Comm 26-092 - LOS 26-04 Kelepolo, Alexandra

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Comm 26-092 March 8, 2026 County of Hawaii tƩƚƦĻƩƷǤ ağƓğŭĻƒĻƓƷ Α thb/ 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 1101 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 - 4252 Re: Strong support for protection of the Hlea Property, comprised of approximately 1,916 acres, TMK: (3) 9-5-018-001, KaͲ IğǞğźͷź LƭƌğƓķͲ IğǞğźͷź ΛIlea PONC Application) Aloha PONC Commissioners: I am pleased to provide strong support for the Hlea Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resource Presevation Commission application submitted by The Nature Conservancy Hawaii and Palmyra Λͻb/ͼΜ͵ The property is located in the Hlea Nui Ahupuaa and Hlea Iki Ahupuaa of the Ka moku on Hawaii LƭƌğƓķͲ ΛƷŷĻ ͻIƌĻğ tƩƚƦĻƩƷǤͼΜ͵ ŷĻ Ilea Property consists of 1,916 acres of ecologically and culturally important land that is cherished by the local community and threatened by development. The Pakua puu on the property contains approximately 340 acres of high-quality native hia and uluhe fern forest that is habitat for several listed species (e.g., native honeycreepers and Hawaiian Hoary bat) and home to numerous native plants. The forest is well-preserved due to the steep terrain of Pakua. Cattle are fenced out of the forested areas and graze the surrounding high-quality agricultural lands. The Hlea tƩƚƦĻƩƷǤ źƭ ğķƆğĭĻƓƷ Ʒƚ ƚƷŷĻƩ ƦƩƚƷĻĭƷĻķ ƌğƓķƭ Α ƷŷĻ b/ Yğ Preserve and the State of Hawaii Ka Forest Reserve. Kohaikalani Heiau, which is located on the southern edge of the plateau on the summit of Makanau, has great significance in Hawaiian history and its preservation is extremely important to the people of Ka. TNC nominated these parcels for PONC to ensure that they are protected in perpetuity forever, and so that the conservation lands remain in conservation, and agricultural lands remain in agriculture. The call for preservation of these specific lands is documented in the Ka community developmĻƓƷ ƦƌğƓ͸ƭ ğĭƷźƚƓ ƦƌğƓ ǒƓķĻƩ ƭĻĭƷźƚƓ Ѝ͵Ћ ͻ9ǣƦğƓķ ƷŷĻ ƌƚĭğƌ ƭǤƭƷĻƒ ƚŅ ƦƩĻƭĻƩǝĻƭ͵ͼ b/ źƭ ğ ƭǒźƷğĬƌĻ ƌğƓķ ƷƩǒƭƷ Ʒƚ ƚǞƓ ğƓķ steward the Hlea Property because it has an excellent reputation as a land steward within the Ka community, has the skills and resources necessary to manage the Hlea Property as an addition to its Ka Preserve, and would develop a management plan for the property. In conclusion, I stand firm in my strongsupport of the Hlea Legacy Land and PONC application submitted by TNC for protection of the Hlea Property in perpetuity. Sincerely, Alexandra Kelepolo