Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United States Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.

Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United States Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.

Whereas the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry (referred to in this preamble as the “IPIF”) operates under a geographically based research portfolio and the Pacific Southwest Research Station Charter;

Whereas the IPIF has been serving the Pacific region, which is equal to the size of the continental United States, since 1956, following the orders of the Secretary of Agriculture;

Whereas the IPIF was congressionally authorized and established as an Institute in the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (commonly known as the “1990 Farm Bill”) (Public Law 101–624; 104 Stat. 3359);

Whereas the mission of the IPIF has been to serve the research, development, demonstration, and technical assistance needs of Hawaii and United States-affiliated Pacific islands in addressing the frontiers of tropical ecology, natural resources, and management;

Whereas the IPIF provides the scientific information needed to advise officials regarding the restoration, conservation, and sustainability of tropical forests, grasslands, and wetlands of the Pacific;

Whereas wildfire threats escalate in island environments, and the IPIF’s ongoing wildfire mapping, risk analysis, and science-driven fire-mitigation strategies, developed in collaboration with the Forest Service’s Fire and Aviation Management, has transformed fire response capacity across the Pacific while reducing long-term risk and costs;

Whereas the IPIF conducts cutting edge tropical research in investigating invasive species and their impacts, developing conservation tools, including biocontrol agents, to support endemic wildlife and plants, and managing environmental stressors in the Pacific’s ecosystems;

Whereas recent IPIF studies include findings on the pathogenicity and colonization of Rapid Ohia Death on Ohia trees and the changing population patterns of invasive strawberry guava trees in the Hawaiian rainforest;

Whereas the IPIF’s Biocontrol Program has been a national leader in researching and administering safe, targeted, long-term weed and insect pest suppression to reduce the costs of large-scale land restoration;

Whereas the IPIF serves as a bridge between science and community, presenting indigenous perspectives through conservation partnerships and cultural stewardship to reach its conservation goals, increases the number of rural jobs, and empowers local decision making;

Whereas the IPIF’s location on Hawaii Island makes it the premier Forest Service institute and hub for scientific research in the Pacific region and is vital to ensuring that the institute is able to carry out the research goals set forth by Congress in a fiscally responsible manner;

Whereas the IPIF is home to a dedicated workforce committed to their mission of serving the people and ecosystems of the Pacific;

Whereas the IPIF has been home to various research programs related to a diverse range of categories with national universities and government organizations;

Whereas healthy forests and watersheds are vital in providing important ecosystem services, including nutrient cycling, carbon storage, erosion prevention, increased biodiversity, wildlife movement corridors, water storage, flood control, and more; and

Whereas scientific research on our forests and watersheds is important for maintaining the landscape and biodiversity of the United States, and fighting against climate change: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) commemorates the 70th anniversary of the United States Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry (referred to in this resolution as the “IPIF”);

(2) recognizes the vital contributions that the research conducted and data produced by the IPIF have provided to the United States in understanding the ecosystems of the Pacific region;

(3) acknowledges the importance of having the IPIF located on Hawaii Island; and

(4) reaffirms the Senate’s strong support for the critical ongoing operations of the IPIF and its staff.