Hawaii Ranch

Hawai’i Ranch is a privately owned 15,000 acre working ranch (cattle and forest management) located on the south west side of the island of Hawai’i. The property has been owned by a local family for over 80 years and represents the core of a much larger family parcel (60,000 acres) which, over the years, has been partitioned and sold. These sales have been quite difficult for the family and their decision to hire Lyme represents the desire to keep the remaining 15,000 acres within family ownership.

Ecologically, the Ranch remains one of the most important privately owned properties on the island. The property stretches from sea level to 7,500 feet and includes the most pristine and intact native tropical forest on the island. It is the home of endemic and indigenous flora and fauna, including many endangered species of both types. The best known is the Alala, or Hawaiian Crow, whose only known population is on the Ranch. As such the ranch remains the focus and interest of many conservation organizations.

Several years ago the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) attempted to purchase a conservation easement over the Ranch, but the negotiations broke down without a final agreement.

Motivated by the threat of having to pay inheritance taxes without the dollars to do so, as well as both the desire to maintain a working ranch and preserve the ecological attributes of the property, the “next” Hawai’i Ranch generation approached Lyme for assistance. Our task was to structure and negotiate a conservation disposition that retained family ownership, allowed the ranch to remain operable and preserve the ecological attributes of the property.

Our solution was to work with the United States Forest Service on a grant of money from the Forest Legacy Program for the purchase of a conservation easement over the property. Because the Legacy program would be unable to fully fund the purchase of a conservation easement (CE) over the property in one year, the project was broken into two phases spread over a several year period. Lyme’s role was to draft and negotiate the conservation easement, manage the CE appraisal process and coordinating interactions with other partner conservation organizations interested in the outcome (primarily The Nature Conservancy).

Specifically our role involved the following tasks:

  • Work with the USFS lawyers in drafting of an acceptable Conservation Easement for the family.
  • Act as an interpreter and advocate for the family in the drafting process.
  • Manage the appraisal process (determines the value of the CE and what will be paid to the family).
  • Interview appraisers.
  • Guide chosen appraiser through the complex process of valuing CE’s for the USFS.
  • Manage timber valuation for the property.
  • Assist with the drafting of a long-term management plan as required by the Forest Legacy program.
  • Coordinate matching funds as required by the Forest Legacy Program.
  • Lobby for congressional appropriations to fund the multi year project.
  • Coordinate conservation partners in developing broad support for the project.
  • Coordinate local approvals and relations.
  • Direct and advise the family lawyer regarding various legal documents required: Proof of title, Subdivisions, Title insurance