2022_08_16 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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SW: Oh, there we go. Hopefully, that worked. KB: You see something now? BL: Yeah. KB: OK. As long as you guys can see this that’s OK. That’s great. Anyway, per my introduction, my name – Kalena Blakemore for Office of Hawaiian Affairs – I was just out in the field with Abraham a couple of weeks ago and he serves on our Ala Kaiaulu working group council and so he asked me to come tonight and share some – what’s been going on at Wao Kele O Puna. So, I’m not a hunter, but, so I’m sharing from what I understand and what I know. Hopefully, if there’s any questions that you folks have I can try to answer them. So Wao Kele O Puna is not a traditional, historical Hawaiian place name but it’s more of a description of the area. The forest is located in the ahupuaa of Waiakahiula and Kaohe in Puna on our Island here. It lies between the ahupuaa of Kamoamoa and Keonepoko and sits in the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano. It’s approximately 10 miles from Hilo and 10 miles from Halemaumau with Puu Oo just 2 ½ miles upslope. The area encompasses just under 26,000 acres – roughly the size of the Island of Kahoolawe. Wao Kele is designated as a State Forest Reserve, State Conservation protective subzone. This is the highest level for protection by the Land Use Commission. Wao Kele is recognized as the first ceded lands to return to Hawaiian hands since the overthrow of the Kingdom in 1893. It is also recognized as the largest intact tropical lowland forest in the United States. Our elevation ranges from 1000-2280 feet. Rainfall is approximately 110-150 inches per year with no standing surface water. Lava flows range with oldest from 3,000 years – last large flow in 2007 impacting 1500 acres – with the most recent in 2014. The property was acquired in 2006 by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs – they paid $300,000 dollars of the 3.65 million purchase price leaving the remaining balance that was paid by the federal Forestry Legacy Program. The property was managed under an MOA by DLNR from 2006-2016 when the MOA expired OHA took full management of this conservation land. Acquisition objectives are to protect natural and cultural resources, protect traditional and customary rights of Native Hawaiians on the parcels and assure that the land will pass to the Lahui. The Wao Kele O Puna Natural Area Forest Reserve is part of 1.5 million acres of Crown and Hawaiian Kingdom lands that were first confiscated from Native Hawaiians and then ceded to the US Government in 1898. Once Hawaii became a state, the lands became part of the Ceded Public Lands Trust managed by DLNR on behalf of Native Hawaiians and the general public. Prior to being opened up for geothermal energy development, Wao Kele O Puna rain forest was a natural reserve set aside to protect native plants and animals. As part of the Ceded Public Lands Trust it was legally dedicated to the use of the Hawaiian people in “perpetuity.” In 1985 this land was approved for development through a 4