HomeMy WebLinkAboutWaikapuna Resources Management Plan by Townscape_Final 2023WAIKAPUNA Resources Management Plan
2023
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan
Final
June 2023
Prepared for:
Prepared by:
Mahalo to the people of Kaʻū for
welcoming the planning team into
their community and to all who
provided manaʻo for their time and
effort to this management plan.
i June 2023
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... v
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Background ............................................................................................................................................... 1
Plan Purpose ............................................................................................................................................. 2
County Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund ....................................... 2
State Legacy Land Conservation Program ................................................................................................ 2
Benefits of the Conservation Easement & Grant Funding ........................................................................ 4
Area Excluded from the Conservation Easement ..................................................................................... 4
Planning Process ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Location ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Summary of Existing Land Use Regulatory Planning..................................................................................... 7
Land Tenure History .................................................................................................................................... 13
Wahi Pana ................................................................................................................................................... 14
Site Description ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Climate .................................................................................................................................................... 16
Geology and Topography ........................................................................................................................ 16
Soils ......................................................................................................................................................... 16
Vegetation ............................................................................................................................................... 17
Groundwater Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 19
Hazards.................................................................................................................................................... 19
Climate Change and Sea Level Rise ..................................................................................................... 19
Lava ..................................................................................................................................................... 19
Seismic and Tsunami ........................................................................................................................... 20
Fire ...................................................................................................................................................... 20
Existing Uses............................................................................................................................................ 20
Access ...................................................................................................................................................... 21
Infrastructure & Structures ..................................................................................................................... 21
Cultural and Natural Resources .................................................................................................................. 22
Cultural Practices & Gathering ................................................................................................................ 22
Cultural & Historic Sites .......................................................................................................................... 23
ii June 2023
Native Plant Habitat ................................................................................................................................ 25
Native Invertebrates ............................................................................................................................... 27
Aquatic Fauna ......................................................................................................................................... 27
Native Sea Bird Habitat ........................................................................................................................... 27
Sense of Place ........................................................................................................................................ 27
Issues and Concerns .................................................................................................................................... 30
Management Plan ....................................................................................................................................... 31
Key Action Items ..................................................................................................................................... 34
Archaeological, Cultural, and Historic Resources ................................................................................... 36
Goals ................................................................................................................................................... 36
Threats ................................................................................................................................................ 36
Action Items ........................................................................................................................................ 37
Native Plants .......................................................................................................................................... 39
Goals ................................................................................................................................................... 39
Threats ................................................................................................................................................ 39
Action Items ........................................................................................................................................ 40
Marine & Avian Resources ...................................................................................................................... 42
Goal ..................................................................................................................................................... 42
Threats ................................................................................................................................................ 42
Action Items ........................................................................................................................................ 42
Fire Prevention and Management .......................................................................................................... 44
Goals ................................................................................................................................................... 44
Concerns ............................................................................................................................................. 44
Action Items ........................................................................................................................................ 44
Existing Structures, Roads, Trails, & Utilities .......................................................................................... 47
Goal ..................................................................................................................................................... 47
Concerns ............................................................................................................................................. 47
Action Items ........................................................................................................................................ 47
Guidelines & Standards for the Renovation and Reuse of Existing Structures ................................... 48
Creating Spaces for Knowledge Cultivation and Community Stewardship ............................................ 49
Implementation .......................................................................................................................................... 52
Stewardship Committee ......................................................................................................................... 53
Administrative Coordinator .................................................................................................................... 53
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan iii
Resource Specialists ................................................................................................................................ 54
Summary of Administrative Tasks .......................................................................................................... 55
Regulatory Review, Permits, & Approvals .............................................................................................. 55
Preliminary Phasing Plan ......................................................................................................................... 58
References .................................................................................................................................................. 60
List of Figures
Figure 1. Location Map ................................................................................................................................. 6
Figure 2. Regulatory Land Use Designations ................................................................................................. 8
Figure 3. County LUPAG Map Designation (2005) ...................................................................................... 10
Figure 4. County LUPAG Map Designation (Proposed in August 2019 draft of the 2040 General Plan) .... 12
Figure 5. Vegetation Map by Zones (from Terry & Hart, 2017) .................................................................. 18
Figure 6. Sites as identified by ASM Affiliates from their 2018 Draft AIS Report ....................................... 24
Figure 7. Management Plan Topic Areas .................................................................................................... 34
Figure 8. Waikapuna Stewardship Concepts .............................................................................................. 35
Figure 9. Order of Priority for access to the Reservation System for Community Managed Access ......... 51
Figure 10. Possible Framework for Plan Implementation .......................................................................... 52
Figure 11. Stewardship Committee Members ............................................................................................ 53
Figure 12. Preliminary Phasing Plan ............................................................................................................ 58
List of Tables
Table 1. List of Native Plant Species (from Geometrician Associates, 2017) .............................................. 26
Table 2. Example of Quarterly Reservations for Community Managed Access ......................................... 51
Table 3. Example of Mālama ʻĀina Projects ................................................................................................ 54
Appendix
Appendix A Grant of Conservation Easement between the County and Ala Kahakai Trail Association
Appendix B Warranty Deed
Appendix C Summary of comments received on Draft Plan
Appendix D Comment Letter from the State Legacy Land Conservation Program on the Draft Plan
iv June 2023
This page intentionally left blank.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan v
Executive Summary
Situated in the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipaliʻiki-Kahaea1 and Kāhilipalinui in the district of Kaʻū on the island of
Hawaiʻi is a treasured wahi pana (storied/legendary place) and wahi kūpuna (ancestral places) referred
to as Waikapuna. It stretches for more than two miles makai of Nāʻālehu town through challenging
terrain to a remote coastline where one can immerse oneself in the natural beauty and elements. In the
past, Waikapuna was a thriving fishing community until the devastating earthquake and tsunami of
1868. Today, Waikapuna remains a place known for its abundant marine resources. There are numerous
intact cultural sites that provide a glimpse into what was once home to generations of Hawaiian
families, including one of three springs that remains there and the coastal Alaloa (trail) which previously
encircled the island. Native wiliwili trees rise up from Waikapuna Pali and the graceful noio can be found
nesting among the tall sea cliffs. The coastal area provides food such as fish, limu, shellfish, and salt for
local families, as it once did for those who lived in the village near the bay. The mauka areas are used by
local Kaʻū ranchers who have ranched the property for generations. Families trace their lineages to this
place and enjoy spending time together here connecting with the ʻāina, learning and perpetuating
Hawaiian values and practices and local traditions important to the Kaʻū way of life.
