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Attachment B - PONC 2025 - Kumukahi - Project Statement and cultural respect. Public acquisition ensures managed access, balancing recreational use with preservation of environmental and cultural resources. Preservation of coastal areas and natural beauty. Preserving Kumukahi's coastal areas and natural beauty is essential, especially as visitors are already venturing into these areas without proper permissions, potentially endangering both their safety and the environment. The pristine beauty and unique energy of this region naturally draw curiosity, and while visits are welcome, they must be conducted in a way that respects both the environment and the community. Managed access is crucial to ensuring safe, sustainable, and respectful engagement with this storied 'aina. The intent of the acquisition is to consolidate land ownership to enable coordinated preservation and stewardship while restoring dignity to iwi kupuna. Fragmented land ownership has long impeded cohesive conservation efforts. By unifing parcels, we can implement comprehensive management and stewardship plan, facilitating coordinated efforts with community-based partners. The Kumukahi region contains numerous burial sites that currently lack proper protections. This acquisition would ensure respect for ancestral remains, providing lineal descendants the opportunity to pay homage, conduct cultural protocols, and safeguard these sacred areas with the dignity they deserve. The long-term vision for this acquisition is to establish a unified approach to the protection, stewardship, and preservation of Kumukahi, a wahi pana of the Hawaiian people. By consolidating land ownership, we can ensure coordinated management efforts. A key priority is safeguarding the rights of lineal descendants of iwi kupuna by guaranteeing their access in perpetuity and implementing the burial treatment plan. This plan is critical to restoring dignity to iwi kupuna, as 'ohana burials in the area have been vandalized and remains stolen. Ensuring these sacred sites are protected will allow descendants to pay homage, conduct cultural protocols, and uphold traditional practices. Additionally, the acquisition will preserve the rights of Hawaiian practitioners to worship, gather, and fish, ensuring that these cultural practices remain accommodated and protected for generations to come. Stewardship efforts will also focus on ecological restoration, including the removal of invasive species and the replanting of appropriate endemic flora to revitalize the area's natural environment. A comprehensive Area Management&Stewardship Plan will be developed to guide the long-term protection and preservation of both natural and cultural resources. This plan will include strategies for managing visitor flow to prevent overuse, protecting critical habitats such as nesting areas for honu (sea turtles), and ensuring that stewardship responsibilities are shared among lineal descendants and local organizations. Through a collaborative approach, we will maintain Kumukahi's integrity while building community capacity and instilling a sense of shared kuleana for stewardship efforts.