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January 27, 2025 County of Hawaii — Department of Finance Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resource Preservation Commission 25 Aupuni St, Hilo HI 96740 RE: TMKs (3) 5-2-009:025 and (3) 5-2-009:026 located in Makapala & Niuli`i, Kohala District I represent the current landowner of the subject properties, which have been in my family for over 100 years. I write to affirm my willingness to sell a conservation easement to Hawaii Land Trust and the County of Hawaii to place restrictions on the land to ensure its permanent protection. The properties were recently passed down to me by my mother upon her passing and I almost saw generations of lineal ownership and stewardship lost as my `ohana (family) was forced to put the properties on the market in November 2022 due to financial circumstances in caring for our 'ohana matriarch, my mom. Given my mom's wishes to not sell the properties, I chose to continue the work with Hawaii Land Trust to purchase a conservation easement which allowed my `ohana to withdraw the properties' listing from the market in 2023, until such conservation easement purchase can be secured. My `ohana and I also wish to preserve this propertys' historic and cultural significance for the Kohala community as a place where many Kohala residents, including Merrie Monarch winning kumu hula, learned hula from my grandmother. Our 'ohana kuleana to maintain the health of both Niuli`i and Waikani Streams that connect at the end of the properties, is uniquely important to the ahupua'a in restoring the health and flow of our waterways and greater lo`i kalo system mauka to makai (from the mountains to the sea). Hawaii Land Trust has secured partial funding support for the purchase of the conservation easement from the USDA NRCS and is submitting this nomination to PONC for additional funding support. On behalf of myself and my `ohana, as well as the larger Niuli`i, Makapala and Kohala community, I wish to thank the Commissioners and County in advance for their consideration of HILT's nomination. Sincerely, 1/ f M Ihy siit PI i d 01/30/202 210451 UTC