HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0476.003 2014-2016laU'z:l
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Ka `Qhana O Honu'apo
Post Office Box 903
N5'51ehu, HI 96772
www.honuapopark.org
kaohanaohonuapo@gmail.com
Maile David, Councilmember (District 6)
West Hawaii Civic Center, Building A
74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
FIFO
Gom M. x'7b
COU"I'TY CLERK
2015 OCT - ! M1 10. 12
2 September 2015 -
Re: Ka 'Ghana O Honu'apo is a strong supporter of the County of Hawai'i efforts to protect
and acquire the 13 -acre, Kahua Olohu Makahiki Grounds and Traditional Hawaiian Game
Field, Kaunamano Ahupua'a, Ka'u District, Hawaii Island, TMK: (3) 9-5-012:005
Aloha a Maile,
Ka 'Ohana O'Honu'apo (Ka 'Ghana) is pleased to express our support for the purchase of the 13
acre parcel at Kahua Olohu at Kaunamano, Ka'u, Hawai'i Island. Kaunamano is located to the
south side of Honu'apo Bay. Ka 'Ghana is a community-based, non-profit, and tax-exempt
organization whose mission is to, "Care for, restore, and protect the natural and cultural
resources of Honu'apo Park" in Ka'u (www.wildhawaii.org). Ka 'Ghana members have been
activity working within the community and with County, State, and NGO partners since our
foundation in 2005. Our organization is a model example of how a concerned group of
community members can work together with the County and State to help manage their
properties in perpetuity, with little ongoing costs to taxpayers.
With county and private funding, Ka 'Ghana has been hosting large community events, and
smaller'opio (youth) and keiki (children) workshops at Honu'apo continually since our founding
in 2005. With the purchase of this parcel at Kaunamano to the north of Honu'apo Bay, we hope
to expand our work with youth groups around the island into this property, and help sharing
our mana'o (beliefs, ideas) and knowledge regarding the wealth of cultural and natural
resources that exist along these lands, especially those concerning the old makahiki grounds.
We sincerely believe that the purchase of these parcels would protect irreplaceable cultural
resources, provide long term opportunities for education, and ensure preservation of the rich
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cultural history in this area; we are committed to help the County of Hawaii in their
stewardship.
The plan for the County to purchase this small and reasonably priced parcel in SE Hawai'i is
significant to our community and the maintenance of a natural wilderness area in our rural
district, and is aligned with the current plan to seek National Park Service funding and Ala
Kahakai National Historic Trails management of the adjacent 1,363 acre coastal parcels within
this ahupua'a. Ka'u maintains the largest portion of undeveloped coastline in the State, and we
behoove you to use our taxpayer dollars to help protect these open and important parcels of
land. In addition, Ka 'Ghana 0 Honu'apo is firm in our commitment to "Ku'e Ka V' (to stand
tall) and each of our seven board members are unanimous in their support of this effort to
malama Kaunamano. To that respect, we urge you to fund this purchase and this vital
opportunity for Hawai'i County to pursue long-term natural resource and community
conservation in our district.
This unique parcel allows for the combined success of adding recreational opportunities,
cultural practices, and natural resource management for the populace of this island. Plus, the
sale of this parcel with a seller who is willing to negotiate with the County of Hawai'i is an
opportunity that may not exist again in the future. Acquiring these lands would help ensure the
protection of archeological sites, and therefore help perpetuate both Hawaiian values and
cultural practices via the living history abundant in this region. Furthermore, maintaining and
conserving of wilderness areas like Kaunamano, would protect myriad native wildlife species
that inhabit its coastal strand, anchialine pool, and nearshore marine ecosystems.
If we can help in any way with your efforts to protect and preserve the lands of Kahua Olohu
within Kaunamano, please contact us directly for assistance.
Me ka mahalo for your time and consideration,
Megan R. Lamson
Ka 'Ohana 0 Honu'apo, President
Ka'Ohana O Honu'apo Board of Directors:
Megan Lamson, President
Kenneth Sugai, Vice President/Treasurer
Nohealani Ka'awa, Secretary
Donna Ambrose, Director
Lauren Kurpita, Director
Chris Manfredi, Director
John Replogle, Director and Co-founder