The University of Hawaii and the Department of the Navy signed Monday an unprecedented 10-year agreement aimed at safeguarding natural and cultural resources on Navy and Marine Corps installations in the state.
The agreement, a renewable intergovernmental support agreement, is the first of its kind in Hawaii between an academic institution; commander, Navy Region Hawaii; and Marine Corps Installations Pacific, and is the second in the nation, following the University of Georgia, which signed its IGSA in September.
The collaboration between UH and the Navy focuses on enhancing climate resilience at military bases and surrounding communities, addressing growing challenges posed by extreme weather and environmental hazards.
The agreement encompasses Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Oahu, as well as the Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands on Kauai. It allows the Navy to potentially allocate up to $10 million annually to UH for projects and services aimed at boosting the resilience of these installations.
UH Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis L. Syrmos told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that discussions about the umbrella agreement began about a year and a half ago during talks with the Army, Navy and Air Force about UH's conservation and natural resource management work in Hawaii and the Pacific.
"One of the ideas was to create the intergovernmental support agreement and put all those activities under that umbrella, making the university an exclusive partner with the Navy to perform this task in conservation and natural resource management," Syrmos said. "We look forward to executing it--we have the best people on the ground."
Syrmos said the agreement highlights UH's expertise in conservation and natural resource management, demonstrating that the university is a leader not only in the state, but also nationally and internationally.
Under the agreement, UH will provide support in areas including biological assessments, pest and predator control, marine debris removal, shoreline stabilization, wildfire management and floodplain analysis.
The university also will contribute to cultural and natural resource management plans, offering specialized services that integrate traditional ecological knowledge.
"This partnership signifies the Navy's commitment to fulfilling its natural and cultural resource responsibilities by leveraging UH's expertise," Syrmos said.
Syrmos said he was pleased that UH was able to enter into the important agreement with the Navy, emphasizing that those who live and work in Hawaii have a responsibility to be good stewards of the land.
The partnership with the Navy, Syrmos said, also demonstrates its commitment to fulfilling natural and cultural resource responsibilities by leveraging UH's knowledge and expertise in these areas.
Suzanne Case, director of the UH Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures, told the Star-Advertiser that the umbrella agreement would allow UH to take on numerous environmental projects as they arise, helping the Navy fulfill its responsibility to care for the land and be a positive community partner.
The projects will be rolled out over time and could include wetland restoration, endangered species monitoring and recovery, biological monitoring, and efforts related to seabirds, sea turtles, migratory birds and other natural resource management. It also will involve cultural resource management and environmental work necessary for conservation in Hawaii.
Case said UH possesses extensive expertise in natural resource management, biology, marine biology, life sciences and physical sciences.
She noted that when the Navy requires assistance on a project, the department can just tap into the university's vast resources. She also highlighted UH's strong collaboration with the Army, particularly through the Army Natural Resource Program on Oahu, which has long supported the Army's efforts to protect endangered species on its installations.
Case emphasized that the university's involvement in watershed partnerships and endangered species committees fosters opportunities for sharing expertise and collaboration across programs.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment Meredith Berger, who also serves as the Navy's chief sustainability officer, highlighted the community's responsibility to protect Hawaii's environment.
As part of its land-, sea-and space-grant mission, UH prioritizes federal partnerships like the IGSA to achieve meaningful outcomes in environmental and cultural stewardship across the state.
The agreement reflects a broader trend of defense programs nationwide investing in collaborations to understand and mitigate the impacts of severe weather and other hazards on military operations. It also positions UH as a critical partner in balancing national defense requirements with Hawaii's unique environmental and cultural responsibilities.
"I applaud the University of Hawai 'i and the U.S. Navy for entering into this historic agreement to protect and manage natural and cultural resources on military installations in Hawai 'i which will increase the Navy and Marine Corps' climate resilience and bolster readiness," U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono said in a statement. "By enabling the Navy to utilize UH's world-class resources and insight to address climate-related challenges, this agreement will help the military better protect Hawai 'i's natural resources and strengthen our national security."
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