RES 552 Draft 01 2024-2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) and although currently dominated by non-native species, the native species are resilient and ever-present across the land, sea, and sky. With over 100 species of fish living in the bay, and as one of the few -available resting areas for dolphins on the island, the bay is heavily sought out by visitors for aquatic -recreational experiences and beloved by the local community who relies on the bay for cultural practices, fishing, and subsistence lifestyles. Over 50,000 people access Keolakekuo Boy and Kaawoloo per year, either by boat, non -motor boating (kayaks, stand-up poddle boards, etc), hiking, and vehicular access. The property lies within the 44-acre watershed and aquifer of Kealakekua, which has a sustainable yield of 38 million gallons per day (MGD) and whose health is vital to ensure the health of its reliant communities. Property acquisition will support community -stewardship and more active engagement in watershed management as it pertains to the groundwater plumes which emanate from the coastline surrounding Kealakekua Bay and the near -shore anchialine ponds and springs such as Wailokoali'i. Current efforts by Ho'ala Kealakekua Nui and the extended community include a partnership with The Nature Conservancy to design and test various coral growth methods for Kanu Ko'a. This place -based initiative to restore coastal marine habitat along the west coast of Hawai'i Island is being conducted by means of several preparation steps not -possible without the support of community volunteers. Rooted in traditional ecological knowledge derived from the Kumulipo (a Hawaiian creation chant), implementation of these restoration efforts honors the cultural and ecological significance of coral as a first-born and foundational component of our community, emphasizing that the resilience of the people and the lands is intrinsically tied to the resilience of the marine ecosystems. A location of great importance to the history of the Hawaiian people, Kealakekua is a storied landscape, revered by the people who have called it home for generations and who will continue to do so for generations to come. It was the first -known extensive contact between the Hawaiian people and Europeans when Captain James Cook arrived in January 1779. Subsequently killed there upon his second arrival for his role in the kidnapping of Kalani'opu'u, ruling chief of the island, Cook played a dominant role in the history of Kealakekua for many generations. A controversial monument honoring Cook remains standing at Ka'awaloa, visible from across the bay at Kealakekua. However, the bay was likely populated between 900 and 1300 A.D., long before the arrival of Captain Cook, and was a known epicenter of Kona_ An abundant coastal sanctuary, the Kealakekua community was a thriving fishery and was first visited by a different foreigner known as Kua. A chief and shark god from Ka'u, just like Cook, Kua was not of any