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been seeing year over year this increase in new colonies that are starting to recover – the reef <br />ecosystem there – so it’s just really good news, we hear a lot about, you know, the decline in <br />coral reefs, decline in fisheries and this is just one of those stories that said like when we take <br />action based on our knowledge of a place – that we can take these actions and we can make <br />these decisions that can help, you know, not only this species but the ripple effect, right? So I <br />added this because I felt like I could say this now this year that we’re kind of past the biggest risk <br />of thermal stress again – that about 95% of the new colonies have survived – so that means <br />they’ve endured kind of this cycle of warmer ocean temperatures of a ton of human impact of <br />impaired water quality and perhaps this is a sign that they’re adapting and that they’ll be able to <br />survive future events so it’s a really positive story about Kahaluu and the folks that are <br />dedicated to caring for this place – the community that comes together to support this activity <br />and I think – like I said – this is one species but I think when we look at different ecosystems, <br />different issues that we’re facing – this kind of approach could really be applied across different <br />places, so, I’m coming up on my time here but I just wanted to say one last thing – so this is a <br />cauliflower coral in 2020 – those are the same colonies and in just two years we saw this really <br />nice growth and, it just really kind of keeps us going and gives us hope that as we continue this <br />process we can see recovery of the reef there – a lot of people I think aren’t so sure if that’s <br />possible at Kahaluu but, we’re seeing this in real life – we’re seeing it happen and it’s just really <br />inspiring. So I appreciate you guys obviously giving me this platform – this opportunity to share <br />with you folks – I appreciate what you guys do and I’d be happy to answer any questions. <br /> <br />AG: I have a question. <br /> <br />KC: Yeah. <br /> <br />AG: Austin Griffey, District – 6, is there anything in the works about restoring the fish pond right <br />there and repairing those break walls? <br /> <br />KC: Yeah, so, that’s a great question, we have been looking at kind of the feasibility of doing that – <br />there’s a lot that goes into it with permitting because it is an historic site… <br /> <br />AG: Right… <br /> <br />KC: ….um, and questions about sea level rise and like how would it be done in a way that would <br />honor that place and that would keep in mind the impact of future sea level rise, so, the latest <br />thing that was done was a sea level rise impact study so this looks at six years out – and kinda <br />looks at the shoreline there – so for any kind of physical restoration of the pavilion there – the <br />bathrooms there – the pond – the Waikua’a’ala Pond – those are all things that come into <br />consideration and so not really sure what the immediate next steps are but it’s something that <br />definitely – I look at it in kind of a few ways that are all connected – one is just the significance <br />of caring for the pond there, but the other – the ecological function that it serves because it acts <br />as like a filtration system for that fresh water that comes in so right now we’re seeing actually a <br />lot of impacts on the reef just outside of the pond area – and I believe part of that is because the <br />water’s not being filtered as it was previously. <br /> <br />AG: Yeah. <br /> <br />11 <br /> <br /> <br />