Native plants could soon become more prevalent in landscaping throughout Hawaii County under a proposed bill aimed at perpetuating and protecting the island’s unique ecosystems.

Read more Reid Detmers logs quality start as Angels top Mariners

Introduced by Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz last week at a meeting of the County Council Policy Committee on Health, Safety and Well-being, Bill 184 would establish requirements for incorporating native plants into county-owned and managed spaces.

“This is a very simple concept. When the county is landscaping county property, prioritize the kinds of plants that belong here,” she said at the meeting. “So this, through code, would establish a county policy to incorporate native Hawaiian plants into our parks, into our public facilities, open spaces, street-scapes, and rights of way — whenever practical and appropriate for the site.”

She said the bill would not create “an absolute mandate” — allowing for flexibility to take into account factors such as public safety, engineering, irrigation, cost and maintenance — but would require the use of native plants to be considered and given priority.

She said the bill had been viewed and vetted by the Departments of Parks and Recreation and Public Works, which would likely be the most impacted by such requirements. In addition to supporting local flora, Kierkiewicz said the bill could increase awareness about native plants and their value.

“I also see this as an opportunity to educate when ohana and keiki go to different county facilities and they see and recognize these native plants,” she said. “That is an opportunity, I think, for them to understand the ecological and cultural importance.”

Kierkiewicz also said she hoped the bill would amplify efforts to encourage community members to utilize more native plants in their yards.

“We’re telling community members to plant native and to strengthen, bolster that native ecosystem,” she said. “That’s something that we should be doing and leading as a county.”

Read more Norbert weakens to tropical depression, while a second storm develops

South Hilo Councilman Dennis “Fresh” Onishi said he was supportive of the bill, but wanted to make sure that potential impacts on public infrastructure would also be taken into account in plant selection.

“The only comment I have is having these native plants where it doesn’t dig up our sidewalks or roadways, because they have some of these other trees that get so big, the roots, you know, just damage the sidewalks and so forth and people trip and fall,” he said.

County Council Chair Holeka Inaba was also supportive, but asked that the bill’s language be expanded to include plants that may not be native, but have cultural value.

“I’m just thinking out loud here of ways that we might be able to include non-invasive lei plants as well that might not fall under the category of native plants as it’s currently defined,” he said. “But, as we know all around the island, making lei is a tradition that we carry on and some of those plants may not fit within the native plants, but would provide great value to community.”

In response, Kierkiewicz said she would introduce a friendly amendment to add non-invasive lei material to the bill.

Bill 184 received unanimous approval at the committee meeting and will move forward to the full council with a positive recommendation.

Read more ‘I want to give something back to my commuity’: Kauka, Huihui lead UH-Hilo basketball newcomers

Email Grace Inez Adams at [email protected].