Hawaii, Trust for Public Land acquire former Dole land for $15M

The state of Hawaii and the Trust for Public Land have closed on the acquisition of 2,882 acres of forest and fallow lands near the Helemano Military Reservation in Central Oahu from the Dole Food Co. The $15.16 million purchase price was funded by a half dozen public and private sources: $1.5 million from the Hawaii State Legacy Land Conservation Fund; $5 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Legacy Program; $2 million from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Habitat Conservation Plan; $400,00 from the Pittman-Robertson Fund; $2.75 million from Kawailoa Wind LLC; and $3.5 million from the U.S. Navy REPI Program.The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife plans to create a plan for recreational opportunities on the land, which is outside of Whitmore Village in Wahiawa, and well as forest restoration, water source protection and native species habitat improvement.