Audit: DLNR ineffective, Hawaii's natural resources susceptible to blatant "overuse and abuse"

One more pair of articles worth noting Friday.

A state audit blasted DLNR enforcement, and said they are failing to protect Hawaii's resources.

Advertiser article, and Star-Bulletin article. From the latter:

STATE conservation enforcement officers are spread thin, undertrained, underequipped and mismanaged, leaving Hawaii's natural resources susceptible to blatant "overuse and abuse," said state Auditor Marion Higa in a report released yesterday.

"If resources continue to be depleted at their current rate and conservation enforcement remains ineffective and inefficient, Hawaii's future generations will lose the enrichment of abundant wildlife, a fertile environment and a rich cultural heritage," said the audit, which reviewed the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement. "The absence of enforcement coverage contributes, in part, to overuse and abuse of Hawaii's resources."

Part of the reason is that their manpower is taken up by marijuana eradication. Here's a clue. Focus drug enforcement on ice, not pot. Focus DLNR enforcement on, uh, Land and Natural Resources, not pot.

But anyway, this is crucially important.

First, keep in mind that one element of effective sovereignty is the ability to control your land and natural resources. This is fundamental. This is what the politics are really all about, when it comes to independence, sovereignty, the kingdom. And within the occupation system, even the Akaka bill, access rights, gathering rights.

So the larger issue is what state and what government is this protection provided through. Who has the legal right to write and enforce these regulations. And it actually isn't the state.

But on another level, of course, this is a matter that must be dealt with now with the system that has been imposed. Within the imposed occupation system it is DLNR's job to protect these resources. DLNR needs to get focused on what's important, and they need to have the resources and support to do it properly. It is ultimately Lingle's responsibility to provide the leadership for the department, either through Young or someone else, to take their responsibilities seriously and be effective.

Meanwhile, there's this:

The department has asked the Legislature for about $800,000 to hire uniformed security people at 22 parks and harbors. The department also is using grant money for an experimental "Ranger" program at popular recreation areas. A "Mauka-Makai Watch" program, similar to the Neighborhood Watch anti-crime effort, also encourages people to report environmental crimes.

These are positive steps. In our communities, we need to become active, to work in partnership with DLNR, to help them do their jobs better, and to encourage and train community leaders who can take on other aspects of the responsibility.

Here in East Maui, there are tons of organizations or loose-knit huis that have some kind of direct interaction with the 'aina and the kai, and a good example is Eastside Hui. DLNR should be embracing groups like these. More info on them from a previous post.

Update: From the Hawaii Island Journal, Reef Watchers is along the same lines.

And the Maui News editorial also addresses the audit findings.

Posted: Fri - January 6, 2006 at 10:33 PM

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Audit: DLNR ineffective, Hawaii's natural resources susceptible to blatant "overuse and abuse"

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