Waikapuna, similar to other large tracts of land on the Kaʻū coastline, has been subjected to the threat
of development over the years. These threats grew considerably after the closure of the sugar
plantation in the late 1990s. In 2019, Ala Kahakai Trail Association (ATA)2, a non-profit organization,
acquired the 2,317-acre Waikapuna parcel (identified as Tax Map Key 9-5-007: 016) in fee-simple for
conservation and placed a conservation easement over the property to protect it from future
development. ATA’s interest in preserving these lands is to protect the ancient trail network including
the surrounding cultural, historical and natural landscape by facilitating partnerships and creating
community connections through stewardship and education. Funds raised from The Trust for Public
Land; the State Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP); the County’s Public Access, Open Space, and
Natural Resources Preservation Fund (Preservation Fund); and private donors were utilized to purchase
the property. The County holds the conservation easement over the property, which was acquired using
monies from the County’s Preservation Fund that is funded by two percent of the County’s annual real
property tax revenues (County Charter Section 10-15). The conservation easement protects the property
from future development.
The purpose of this management plan is to guide stewardship actions and strategies to protect,
preserve, and conserve the significant cultural, historical, and natural resources of Waikapuna for
present and future generations. A summary of the resources of the property is provided in this report,
along with proposed actions items and strategies. The contents of the management plan follow the
components outlined in the Conservation Easement agreement (Appendix A). The plan also
recommends a framework for implementation, including outlining administrative tasks to be executed
by ATA to support this management plan and a preliminary phasing plan. The phasing plan is not meant
1 The land divisions of Kāhilipaliʻiki and Kahaea are usually combined as the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipaliʻiki-Kahaea.
Records pertaining to the Māhale ʻĀina of 1848 delineate the two land divisions as separate ahupuaʻa, but both
became Government Lands and the boundary between them was never surveyed, resulting in the combination of
the two.
2 ATA is a different entity from the U.S. National Park Service, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.
vi June 2023
to be comprehensive but is intended to identify major milestones to help guide the stewardship of
Waikapuna and to evaluate progress in implementing the plan.
Proposed action items and strategies presented in this management plan must be aligned with the
values as outlined in the County’s Grant of Conservation Easement3 and the State’s Legacy Land
Conservation Program grant agreement4. This management plan fulfills one of the conditions of the
County’s grant agreement requiring ATA to prepare a management plan, which also has to be updated
every ten years.
A wide range of community members and various public agencies and community organizations was
engaged through a series of talk story sessions to develop this plan. Community members included
kūpuna, descendants of the place, and current Kaʻū and non-Kaʻū residents who have ties to Waikapuna
or have visited the place before. Individuals also identified as fishers, cultural practitioners, hikers,
biologists, botanists, archaeologists, and ranchers. Through the outreach process, people provided
insight on what they value about Waikapuna and offered intimate knowledge of the place. Information
from previous studies also helped to inform strategies for this management plan.
Two key concepts are presented in this plan: CULTIVATING KNOWLEDGE and COMMUNITY
STEWARDSHIP. Knowledge cultivation and community stewardship are simultaneously activated by
creating spaces that welcome individuals, families, and entities to have a role in stewardship where
knowledge can be shared and cultural practices perpetuated from one generation to the next. In doing
so, the community’s relationship with the ʻāina is strengthened, supporting a robust and culturally
appropriate stewardship framework. These spaces can be created at Waikapuna through:
• Kūpuna days - a space for kūpuna of the place to access the cultural landscape and to share
their knowledge of the place and practices that have been passed down generation to
generation.
• ʻOhana days - an opportunity for families to explore wahi pana and wahi kūpuna of Kaʻū, to
practice kuleana to steward resources, and to perpetuate cultural traditions and practices.
• Organized mālama ʻāina workday(s) - a means to empower community groups/individuals to
host mālama ʻāina workday(s) to carry out one or more of the action items presented in this
management plan or to participate in an ATA-organized workday; all who call Hawaiʻi home
have kuleana to support good stewardship of resources.
• Community managed access – to provide community access for subsistence fishing and
gathering, family overnight stays on public property at the shoreline, and to perpetuate Kaʻū
traditions.
