Privately owned or managed forests comprise 66% of forest cover in Hawai’i, but when it comes to funding for new climate and environmental initiatives, traditionally underserved communities are often overlooked. In efforts to make reforestation more affordable and accessible for underserved landowners, American Forests has received a $12 million investment from the USDA Forest Service. With funds awarded through its Forest Landowner Support Program, the investment will support 10 tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations seeking to restore damaged forests, resulting in more than 2 million trees planted and over 1 million metric tons CO₂e removed from the atmosphere, announced American Forests. …The award is one of twenty that will be receiving a total of $116 million from the Forest Service through the Forest Landowner Support Program. Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, the program is investing $145 million in organizations that support underserved and small-acreage forest owners.