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The stewardship program needs to recognize the importance of the various persons <br /> involved in the use of the land acting in the spirit of unity. This includes landowners and tenants, <br /> but also includes visitors, University faculty and staff and the state and federal agencies involved <br /> in conservation and preservation efforts, especially those relating to native forests. The <br /> stewardship program also needs to recognize interrelationship of the remaining natural resources <br /> <br /> to broader natural ecosystems. The dry forest fragment in Palamanui is the remnant of a more <br /> extensive lowland forest and the program should coordinate with similar programs in Kona to <br /> mutual benefit. On a narrower perspective, the program also needs to recognize the <br /> interrelationship of the natural systems within Palamanui such as the function of the roots of the <br /> 'ohi'a lehua tree providing water and nutrients to the deep caves. While restoration of a native <br /> dryland forest is one of the goals, the stewardship ethic must also take into account that the <br /> natural ecosystems were not static. Precontact Hawaiians had a significant impact on these <br /> areas. One factor to consider is what level of restoration would be feasible and would be <br /> compatible with preserving the features associated with Hawaiian culture. The dry forest <br /> fragment in Palamanui also needs to be assessed in relationship to other dry forest areas in <br /> Kona. <br /> The stewardship program also needs to balance the benefit to be obtained by <br /> preservation and restoration efforts against the costs of those efforts. <br /> • Need for Stewardship. Implementation of the INCRMP will require active stewardship <br /> to maintain and upkeep the area's resources. In this context, the active relationship between <br /> people and the land's resources and the dynamic relationship among them are central to <br /> stewardship. At present, there are no active users of the land at Palamanui. The tradition of <br /> responsibility (kuleana) must be restored to preserve the resources for future generations. <br /> An important part of reestablishing the stewardship ethic is to educate residents and <br /> visitors about the ancient Hawaiian practices and how the Hawaiians used the land with respect. <br /> Responsibility in stewardship can be characterized by four levels of action: (1) <br /> recognizing the value of resources; (2) using resources without depletion; (3) caring for and <br /> maintaining resources; and (4) preserving and enhancing the resource for future generations. <br /> nt~mm~i~suNCxnte~az~~ost9os~~t g <br /> <br />