LIHUE — Fifteen-year-old Princeville resident Talia Abrams has a vision not only for Kauai, but the entire state and beyond — edible landscapes in public places. Not in a Willy-Wonka’s-chocolate-factory, made-entirely-of-sweets type of way. Abrams wants them to be nutritious,
LIHUE — Fifteen-year-old Princeville resident Talia Abrams has a vision not only for Kauai, but the entire state and beyond — edible landscapes in public places.
Not in a Willy-Wonka’s-chocolate-factory, made-entirely-of-sweets type of way. Abrams wants them to be nutritious, delicious, sustainable and for everyone.
“I just want edible landscape to be spread out all over,” she said. “If you’re hungry and you want healthy food it would just be around everywhere.”
The young lady’s vision is being supported by nearly half of the 51 members of the state House of Representatives.
As a result of Abrams’ motivation and hard work, a bill — one she wrote at age 14 — aimed at establishing a community food forest program in the state Department of Land and Natural Resources is moving through the House.
And Abrams, a lifelong home-school student and vegetarian, said she couldn’t be more excited.
House Bill 2177 was introduced last month by Rep. Derek Kawakami, D-Wailua-Haena, and has been co-sponsored by 23 other House representatives, including Kauai Reps. Dee Morikawa, D-Koloa-Niihau, and Jimmy Tokioka, D-Koloa-Wailua.
Kawakami said he was approached by Abrams last session about her interest in learning more about the legislative process and how to get started on a bill that would allow DLNR to create a program much like what has been implemented in Kalihiwai.
“She worked hard in drafting a bill and we were more than happy to introduce the bill on her behalf,” Kawakami wrote in an email. “In the future, we will be working with more schools in similar efforts. Not only do some of the best ideas come from our keiki but it is a great way to introduce and involve them in civics.”
The Kalihiwai Food Forest covers two acres on Kauai’s North Shore and boasts thousands of root, ground, shrub and tree plantings. The one-year-old project is a collaboration between Malama Kauai and Regenerations International Botanical Gardens.
If passed, the measure would appropriate funds and require the DLNR to “work collaboratively with local government and community organizations to provide sources of healthy food statewide.”
“Community and urban gardens, concepts which have been adopted statutorily in states like New York, California, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Maine, may provide a solution to the problem of increasing food costs and the dwindling availability of undeveloped land,” the bill states.
“By identifying and utilizing public lands, particularly those near existing community gathering places such as parks and community centers, to create community food forests that adopt edible landscaping concepts, the State may be able to provide additional sources of low- or no-cost food to residents, while also utilizing developed land for community sustainability purposes.”
The act would go into effect July 1.
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Water and Land voted 9-0 that the measure be passed with minor amendments. The bill now moves on to the House Committee on Finance, its final referral before it could move on to the House floor.
The background
Talia, the daughter of Ernest and Meryl Abrams of Princeville, said the idea came to her when she was listening to a radio show about a low-income family. With only $12 per day to spend on food, the family was forced to eat cheap meals at fast food restaurants.
“I decided I really wanted to do something,” she said.
Last year, at age 14, she drafted the bill for an assignment prior to attending the Christian non-profit TeenPact Leadership School in Honolulu. Later, she took the bill directly to Kawakami, who promised her he would introduce it during this year’s legislative session.
“He was really interested in it,” she recalled.
North Shore resident and teacher Felicia Cowden, who Abrams described as a “mentor,” said the bill is designed to adapt to any community, with the community deciding what’s best for its own needs.
“It can be as small or as big as the community grows it to be,” she said. “Every community would have its own influence on the size, the style, the funding.”
Cowden said the food forests could also be used for grief counseling, with individuals or families planting and caring for a tree in honor of a lost loved one. Or, portions of an area — for example, the bike path along Kauai’s Eastside — could be adopted and lined with fruit-bearing trees.
“A lot of places around, they have trees that are completely useless,” Abrams said. “But if they could just be fruit trees, or native ones or edible, then I think it would help us all out.”
Positive momentum
Abrams’ reaction Wednesday after hearing that her bill passed through committee was short and sweet.
“It’s amazing!” she said.
“When I first started, I didn’t think it would go anywhere. I was 14!”
A total of 47 pieces of testimony were submitted prior to Wednesday’s hearing. All but one voiced strong support.
“When the young people of today are bright enough to understand that THEY are our future, we need to LISTEN,” wrote Ann Evens. “This is a STEP towards helping all communities take the important step forward toward healthy self-reliance.”
Sean Lathrop wrote that the state of Hawaii “could become an example for the entire country by adopting and implementing this bill.”
And Peter J. Martin, president and CEO of TeenPact, testified that the bill is not only good for the people of Kauai, but also “shows Talia that even through she cannot yet vote, her voice can be heard.”
DLNR Chair William Aila testified that while the department supports the bill’s intent, it does not feel it is necessary since the Forest Stewardship Program and the Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program are already in place.
“The Department believes that through these two existing programs, the goals for House Bill 2177 could be met without creating a new program,” he wrote.
Backup plan
Should the bill not make it through the legislative process, Abrams is prepared. In fact, she has already sat down to discuss the idea with Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., and has pitched her proposal — signed by 150 community members — to the Kilauea Neighborhood Association.
“If the bill doesn’t go through, I will still somehow make it a community thing,” she said with confidence.
In her own submitted testimony, Abrams said she was honored to see her bill introduced and that her dream is to help feed the people she sees in the park who she knows are hungry.
“Please pass this Bill because I want to help people have healthy food to eat, even if they can’t afford it,” she wrote.
• Chris D’Angelo, environmental reporter, can be reached at 245-0441 or cdangelo@thegardenisland.com.
