Hawai‘i Permanently Protects 234 Acres for Agriculture in Wahiawā

The Hawaiʿi Agribusiness Development Corporation (ADC), the United States Department of the Navy, and Trust for Public Land jointly announced the permanent dedication of more than 234 acres of agricultural land adjacent to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) Wahiawā Annex near Whitmore Village for agricultural use.

A conservation easement permanently dedicating the land to agricultural uses was negotiated and recorded for the purpose of providing an important buffer zone to JBPHH Wahiawā Annex while dedicating ADC’s lands for agricultural use in support of Hawai‘i’s broader food security goals of doubling food production in the State by 2030.

“Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is grateful for the partnership with Trust for Public Land and the State of Hawai‘i on this project which protects and preserves the agricultural lands,” stated JBPHH Commanding Officer Captain Samuel White. “We will continue to look for opportunities that are mutually beneficial in the future.”

“As neighbors to the U.S. Navy’s facilities, we saw a win-win opportunity to dedicate the land to ADC’s core mission of increasing local food production for fresh and shelf stable consumption and support the Navy’s goals of buffering its installation,” said Wendy Gady, executive director of ADC.

Proceeds from the sale of the conservation easement to the Navy will support ADC’s mission.

“Trust for Public Land is honored to assist in facilitating the dedication of this land to agricultural purposes, honoring the Whitmore communities’ desire to keep former pineapple land in agricultural use,” said Associate VP and Hawai‘i State Director Lea Hong. “Preserving the agricultural character of the region ensures the land remains a vital resource for the community and supports our future generations.”

Since 1979, Trust for Public Land has helped conserve more than 77,000 acres across the state of Hawai‘i. Today, the organization remains dedicated to strengthening food security statewide and ensuring the long-term viability of sustainable agriculture.

About Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,420 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $110 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.7 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.