UH, USAG Hawai‘i sign agreement to deepen conservation work, expand workforce training

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawai'i - The University of Hawai'i and U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i signed an intergovernmental support agreement Sept. 16, 2025 at the Schofield Barracks Seed Lab that expands environmental services, boosts conservation workforce development and strengthens island resilience.

The agreement formalizes and broadens University of Hawai'i support through the Army Natural Resources Program Office, allowing joint projects that improve ecosystem resilience on military lands while supporting Army training and readiness.

"This partnership underscores the University of Hawai'i's role as a trusted partner in conservation and environmental stewardship," said Dr. Chad Walton, University of Hawai'i System interim vice president for research and innovation. "Through this agreement, we can apply expertise in environmental science and resource management to support the Army's mission, while creating new, real-world career and workforce development opportunities in environmental stewardship for our faculty, staff and students."

University of Hawai'i and U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i have worked together since 1995 on research, invasive species control, monitoring and the cultivation and reintroduction of endangered plants and animals. The new agreement is expected to scale those efforts across Oahu training areas and create additional hands-on opportunities for students, researchers and technicians.

"The University of Hawai'i has the experience and expertise, and also the responsibility to our island home, to help ensure the very best education, talent and research in natural resource management and environmental stewardship applied to military lands in Hawai'i," said Suzanne Case, director of the Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures.

"By tapping into the University of Hawai'i's world-class expertise in environmental science and resource management, we enhance our operational readiness while safeguarding Hawai'i's unique ecosystems for future generations," said Col. Rachel Sullivan, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i. "This collaboration not only bolsters the Army's ability to train and deploy forces under sustainable practices, but it also creates opportunities for workforce development, inspiring students and researchers to become stewards of these islands."

The partners said the agreement represents a model for stronger collaboration between the Department of War and local institutions nationwide, allowing military installations to improve operations while caring for island resources and supporting regional economies.

Learn more about the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i's Natural Resource Program by visiting https://home.army.mil/hawaii/garrison/dpw/natural-resources.

See more photos from the event on the U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i Flickr page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usaghawaii/albums/72177720329077772.