20017-02-6 HCDP Community Action Guide FINALIZED 06.01.2018 FINAL

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• Organize the events into some type of a cooperative to work to develop scheduling and marketing plans for the events • Work with the County Research and Development Department to promote the events Other Resources: The Hawai'i Tourism Authority sponsors the Ma'ema'e Program to assist in promoting Hawaiian culture in a way that is sensitive, appropriate, and accurate. http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/programs/hawaiian-culture/maemae-program/ 4.8 Establish and Manage Public Access Community Action 15: Develop and implement plans to establish and manage specific access points and trails. Need: Public access to the ocean and mountains has special recreational, traditional, and cultural significance to the people of the Hamakua CDP Planning Area. The original inhabitants of the Planning Area, the ancient Hawaiians, depended on an extensive network of trails as their only means of overland transportation. In more modern times, many privately maintained and privately owned sugar cane haul roads enabled the public to access the forests and coastlines for over a century while sugar plantations were in operation. Access users were primarily local residents who depended on access to favorite hunting and fishing spots to bring food to the family table and to teach harvesting skills to younger generations. After the sugar era ended in 1994, former sugar plantation land holdings and the mostly unpaved, cane haul roads crossing these lands have been subdivided, bought, and sold. The result is a patchwork of land ownership and an end to the open network of former cane haul roads. Trespassing appears to be a common practice, whether on purpose or unintended and damaged fences, gates left open, and cruelty to livestock are among the problems reported. Some landowners and managers have responded by prohibiting access, but hikers, hunters, fishermen, and community members who are used to unfettered access find this unacceptable. Furthermore, landowner concerns over liability continue to be a barrier to opening private lands to public access. Potential Community Lead: Action Committee Potential Communitv Partners: MAMA Mauka Makai Access Potential Allies: North Kohala Access Group, County of Hawai'i (County Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC), Cultural Resources Commission), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) and State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD), National Park Service (HVNP and AKNHT), The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiian Islands Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, Potential Next Steps: The Action Committee can provide leadership by: • Forming a coalition of people who are interested in working together on access issues, and have knowledge of past and present accesses in the Planning Area. • Identify specific areas of importance for public access. • Place priority on publicly owned lands and public rights-of-way. • Determine which accesses should receive priority attention and why. Community Action Guide: 2018 27