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�III�I r' CONSERVATION r HHIM e AW AN VIA EMAIL: admin@lkealakekua.org H6'ala Kealakekua Nui P.O. Box 1301 Kealakekua, Hawaii 96750 VIA EMAIL: reyna.ramolete@tpl.org Trust for Public Land 1164 Bishop Street, Suite 1512 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Re: Support for the protection and purchase of two land parcels in Kealakekua, South Kona, Hawaii 17 January 2025 Aloha kakou, I am pleased to offer the support of Conservation International Hawaii (CI Hawaii) to the South Kona community non-profit organization, H6'ala Kealakekua Nui, and the Trust for Public Land in their combined effort to purchase and protect Kokua Kealakekua (1.26 acres, TMK (3) 8-1- 009:007 and TMK(3) 8-1-009:008) in Ka`awaloa, South Kona, Hawaii Island. H6'ala Kealakekua Nui (HKN) is a Native Hawaiian-led non-profit engaging in collaborative stewardship of Kealakekua Bay's natural and cultural landscape for the whole community, including guests and future generations. Like other precious places across Hawaii nei, unmanaged tourism and overuse pose serious challenges to Kealakekua. Purchase of Kokua Kealakekua means empowerment for the community and a greater ability to collaboratively steward the cultural and natural resources of the area. The parcels of interest sit across the Ka`awaloa trailhead (Captain Cook Monument Trail), which serves as the main public access route to the north end of Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park. Parking infrastructure would support managed access to the Bay and provide a space for an interpretive center at Kealakekua that would ensure an `oiwi-centered narrative of the Bay and surrounding sacred and historical sites is shared with malihini and kama`aina. Additionally, important safety and other updated information can be accurately and quickly disseminated. Across the pae `aina, Cl Hawaii focuses on sustainable seafood harvest, innovations in conservation policy, and community-based natural resource stewardship, which all lead to improved ocean health and abundance. Our partnerships are collaborations between businesses, non-profits, academic institutions, government, and local fishing villages and communities, including Kealakekua. Cl Hawaii has been privileged to partner with Ho`51a Kealakekua Nui on community-basedenvironmental monitoring, `oiwi-defined research, and Indigenous data and knowledge management topics. Our organization believes in the vision of community-led natural resource and visitor access and management in Kealakekua and other sacred spaces. Their proposed purchase of the two mauka parcels will significantly increase their organizational capacity to continue to serve Kealakekua and achieve the objectives and outcomes articulated in the Kealakekua Community Action Plan. Conservation International Hawai'i, 3555 Harding Avenue Suite 200, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96816