What Rangelands Provide: Ecosystem Services

Statewide, almost 20 percent of Hawai‘i’s land area is rangeland. Haleakalā Ranch Company’s own Greg Friel has long been an advocate of the benefits provided by healthy grazing lands, and in 2014, he was one of the founding board members of the Hawai‘i Rangeland Stewardship Foundation. Over his years as ranch vice president and land manager, Friel has steadily inspired others to support sound management practices and to appreciate the ecosystem services provided by rangelands.

Well-managed rangelands are more than a place for cattle to graze—they provide important proven benefits for our island society. The ranch lands under the stewardship of Haleakalā Ranch provide climate resilience, water capture, wildlife habitat, food production, wildfire mitigation, open space, aesthetic beauty, and cultural connection to place—all ecosystem services that are invaluable to Maui and to Hawai‘i.

In 2019, Friel played a key role in the development of a 30-page report entitled “Maintaining the Many Societal Benefits of Rangelands: The Case of Hawaiʻi.” Published as a collaboration between the Hawai‘i Cattlemen’s Association, the Natural Capital Project, the University of Hawai‘i and others, this report by island-based scientists and ranchers summarizes available evidence to help establish the connection between ecosystem services and healthy grazing lands.

Jordan Jokiel, vice president for Haleakalā Ranch Company, also participated in organizing the team and developing the report. The former director of the Palmyra Program for The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i and program manager for East Maui and Leeward Haleakalā Watershed Partnerships, Jokiel brings a strong conservation background to his work at the ranch. He sees the stark difference between pastures that are maintained and land that is left open to feral animals such as axis deer.

“The importance of well-managed rangelands in terms of ecosystem services cannot be understated,” Jokiel says. “Preventing soil erosion, keeping the land healthy and strong for food production, encouraging watershed function, protecting native species, decreasing wildfire risk—the list goes on—are important functions of our land management program. Stewarding the land is something that ranchers do every day as part of our science-based management; our sustainability goals are actually very similar to those of conservationists.”

Livestock play an integral role in supporting soil health on rangelands. “Grazing can improve nutrient cycling in grassland ecosystems where nutrients are limited,” Friel says. “A well-managed grazing program can help improve soil, sequester carbon, and decrease fire risk, among other benefits.”

Livestock can also be used to selectively graze in an effort to reduce invasive plants and restore native vegetation. Haleakalā Ranch has taken a 40-ha area at ‘Ukulele Pasture out of grazing to protect and strengthen the diverse native understory beneath native koa and ‘ōhi‘a lehua.

“For example, in the ‘Ukulele native forest demonstration project, we are using managed livestock (cattle and sheep) to initially control the understory weeds,” Friel says. “The expectation is that this method will require less effort and herbicide and will input nutrients into the ecosystem.”

This thoughtful management is just one of the many ways in which stewardship of rangelands benefits the environment. Through the ongoing efforts of Haleakalā Ranch and other supporters of the Hawai‘i Rangeland Stewardship Foundation, community awareness of ranches’ important role in ecosystem services is on the rise.