The desired outcome from cultivating knowledge and encouraging community stewardship is a
community that is (re)connected to functional wahi kūpuna and engaged in stewardship and education.
Healthy ecosystems will be achieved through traditional resource management practices, built upon the
foundation of Hawaiian values, combined with modern scientific approaches to steward the ʻāina. The
spaces provided through the kūpuna days, ʻohana days, organized mālama ʻāina workdays, and
3 Document No A-72890592 recorded with the State Bureau of Conveyances made on December 16, 2019 between
Ala Kahakai Trail Association and the County of Hawaiʻi.
4 Number 66886 dated May 10, 2018 between Ala Kahakai Trail Association and the State of Hawaiʻi.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan vii
community managed access facilitate meaningful conversations among communities and families and
build community capacity to care for the resources that are the foundation of life for the people of Kaʻū.
Additionally, organized mālama ʻāina activities are intended to help protect, preserve, and conserve the
resources outlined in the Conservation Easement and State grant agreement. Community members and
organizations may propose additional mālama ʻāina activities that support the management priorities
outlined in the management plan (over and above those that ATA organizes). These proposals will be
considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that all of the management priorities are being addressed
and to accommodate ATA’s and/or the Stewardship Committee’s ability to provide support.
Action items are categorized into five topic areas, as generally outlined in the Grant of Conservation
Easement: Archaeological, Cultural & Historic Resources; Native Plants; Marine & Avian Resources; Fire
Prevention & Management; and Existing Structures, Roads, Trails & Utilities. Goals, or desired results
from implementation of this management plan, are provided for each of the topic areas. In addition to
these topic areas, action items related to Educational and Outreach Activities are proposed.
To support ATA’s management of these lands, a Stewardship Committee will serve in the following
capacities: 1) oversee implementation of the management plan and 2) organize and lead stewardship
activities, as well as advise ATA on stewardship programs and projects that affect resources for
Waikapuna. This Committee is a WORKING committee with individuals who will organize and lead
stewardship activities that support the management plan priorities. Over time, as ATA increases
capacity, staff such as the Administrative Coordinator may take on some of those responsibilities.
However, the Stewardship Committee will still oversee and lead some of the activities to continue with
ATA’s efforts for community-led management. The Stewardship Committee should be comprised of
individuals who represent kūpuna, lineal descendants, fishers, cultural practitioners, Kaʻū residents,
youth, educational specialists, ecologists, and the ATA Board of Directors. The wide range of
stewardship committee members will help to address the diversity and complexity of resources present
at Waikapuna. In addition to the Stewardship Committee, an Administrative Coordinator and Resource
Specialists, who will work closely with the Stewardship Committee, are proposed to assist with plan
implementation. Service-learning internships are also encouraged to promote learning opportunities to
engage the younger generation in conservation ethics and values.
This management plan proposes weekend overnight access, which is similar to the existing overnight
access that has been in place. Reservations are required, where individuals can only make one
reservation at any given time. Reservations are made available on a quarterly basis to avoid reservations
being filled far out in advance. Participation in mālama ʻāina activities will be encouraged. Access to the
reservation system for weekend overnight access will be prioritized for individuals who participated in
mālama ʻāina activities. Therefore, no one is denied access to the weekend overnight opportunities, but
those who engage in mālama ʻāina activities will be able to make their reservations first. One weekend a
month will be dedicated to mālama ʻāina work, where no weekend overnight access will be available.
Access during the week is also permitted through the kūpuna days and ʻohana days. This would allow
residents to be able to seek one-day access without having to reserve far out in advance. One-day
access would be based on availability since only one group would be allowed at a time. There is no
restriction on who can request one-day access, but because time spent would be only a few hours, it is
anticipated that most, if not all, of those requesting this type of access would be Kaʻū residents. The
viii June 2023
proposed access protocols are intended as a starting point and will be reassessed to see if they are
working the way they were intended. This management plan also suggests that ATA conduct a baseline
documentation and record the number of Kaʻū residents requesting access/obtaining access in order to
ensure that unintended consequences can be avoided or addressed.
While the desired outcome is to empower community to take on a more prominent role in caring for
resources and to shape the future of the place, community mālama ʻāina workdays will initially be
hosted by ATA. Over time, other organizations and groups may partner with ATA to host community
mālama ʻāina workdays at Waikapuna to implement stewardship actions as outlined in this management
plan. Eventually, there may be opportunities for ATA to enter into an agreement with
organizations/groups through a Community Stewardship Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) to “Adopt-a-Site.”
While Waikapuna has its own unique uses and management needs, management activities occurring on
adjacent properties will also impact Waikapuna. Additionally, some management activities may benefit
from regional scale resource protection and planning that also takes into consideration regional
interconnections. Therefore, stewardship and responsible land management of the entire region
through partnerships with adjacent properties are also proposed as critical for success at Waikapuna.
It is important to understand that implementation of this management plan, including specific
administrative tasks, may take some time to carry out due to limited personnel capacities and funding.
ATA will need to seek funding through various grants to assist with plan implementation. In order to
successfully execute this management plan, a level of trust and relationship must be developed and
maintained between ATA and the community through on-going dialogue and willingness to work
together to ensure that Waikapuna remains a place known for its sense of place, abundant marine
resources and native coastal plants, intact cultural sites, and a place where families can continue to
spend time together to perpetuate Hawaiian values and practices and local traditions important to the
Kaʻū way of life. This management plan will also need to be periodically updated to assess the progress
of plan implementation, any issues resulting from management projects and programs, new information
gathered through research and monitoring, and new conditions to be addressed. Adaptive management
must be employed, and land uses re-examined particularly with external factors such as climate change
looming.
