pages focusing on the Watershed Partnership Program, Fire Management, invasive species prevention and control, forest carbon and water replenishment initiatives, or learn about fencing as a tool to support a balanced future of forest protection and recreation opportunities.

 Aloha+ Dashboard: Tracking Progress in the Protection of Watershed Forests

The dashboard is managed by HGG staff using data from the DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife and other partners and shows progress toward the 30×30 watershed protection goal over time. If the embedded dashboard below does not load properly, click here to visit the Aloha+ Watershed Forest Area dashboard directly. This dashboard is one of five under the broader challenge area of Natural Resource Management, with other dashboards exploring progress toward biosecurity goals, marine protected areas, native species protection, and fresh water capacity.