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Watershed <br /> The historic range of vegetation above the 1,850-foot contour elevation line is classified as <br /> being `Ohi`a Lowland Wet Forest. Lowland Mesic Forest and Shrubland vegetation historically <br /> existed from the 1,400 to 1,850-foot elevations. Average rainfall currently ranges from less than <br /> 1,500 mm to more than 2,500 mm annually. <br /> This property has both above-ground and below ground watershed functions. The high-quality <br /> native forests and non-native forest areas provide groundwater recharge for the Hilea and <br /> Punalu`u ahupua`a, as do the areas in pasture, albeit to a lesser extent. There are also at least <br /> three springs on the property, which are used for agricultural water by the ranch tenants <br /> currently. <br /> The intermittent, but continuously flowing subsurface waterway, Hilea stream, located at the foot <br /> of Pakua and Makanau is a major drainage corridor for the area. There are also small drainage <br /> features on the plateau of Makanau and in the pasture areas below. <br /> Cultural/Historic Resources <br /> Although much of the non-forested acreage was previously planted in sugarcane and therefore <br /> has been subject to tillage, Kohaikalani Heiau is located on the southern edge of the plateau on <br /> the summit of Makanau. Kohaikalani Heiau is famous in stories of Ka`u ali`i as the site where the <br /> chief Kohaikalani met an untimely end by the rebellious actions of the commoners who had <br /> been conscripted into building the heiau. According to Heiau of the Island of Hawaii: A Historic <br /> Survey of Native Hawaiian Temple Sites, by John F. G. Stokes, the heiau is described as a <br /> sacrificial heiau with: <br /> "[Wjalls from 4.5 to 5.5 feet high inside and averaging 6.5 high on the outside. All the interior <br /> fittings are gone, having been lost to cane growing. The entrance is near the southern corner." <br /> At the time of our visit (November 2010), only the northwest walls of the heiau remain intact. <br /> The ili stones are scattered around the base of the walls, and have been mixed in with the soil <br /> of the surrounding pasture. There is a copper USGS marker labeled "MAKANAO" attached to a <br /> steel pipe embedded in the wall. <br /> Education, community engagement and outdoor recreation opportunities <br /> Some pig-hunting currently occurs on the property by area residents and ranch tenants and <br /> their employees. With purchase this access will continue, but access will be formalized to <br /> ensure risk management and protection of natural resources. A community hunting access <br /> system similar to the one currently employed on the adjacent TNC preserve property will be <br /> used to ensure continual access to surrounding public hunting lands. <br /> Open space and scenic resources are considerable as Makanau is a well-known and highly <br /> visible landmark in Ka`u, as are the adjacent hills of Pakua, Pu`u Iki and Kaiholena. The summit <br /> of Makanau provides sweeping views of the district. <br /> Sugg.26-04 <br />