Introduction
Waikapuna, a treasured wahi pana (storied/legendary place) and wahi kūpuna (ancestral places), is part
of a broader Hawaiian cultural landscape in the district of Kaʻū on the island of Hawaiʻi. Situated in the
ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipaliʻiki-Kahaea5 and Kāhilipalinui, the 2,317-acre “Waikapuna parcel” (identified as Tax
Map Key 9-5-007: 016) stretches for more than two miles makai of Nāʻālehu town through challenging
terrain to the remote coastline where one can immerse oneself in the natural beauty and elements at
Waikapuna Bay. In the past, Waikapuna was a thriving fishing community until the devastating natural
disasters of 1868. Today, Waikapuna remains a place known for its abundant marine resources. There
are numerous intact cultural sites that provide a glimpse into what was once home to generations of
Hawaiian families, including one of the three springs used by the surrounding village and the coastal
Alaloa (trail) which previously encircled the island. Native wiliwili trees rise up from Waikapuna Pali and
the graceful noio can be found nesting among the tall sea cliffs. The coastal area provides food such as
fish, limu, shellfish, and salt for local families, as it once did for those who lived in the village near the
bay. The mauka areas are used by local Kaʻū ranchers who have ranched the property for generations.
Families trace their lineages to this place and enjoy spending time together here connecting with the
ʻāina and learning and perpetuating Hawaiian values and practices and local traditions important to the
Kaʻū way of life. This management plan seeks to protect, preserve, and restore this wahi pana and wahi
kūpuna in a manner that balances existing uses and respects the historical legacy of this place.
For the purposes of this report, the name “Waikapuna” is used loosely to refer to the entire “Waikapuna
parcel,” which is inclusive of the mauka areas beyond the Waikapuna bay or beach area. Specific
discussions to the Waikapuna bay or beach area will be referred to as “Waikapuna Bay.”
Background
Waikapuna, similar to other large tracts of land on the Kaʻū coastline, has been subjected to the threat
of development over the years. These threats grew considerably after the closure of the sugar
plantation in the late 1990s. Development plans for Waikapuna have included construction of a
spaceport and a commuter airport facility. Around 2016, the landowners were moving forward with
plans for a subdivision development to create 22 lots on the property. While there were discussions with
the State of Hawaiʻi (State), County of Hawaiʻi (County), and U.S. National Park Service to see if they
would be interested in taking ownership of Waikapuna to protect it from development, these entities at
that time did not feel they had the capacity to manage these lands. Thus, Ala Kahakai Trail Association
(ATA)6, a local, 501 (c)3 non-profit and federally listed Native Hawaiian Organization, was approached
and asked if they would accept the kuleana of ownership, to assist in the stewardship of the place. ATA’s
interest in preserving these lands is to protect the ancient trail network including the surrounding
cultural, historical and natural landscape by facilitating partnerships and creating community
connections through stewardship and education.
In 2019, Waikapuna was successfully acquired in fee-simple for conservation through the use of funds
raised from The Trust for Public Land; the State Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP); the County’s
5 The land divisions of Kāhilipaliʻiki and Kahaea are usually combined as the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipaliʻiki-Kahaea.
Records pertaining to the Māhale ʻĀina of 1848 delineate the two land divisions as separate ahupuaʻa, but both
became Government Lands and the boundary between them was never surveyed, resulting in the combination of
the two.
6 ATA is a different entity from the U.S. National Park Service, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail.
2 June 2023
Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources
Preservation Fund (Preservation Fund); and private
donors. The County also holds a conservation
easement over the property, which protects it from
future development.
Plan Purpose
The purpose of this management plan is to guide
stewardship actions and strategies to protect,
preserve, and conserve the significant cultural,
historical, and natural resources of Waikapuna for present and future generations. A summary of the
resources of the property is provided in this report, along with proposed action items and strategies and
recommendations for a framework for implementation. Proposed action items and strategies presented
in this plan must be aligned with the values as outlined in the County’s Grant of Conservation Easement7
and the State’s Legacy Land Conservation Program grant agreement8. This management plan also fulfills
one of the conditions of the County’s Conservation Easement agreement to prepare a management
plan, which has to be updated every ten years. Refer to Appendix A for a copy of the Conservation
Easement agreement which summarizes the requirements of this management plan, along with
outlining compliance requirements.
County Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation
Fund
The County holds a conservation easement over the Waikapuna parcel which protects it from the threat
of future development. The conservation easement was acquired using monies from the County’s
Preservation Fund, which is funded by two percent of the County’s annual real property tax revenues
(County Charter Section 10-15). The County’s Property Management Division under the Finance
Department is responsible for administering and managing the Preservation Fund to purchase or acquire
lands and conservation easements.
State Legacy Land Conservation Program
In addition to the use of monies raised from the County’s Preservation Fund, The Trust for Public Land,
and private donors, the State’s LLCP provided grant funding to ATA to protect specific preservation
values. These values as identified in the land acquisition grant application submitted to the State LLCP in
2016 are provided below. The majority of the text is taken verbatim from the grant application, although
some text has been condensed. Information submitted in the grant application was based on
information available at that time. Subsequent observations and studies may find different or changing
conditions that can be used to update the management plan, although the general approach to
management of the resources will still apply.
