The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has begun working with other agencies and groups to better protect the environment.

DLNR Director Peter Young announced yesterday that to make the best use of his department's budget — which accounts for less than 1 percent of the state's general fund — his agency has been entering into more partnership arrangements with private entities, environmental agencies and offices at other levels of government.

"It's all our responsibilities to protect our natural and cultural resources," Young said.

In a program praised by Mark Fox of the Nature Conservancy, DLNR is working with 35 private landowners and 18 public agencies to protect the watershed on nearly a million acres, or about a quarter of the entire land area of the state. "We believe this is the model for taking care of our fragile ecological issues," Fox said.

Scott Atkinson, Hawai'i program director for the Community Conservation Network, talked about a program in which his agency, the Nature Conservancy and the Hawaii Wildlife Fund are working with DLNR to create an ecological version of Neighborhood Watch.

Called Makai Watch, the program will or has been implemented in Miloli'i on the Big Island, Pupukea on O'ahu and 'Ahihi-Kina'u on Maui.

Makai Watch members will educate tourists and others on the importance of staying off reefs and away from protected sea creatures and will also report poaching and other misuse of resources.

In a third program, DLNR worked with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Trust for Public Land in an effort to protect Wao Kele O Puna, 25,856 acres on the Big Island that is being transferred to OHA to be conserved.

"Like many government agencies," said Clyde Namu'o, OHA administrator, "we were skeptical of DLNR's progress."

Working with DLNR on Wao Kele O Puna gave him a different impression, he said.

"We feel we've made significant progress working together," he said.

Reach Karen Blakeman at kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.