The project will reduce wildfire impacts across the hawaiian islands by increasing the availability of plant materials, including native species and safe, non-invasive introduced plants

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service R5-Pacific Southwest Region awarded $4.621 million to the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources on August 19, 2026, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Community Wildfire Defense Grants program (CFDA 10.720) to reduce wildfire impacts across the Hawaiian Islands by expanding the availability of native and non-invasive plant materials for fire prevention and post-fire landscape recovery.

The project addresses critical shortages of native seed required for erosion control and ecosystem restoration, particularly following the closure of Hawaii's last large-scale native seed program in 2004. The initiative will expand regional seed supply and ensure consistent access to high-quality seed across all four counties, with priority focus on communities within Community Wildfire Protection Plan areas. By replacing highly flammable non-native grasses that dominate fire-prone landscapes with native species and safe introduced plants, the project supports both immediate fire mitigation and long-term ecosystem restoration.

Performance runs through August 18, 2031, with all work performed in Hawaii. The State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, which manages Hawaii's forests, watersheds, endangered species, and recreational lands, serves as the recipient and implementing entity.

These species are essential for replacing the highly flammable, non-native grasses that dominate fire-prone landscapes and for supporting post-fire land recovery. Hawaii currently faces significant shortages of native seed required for erosion control and ecosystem restoration, particularly since the closure of the last large-scale native seed program in 2004. Project will expand the regional seed supply and ensure that communitiesespecially those within community wildfire protection plan areas across all four countieshave consistent access to high-quality seed for fire prevention and post-fire restoration