• Watershed protection: Protection of the property will have a significant positive continued
impact on the immense resources of Waikapuna bay and ocean waters. The makai section of the
7 Document No A-72890592 recorded with the State Bureau of Conveyances made on December 16, 2019 between
Ala Kahakai Trail Association and the County of Hawaiʻi.
8 Number 66886 dated May 10, 2018 between Ala Kahakai Trail Association and the State of Hawaiʻi.
What is a Conservation Easement?
A Conservation Easement is a voluntary,
legal agreement that permanently limits
uses of the land in order to protect its
conservation values.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 3
property is dominated by native coastal vegetation, including nohu, nehe, ʻilima papa, maiapilo,
pili, pōhuehue, and kaunaʻoa.
• Coastal areas, beaches and ocean access: The property consists of 2.3 miles of diverse coastline
with a large sandy bay or lagoon, rocky coves, and a number of sea caves. There are three
sections along the coastal area that each have distinct and significant native vegetation.
Together, these areas present an intact and highly valuable botanical community worthwhile of
immediate protection and care.
• Natural areas: The property includes lava tubes and caves; remnants of a lowland dry forest
with the occasional native wiliwili, lama or alaheʻe tree; the cliff of Māniania Pali which has a
100-foot coastal plant strand; a freshwater spring (the last remaining of at least three springs on
the property before the 1868 earthquake); extensive native coastal plant populations; a lagoon
and intertidal pool complex at Waikapuna bay; massive sea caves; and sand dunes covered with
native coastal strands.
• Habitat protection: Abundant and diverse wildlife reside on the Waikapuna property in the
following habitats:
o Sea caves: hundreds of indigenous Noio (black noddies) and Noio Kaha (brown noddies).
o Sea cliffs: colonies of endangered ʻUaʻu (Hawaiian petrel), indigenous ʻŪlili (wandering
tattlers), indigenous Koaʻe Kea (white-tailed tropicbirds), and federal candidate-species
ʻAkēʻakē (band-rumped storm petrels).
o Waikapuna bay intertidal pool complex: a nursery and refuge area for numerous marine
invertebrates and fishes and home to one of the largest kūpeʻe species in Kaʻū.
o Ocean: NOAA’s marine biomass surveys done in the area show nearshore resources as
good as those found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
o Coastal land: Native plants including maiapilo, ʻāweoweo, ʻihi, nohu, and nehe.
o Pasture land: sporadic alaheʻe, lama, wiliwili, ʻilima, naio, and noni.
• Agricultural production: Moʻolelo refers to ʻuala production and there are remains of the
Keonepoko agricultural complex. Two ranchers lease the mauka section of the property, totaling
1,477 acres. Grass fed beef contributes to the local food supply. Agriculture is vital to Kaʻū’s
economy, and ranching is a significant part of Kaʻū’s agricultural production.
• Cultural and historical sites: The property consists of hundreds of cultural sites and thousands
of archaeological items. These sites include heiau, burials, lava tubes, house foundations, ahu
(altar), habitation caves, petroglyphs, papamū (stone for a traditional Hawaiian board game),
salt gathering ponds, agricultural terraces, canoe sheds, a stone-lined spring, kamala (three-
sided wind shelters walled with stone), and the actual remaining footpath of the Ala Kahakai or
ala loa.
• Open spaces and scenic resources: The property provides breathtaking views of the green hills
of Kāhilipali, the rugged sea cliffs of Waiʻōhinu to the south, and Waikapuna bay.
• Recreational and public hunting areas: The property is not within a Game Management Area
and is not open for public hunting. Specific local hunters may have been allowed onto the
property in the past by having a good working relationship with one or both of the ranchers.
ATA will address the benefits and risks of tightly managed hunting in its management plan.
4 June 2023
Additionally, ATA’s vision as stated in the Legacy Land Grant Application is as follows:
Ala Kahakai Trail Association’s vision for Waikapuna is a protected and living Hawaiian cultural
landscape cared for by the Ka‘ū community, and connected to the surrounding ahupua‘a and the
entire island by the network of trails known as the Ala Kahakai.
Benefits of the Conservation Easement & Grant Funding
The County’s Conservation Easement over Waikapuna, along with the grant agreement with the State,
protects it from future development in perpetuity. The restriction on development is also part of the
property deed so that in the future, if Waikapuna is sold to another entity, the new landowner would
have to follow the conditions of the Conservation Easement and manage the property consistently with
the purposes for which the State LLCP grant was awarded. See Appendix B for a copy of the Warranty
Deed. Also, the property is eligible for stewardship funding from the State LLCP as well as the County’s
Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Maintenance Fund, which provides funding for the
maintenance of lands and conservation easements acquired through the Preservation Fund. The
Maintenance Fund is made up of 0.25 percent of the County’s annual real property tax revenues
(County Charter Section 10-16).
Area Excluded from the Conservation Easement
The County’s Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has identified the mauka area of
Waikapuna as a candidate for a new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to serve the Nāʻālehu
community. At the time of writing, the status of the WWTP project and locations of other sites being
considered are unknown.
