Bill > SB2372

This bill establishes a framework for designating and protecting exceptional and significant trees across Hawaii, creating a State Arborist Advisory Committee within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to oversee the program and provide guidance. It also mandates that County Arborist Advisory Committees, which must now have at least five members, adopt new criteria for identifying exceptional trees based on factors like age, aesthetics, ecological and cultural benefits, botanical value, and size. Furthermore, the bill introduces a "significant tree" designation as a secondary tier for educational and outreach purposes, requiring these trees to meet some, but not all, of the criteria for exceptional trees, and clarifies that this designation does not impose new regulations or offer tax benefits. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and the University of Hawaii are directed to collaborate with these advisory committees to support the Exceptional Trees Program, with the bill's provisions set to take effect in the year 3000.