Hawaiʻi Life and Hawaiʻi Land Trust - A Second Decade of Partnership Begins - Hawaii Real Estate Market & Trends | Hawaii Life
Conservation

Hawaiʻi Life and Hawaiʻi Land Trust – A Second Decade of Partnership Begins

Question for you long-time followers. What year did the Hawaiʻi Life show on HGTV begin?

The correct answer: It debuted on January 1, 2013.

Did you ever wonder whether we get paid for doing the show?

The correct answer: Nope.

But that first year Hawaiʻi Life received an honorarium, a sum for expenses, and our founder/CEO Matt Beall thought “The show is selling Hawaiʻi, we also need to be protecting the Hawaiʻi that should not be sold.” He donated the money to Hawaiʻi Land Trust (HILT), the non-profit created in 2011 through a merger of four island-specific land trusts to conserve and steward lands, and perpetuate cultural tradition by connecting people (native and newcomer alike) with ʻāina. As Matt explains in our Conservation and Legacy Lands video, he had been volunteering at Kahili Beach Preserve, a HILT property located near his home and Hawaiʻi Life headquarters on Kauai.

taro patches

Hawaii Land Trustʻs preserve at Waiheʻe, Maui – stewards and volunteers are restoring loʻi kalo (taro patches) and a historic loko ʻia (fish pond) – you can volunteer any Friday!

One thing led to another. Nine years ago, Matt was asked to join the Board of Directors of Hawaiʻi Land Trust, guiding it through a pivotal period. By the time he and other critical “OG” board members reached their three-term limit last year, Hawaii Land Trust had preserved over 22,000 acres and hosted 26,300 visitors last year at the eight preserves it owns. Hawaiʻi Land Trust also holds 54 conservation easements granted by other owners, ensuring those properties also remain protected for agricultural or cultural use.

Hawaiʻi Lifeʻs Support of Hawaiʻi Land Trust to Grow in the Years Ahead

beth robinson matt beall elif beall

Beth Robinson, Matt Beall, and Elif Beall – celebrating the changing of the guard at the annual Buy Back the Beach fundraiser

In 2018, Hawaiʻi Life formalized our commitment to the conservation space by creating a specialized practice area in Conservation and Legacy Lands – which I have had the honor of heading up for nearly seven years. During that time we have established working relationships with a wide range of ʻāina-based organizations, governmental entities, and conservation-minded buyers and sellers. Those relationships are beginning to pay off as we facilitate connections that engage our clientele in the work of protecting and supporting important places and the people who call them home and have kuleana (responsibility) for them – regardless of legal ownership.

To continue our direct relationship with Hawaiʻi Land Trust and its work, I humbly accepted an invitation to join HILTʻs Board of Directors, part of a group of experienced leaders joining the Board who frankly give me a bit of imposter syndrome at times. I look forward to learning from and with them, and contributing my expertise to this important work. I am not replacing Matt – merely standing on the shoulders of the giants who precede me.

buy back the beach fundraiser

On the screen at last weekendʻs annual Buy Back the Beach fundraiser event – $80,000 raised for the fish pond restoration at Waiheʻe!

Please Join Us In Volunteering and Providing Financial Support for the Work of Hawaiʻi Land Trust

As a new Board member I made a personal commitment to volunteer at each of our preserves – annually if I can! For me, Mahukona is the HILT preserve in my backyard, and I am there at least monthly.  Hawaiʻi Land Trust, like other non-profits stewarding lands, relies heavily on volunteers. In fact, the first day I volunteered at Waiheʻe on Maui the only other volunteers were a young couple giving a day of their vacation to learn about and experience Hawaiʻi at a deeper level.

Wouldnʻt it be wonderful if the Hawaiʻi Life ʻohana – our agents and employees, and clients and customers and fans – could log more volunteer hours at HILT preserves in 2025 than any other organization? Here is a link to the list of Volunteer Days. You can also attend a Talk Story on the Land for a deeper dive into learning about a wahi pana, a special, storied place. We would love to have you join us at any of our fundraising events. And at a minimum, it costs nothing to sign up for the Hawaiʻi Land Trust newsletter.

Reach out to me if you want to organize a volunteer or “learn more about Hawaii Land Trust” event at your home or in your community!

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