Approximately 28.7 acres of the northeastern corner of the Waikapuna parcel is excluded from the
existing conservation easement. The County has until December 16, 2029 (ten years from the
Waikapuna closing date) to implement the WWTP project at this site, if selected. In the event that
construction does not begin by that date, then a conservation easement will be placed over the entire
28.7 acres, which would protect that area from future development, similar to the remainder of the
Waikapuna parcel. However, should the County begin construction for the WWTP within the ten-year
timeframe, a conservation easement will be placed on any land not within the final as-built layout for
the WWTP. The County has indicated that the 28.7 acres identified as the potential project area is larger
than what they expect to need for the WWTP to allow for design flexibility.
The preliminary conceptual site plans for the WWTP include an odor control facility, a number of
lagoons, and a “disposal grove” where treated effluent will be sprayed. It also extends onto the adjacent
mauka property that is privately owned. Some community members have expressed concerns with the
potential impacts on cultural sites and ground water resources associated with the proposed WWTP at
the Waikapuna parcel. Should the WWTP project move forward at the Waikapuna parcel, the County
will need to a prepare a Chapter 343 Environmental Review to evaluate the potential environmental
impacts anticipated from the proposed project. During the Chapter 343 Environmental Review process,
the general public will have an opportunity to articulate their concerns specifically for the WWTP project
and its potential impacts on the environment.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 5
Planning Process
This management plan was developed through a series of talk story sessions with a wide range of
community members and various public agencies and community organizations. Community members
included kūpuna, descendants of the place, and current Kaʻū and non-Kaʻū residents who have ties to
Waikapuna or have visited the place before. Individuals also identified as fishers, cultural practitioners,
hikers, biologists, botanists, archaeologists, and ranchers. Through the outreach process, people
provided insight on what they value about Waikapuna and offered intimate knowledge of the place.
Information from previous studies also helped to inform strategies for this management plan.
Talk story sessions were conducted one-on-one or in small groups, via in-person, phone, or
videoconference. To date, more than 60 individuals participated in a talk story, in which many engaged
with the Planning Team at least more than once.
In addition to the talk story sessions, an initial community meeting was held via videoconference on
January 26, 2022 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. to introduce the planning process and schedule, gather
input on important resources to protect and preserve, understand major management issues and
concerns, and identify ideas for stewardship. A total of 64 participants joined the meeting online or
called in by phone. A second community meeting was held on March 22, 2023 via videoconference to
share the draft management plan and to gather feedback. A total of 55 participants joined the second
community meeting to provide input. Recordings of the meetings and meeting notes were made
available to the public.
Location
The Waikapuna parcel lies within the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipaliʻiki-Kahaea and Kāhilipalinui in the moku of
Kaʻū9 on the southeast coast of Hawaiʻi Island. It is located makai of Nāʻālehu town that has a population
of no more than 1,000 residents10 and to the southeast of Waiʻōhinu which has fewer than 200 residents
(U.S. Census, 2020).
The northern boundary abuts two parcels, including a 26-acre parcel currently leased for ranching. To
the east are several large privately-owned parcels that extend towards the coastline (referred to as the
Kāwala11 lands) also currently used for cattle ranching and a 65-acre triangular shaped parcel along the
coast that is State unencumbered lands (Figure 1). The Pacific Ocean lies along the southern boundary
that stretches for about two miles. To the west of Waikapuna are State lands (managed by the Division
of Forestry; DOFAW), with the mauka sections leased for ranching and approximately 1,353 acres of the
9 Of the nine planning districts on the island of Hawaiʻi, Kaʻū is the largest geographic district covering over 660,000
acres. It includes over 65 miles of coastline and extends all the way to the summit of Mauna Loa (13,681 feet
above sea level). The population of Kaʻū consists of more than 9,000 residents compared to a population of
200,629 for the County of Hawaiʻi (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020).
10 The population of the Nāʻālehu Census Designated Place (CDP) in 2020 was 811 and the population of the
Waiʻōhinu CDP was 198 (U.S. Census).
11 ATA holds a conservation easement for the Kāwala lands. The purpose of the conservation easement for the
Kāwala lands is “to conserve the agricultural and cultural values of the Property and more particularly to preserve,
protect, and perpetuate the agricultural, historic, cultural, natural, scenic, open space, and watershed importance
of the Property.”
6 June 2023
makai lands that are part of the Kaʻū Forest Reserve (Kamilo Unit). In addition to the State lands
managed by DOFAW, two other large landowners to the south of Waikapuna towards Ka Lae are
Kamehameha Schools and the State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL).
A small privately-owned kuleana parcel is located within the Waikapuna parcel, and another along the
western boundary abutting the ahupuaʻa of Waiʻōhinu. According to the County’s website, there are
multiple owners listed for both of these kuleana parcels.
Figure 1. Location Map
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 7
Summary of Existing Land Use Regulatory Planning
In addition to the land use restrictions as outlined in the County’s Conservation Easement and State
grant agreement, land uses for Waikapuna must be aligned with the existing regulatory land use
designations underlying the Waikapuna parcel. A brief summary of the land use designations is provided
below.
The State Land Use Designation for the Waikapuna parcel is Agriculture and Conservation, with the
majority located in the State Land Use Agriculture District (Figure 2). The area along the shoreline is
designated in the State Land Use Conservation. Agriculture Districts are regulated by the County, while
Conservation Districts, regulated under HRS 183C and HAR 13-5-13, are administered by the State Board
of Land and Natural Resources and uses are governed by rules promulgated by the State Department of
Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). Lands within the Conservation District are further classified into one
of the five conservation district “subzones,” which includes (from most protective to least): Protective
Subzone, Limited Subzone, Resource Subzone, General Subzone, and Special Subzone. All of the lands
within the Conservation District at Waikapuna are classified as “Resource Subzone.” Permitted land uses
and activities within each conservation district subzone are restricted and generally require a
Conservation District Use Permit from DLNR. The objective of the Resource Subzone is to develop, with
proper management, areas to ensure sustained use of the natural resources.
The Waikapuna coastline is within the Special Management Area (SMA), which is the most sensitive
area of the coastal zone that is placed under special development control to effectively manage, use,
protect, and develop areas along the coast. Any uses or activities classified as “development”, as defined
in HRS Chapter 205, within the SMA will require either an SMA Minor Permit or an SMA Major Permit,
which is determined based on construction costs.
The County Zoning for Waikapuna is A-20a (Agricultural District, minimum building site of 20 acres). The
County’s Zoning Code (Chapter 25) specifies permitted uses of lands on the Island of Hawaiʻi. The
Agricultural district provides for “agricultural and very low density agriculturally-based residential use,
encompassing rural areas of good to marginal agricultural and grazing land, forest land, game habitats,
and areas where urbanization is not found to be appropriate.”
The current County General Plan Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map Designation consists
of Open Area, Low Density Urban, Extensive Agriculture, and Urban Expansion (Figure 3). The Hawaiʻi
County General Plan (2005) is the County’s comprehensive land use policy for guiding long-range
development on the Island of Hawaiʻi. It specifies goals, policies, and standards of development for the
most desirable land uses on the island and includes the LUPAG map which indicates the general location
of designated land utilization areas.
The 2005 General Plan is being updated by the County through the “2040 General Plan” process. The
August 2019 draft of the 2040 General Plan proposed LUPAG designations of Conservation, Recreational
Area, Pastoral, and Low Density Urban for Waikapuna (Figure 4). These designations are applied as
follows:
• Conservation: Forest and water reserves, natural and scientific preserves, areas
in active management for conservation purposes, areas to be kept in a
largely natural state with minimal facilities consistent with open space
8 June 2023
Figure 2. Regulatory Land Use Designations
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 9
uses, such as picnic pavilions and comfort stations, and lands within the
State Land Use Conservation District.
• Recreational Area: Parks and other recreational areas, such as golf courses, historic
sites, and shoreline setback areas.
• Pastoral: Includes lands that are not capable of producing sustained, high
agricultural yields without the intensive application of modern farming
methods and technologies due to certain physical constraints such as
soil composition, slope, machine tillability and climate. These lands are
better suited for other less intensive agricultural uses such as grazing
and pasture. (40 acre minimum lot size)
• Low Density Urban: Residential, with ancillary community and public uses, and
neighborhood and convenience-type commercial uses; overall
residential density may be up to six units per acre.
The Kaʻū Community Development Plan (CDP) was adopted by County Council in 2017. It translates and
implements the broad goals of the County’s General Plan on a regional basis. The CDP is intended to be
a forum for community participation in managing growth and coordinating the delivery of government
services to communities. The Kaʻū CDP area covers most of Hawaiʻi County’s Judicial District 9, which
includes the areas of Pāhala, Punalu‘u, Nā‘ālehu, Discovery Harbour, and Ocean View. In 2022,
candidates were selected to form the Kaʻū CDP Action Committee, an entity charged with assisting in
the implementation of the CDP. The CDP sets forth the following community objectives applicable to
Waikapuna:
• Objective 3: Protect, restore, and enhance ecosystems, including mauka forests and the
shorelines, while assuring responsible access for residents and for visitors.
• Objective 4: Protect, restore, and enhance the unique cultural assets, including archaeological
and historic sites and historic buildings.
• Objective 6: Encourage community-based management plans to assure that human activity
does not degrade the quality of Kaʻū’s unique natural and cultural landscape.
• Objective 9: Preserve and greatly enhance nā ʻohana economy.
Section 4 of the Kaʻū CDP focuses on “protecting and enhancing Kaʻū’s rich heritage of natural and
cultural resources, including coastal areas, agricultural land, mauka forests, scenic resources,
ecosystems, historic and cultural features, and public access and trails.” The following are strategies,
land use policies, and County actions relevant to Waikapuna:
• 4.1 Expand the Local System of Preserves
o Policy 21: Support the efforts of landowners to establish conservation and agricultural
easements.
o Policy 22: Secure in public trust (fee simple or by easement) priority coastal land that
achieves one or more of the Community Objectives.
10 June 2023
Figure 3. County LUPAG Map Designation (2005)
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 11
• 4.2 Protect the Coast from Development
o Policy 24: Maintain the shoreline for recreational, cultural, education, and/or scientific
uses in a manner that is protective of resources and is of the maximum benefit to the
general public.
• 4.3 Protect Agricultural Lands & Open Space
o Policy 32: Conserve and protect agricultural lands.
o Policy 33: Preserve the agricultural character of Kaʻū, including the open space
preserved by agricultural lands.
• 4.5 Preserve Scenic Views
o Policy 53: Protect, preserve and enhance the quality of open space, areas endowed
with natural and scenic beauty, and public views to and along the shoreline.
