Kamehameha Schools will start a new search for an operator to harvest approximately 10,000 acres of forest land on the Hamakua Coast after Hawaii Forest withdrew from lease negotiations earlier this month.
“We’ve been in (lease) negotiations for almost a year, and earlier this month, Hawaii Forest notified (Kamehameha Schools) they would be withdrawing from the process,” said Kamehameha spokeswoman Crystal Kua.
According to Kamehameha Schools, Hawaii Forest is a hui of businesses that includes Forest Solutions and Edwin DeLuz Trucking and Gravel, both of which have experience with large-scale forestry operations along the Hamakua Coast.
Although lease negotiations are confidential, Kua said Kamehameha Schools entered into the talks “in good faith, trying to reach a mutual agreement with Hawaii Forest,” and were encouraged by the progress of those discussions.
When reached Monday afternoon, Marius Ellis, president of Forest Solutions, declined to discuss the reasons for the company’s withdrawal, but said it was ultimately a business decision.
“Kamehameha Schools remains committed to the stewardship of these lands and the harvesting of the existing eucalyptus forest,” said Marissa Harman, Kamehameha Schools director of asset management for Hawaii Island. “We look forward to developing a post-sugarcane era vision for KS properties in Hamakua. We thank the community for its patience and support as we continue to find a forest operator.”
As for how the harvested trees will be used, Kua said nothing is yet set in stone.
“What happens to the trees will depend on the outcome of the final negotiated agreement,” she said. “The new lessee will have to assess the current status of the land and then decide how to best move forward. It was important to us that the new lessee be able to begin operations immediately, to make decisions quickly.”
Officials at Hu Honua Bioenergy, a biomass power plant being built in Pepeekeo, said in 2016 that they had agreements for harvesting trees on Parker Ranch land and Kamehameha Schools land in Pahala.
Ellis at the time also confirmed he had discussions with Hu Honua about harvesting trees on Kamehameha Schools land on the Hamakua Coast.
Kamehameha Schools planted 12,700 acres of eucalyptus trees after acquiring about 30,000 acres of former sugar lands in the 1990s.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.