An ambitious project to save, re-propagate and reintroduce endangered plants on Maui will get a $1.54 million infusion of federal funding via the America the Beautiful Challenge.

What You Need To Know

  • U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced the award on Tuesday.

  • The funding will be used to implement the first phase of the Maui Landscape Conservation Plan

  • Among other things, the project aims to prevent near-term imminent extinction of target plant species

  • The America the Beautiful Challenge is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is operated as a partnership between the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; the U.S. Departments of Interior, Agriculture and Defense; and Native Americans in Philanthropy

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, announced the award on Tuesday.

The funding will be used to implement the first phase of the Maui Landscape Conservation Plan. The project aims to prevent near-term imminent extinction of target plant species, expand expertise for propagation and reintroduction, and create a statewide survey and monitoring database for more than 200 at-risk plants, invertebrates, water birds and sea birds on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

“The Maui Landscape Conservation Plan — and similar initiatives across the state — play a key role in protecting and preserving native at-risk plant and animal species that comprise Hawaii’s unique environment,” Hirono said. “The funding from this grant will enable DLNR to continue its efforts to ensure that these species, along with other precious natural resources, are able to continue to play important roles in our native ecosystems for years to come.”

The America the Beautiful Challenge is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is operated as a partnership between the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; the U.S. Departments of Interior, Agriculture and Defense; and Native Americans in Philanthropy. It supports tribal access to grant funding for restoration, conservation and capacity building and projects that incorporate indigenous traditional knowledge in planning and implementation.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii.