2022_08_16 Game Management Advisory Commission Minutes

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state-organized land swap with Campbell Estate. More than 27,000 acres of “public trust” land in Puna forest reserve were traded by the DLNR for 25,000 acres of adjacent private land in Kahaualea. In March 1990, approximately 1500 people peacefully demonstrated and opposed the geothermal project and land trade for many reasons. One hundred and forty-one people were arrested. In Pele Defense Fund v Paty (1992) PDF primarily argues that the exchange constitutes a breach of the trust created under Section § 5(f) of the Hawaii Admissions Act and article XII, § 4 of the Hawaii Constitution. The §5(f) claim is brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 – anyway, I’m not going to read this stuff – you can go onto a link later – a PDF – Findings v Paty and look into the details ‘cause I know a lot of hunters want to know the details about this property and how they can access it. Let’s see here – some of the unique features – what makes Wao Kele special is it’s one of the few remaining tracts of lowland rainforest in Hawaii and the U. The reserve is a watershed recharge – Wao Kele lies over 20% of the largest aquifer in the state – the Pahoa Aquifer – it provides habitat for endangered species and a seed bank kipuka. Wao Kele O Puna is a sacred place to Native Hawaiians for traditional and customary practices and is home to the Goddess Pele and an intersecting point with Kāne, the God of water. This forest is home to several moolelo affiliated with Pele, Hiiaka, Kamapuaa, and Ailaau. Cultural resources found here include extensive lava tubes with sensitive archaeological sites and burials. In 2015 our first community working group was assembled to inform the Comprehensive Management Plan. We have met for monthly meetings for two years. The Plan is our guide to forest management and was approved in 2017. The group was composed of cultural practitioners, educators, scientists and conservation/restoration activists. The abbreviated CMP is approximately 250 pages and can be found on the OHA website under Aina-WKOP link. Pre-pandemic from 2017-2020 we have hosted monthly community engagement days with private & public school groups – Ke Kula o Nawahiokalaniopuu – Kamehameha’s Summer School Programs – Keaʻau-Pahoa Complex. The students practice natural and cultural management protocols and are exposed to Hawaiian place-based learning to moolelo, kilo (observations) aloha aina, weeding, out-planting, seed collection and propagation. I feel like I must have skipped something. Yep. Due to the conservation protected subzone designation that we have at Wao Kele – we need to seek exemptions from SHPD - the State Historic Preservation Department and the Office of Coastal Conservation Lands for any projects that we want to accomplish and that includes small fenced units, installations and signs – pretty much anything that we need to do we have to go to OCCL and SHPD for approval. 5