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<br />Comm 26-032 <br />From:Kirsten Vacca <br />To:PONC Testimony <br />Subject:Testimony for Preserving HkliÒa <br />Date:Tuesday, March 3, 2026 1:37:31 PM <br />Aloha PONC Commissioners, <br />My name is Kirsten Vacca, and I respectfully submit this testimony in strong support of <br />preservation actions that protect the Hklia Cave (Hokulia lava-tube system). Preserving <br />this site is not only about protecting a geological feature; it is about safeguarding a shared <br />inheritance that benefits community members, future generations, and the scientific <br />understanding that informs responsible stewardship across Hawaii Island. <br />For educators like myself, the preserved cave systems provide opportunities for place-based <br />learning that connect geology, ecology, and cultural history. A common question I am often <br />asked from my local students and communities I work with is how can we learn more about <br />the geological and environmental history of the islands? Protecting HkliÒa Cave provides an <br />invaluable opportunity for current and future generations to experience and learn about the <br />past in ways that cannot be replicated once altered. This is a non-renewable resource that must <br />be protected. <br />Protecting Hklia Cave aligns directly with the CommissionÓs purpose to preserve lands of <br />natural, historic, and community value for present and future generations. I respectfully <br />request that this testimony be included in the official record and that strong consideration be <br />given to preservation measures that safeguard this site for the benefit of the broader <br />community. <br />Respectfully, <br />Kirsten Vacca <br />-- <br />Kirsten Vacca, PhD <br />Associate Professor of Anthropology, UH West OÒahu <br />| kmvacca@hawaii.edu <br />Pronouns: she/her/hers <br />https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/academics/degrees/social- <br />sciences/ <br />