• 4.6 Protect and Enhance Ecosystems
o Policy 62: Protect, preserve, and effectively manage forests, watersheds, shoreline
areas, natural areas, and rare or endangered species and their habitats.
• 4.7 Protect and Enhance Cultural Assets
o Policy 69: Protect, restore, and enhance the sites, buildings, and objects of significant
historical and cultural important to Hawaiʻi.
In response to the adoption of State House Concurrent Resolution No. 5 (2005), the South Kona-Kaʻū
Coastal Conservation Task Force was established in 2005 to review and analyze the impacts being made
on the coastal lands and nearshore marine areas of South Kona and Kaʻū. The Task Force was given a
number of responsibilities, including to identify coastal lands and nearshore marine areas that have
environmental, cultural, and recreational values in need of protection and to identify mechanisms for
the protection and management of such resources. In the “Report to the Twenty-Fourth Legislature
2007 Regular Session,” the South Kona-Kaʻū Coastal Conservation Task Force provided the following
policy recommendations applicable to Waikapuna:
• A special conservation zone be established and called the “Kaʻū Coastal Protection Trust” that
extends from the southern boundary of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park to the ahupuaʻa of
Manukā from the shoreline inland for 1.5 miles and from the shoreline out into the ocean a
distance that would be determined by the boundaries of specific Marine Life Conservation
Districts, Fishery Restricted Areas, Marine Protected Areas, active and historical Koa, and any
other new or historical marine managed areas along the Kaʻū Coast.
o Organized uses of the areas within the Kaʻū Coastal Protection Trust shall emphasize
education as a living classroom open to all levels of education and expertise to include
agriculture, aquaculture, and traditional and existing uses.
• The creation of an advisory board comprised of seven members who are Kaʻū Kupuna,
landowners, land managers, or residents who shall advise and recommend action to DLNR
and/or the Planning Department of the County of Hawaiʻi on any land use requests that involves
development and subdivisions in areas identified to be protected.
• Establishment of a “No-Development” setback line from the coast to protect resources, subject
to changes where preservation corridors may be enhanced by the development.
12 June 2023
• The State, in conjunction with the County of Hawaiʻi, the federal government, and interested
private parties, should develop financial plans for the purchase of private lands in the project
area.
Figure 4. County LUPAG Map Designation (Proposed in August 2019 draft of the 2040 General Plan)
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 13
Land Tenure History
During the Māhele ʻĀina of 1848, the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipalinui was awarded to William Pitt Leleiōhoku
and the land divisions of Kahaea and Kāhilipaliʻiki were commuted to the Government by Asa Kaeo and
Kinimaka, respectively. While the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipalinui was surveyed, the land divisions of Kahaea
and Kāhilipaliʻiki were never surveyed because they became Government Lands. A total of fifteen
individuals submitted 30 Land Commission Awards claims for kuleana parcels within the ahupuaʻa of
Kāhilipalinui, Kāhilipaliʻiki, and Kahaea. Eighteen separate parcels were awarded to nine individuals
within these ahupuaʻa; seven of these awards are included within the Waikapuna boundaries. Between
1852 and 1876, a total of five land grants containing a total of six parcels were sold within Waikapuna.
Based on a review of the original deed from Sam Parker to Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Company for the
entire ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipalinui, below is a general overview of the land tenure for the section of
Waikapuna within Kāhilipalinui, which is approximately 2,100 acres. Information extracted from the
Draft Archaeological Inventory Survey (ASM Affiliates, 2018) and County’s Real Property Tax Office
website is also provided below for the years following the purchase of the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipalinui from
Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Company.
1850 Following William Pitt Leleiōhoku’s death in 1848, Ruth Keʻelikōlani is awarded
title to Kāhilipalinui in the Māhele ʻĀina LCA 9971:10.
1877 William Pitt Leleiōhoku II is deeded Kāhilipalinui by Royal Patent #6882 (He dies in the
same year with no heirs).
1882 Ruth Keʻelikōlani sells the entire ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipalinui to Samuel Parker.
1883 Samuel Parker deeds one undivided half interest to William Irwin.
1884 Samuel Parker and William Irwin sell to Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Company.
The study area becomes part of the Hutchinson Sugar Plantations’ ranching subsidiary,
which was referred to as Kaʻaluʻalu Ranch. This operation went by several names,
originally as the Waiʻōhinu Agricultural and Grazing Company and later as the Nāʻālehu
Ranch and Dairy, Inc. The study area was primarily used for grazing cattle.
1958 Kaʻaluʻalu Ranch was amended to Hawaiian Ranch Company, which was created to
manage the ranches and dairies owned by the four subsidiary companies of C. Brewer &
Co.
Early
1960s The ranch and dairy properties of Hawaiian Agricultural Co. and Hutchinson Sugar Co.
were spun off into two new subsidiaries: Kapapala Ranch, Inc. and Nāʻālehu Ranch and
Dairy, Inc. Hawaiian Ranching Company’s Kaʻaluʻalu and Kapapala units were merged
with C. Brewer’s Keauhou Ranch to create “Sea Mountain Ranch.”
1975 Sea Mountain Ranch sold to Parker Ranch.
14 June 2023
2005 Deeded to Kaʻū Holding Co., LLC.
2006 Deeded to WWK Hawaiʻi-Waikapuna LLC.
2013 Deeded to HI BIV Land LLC.
2015 Purchased by Kaʻū Mahi, LLC (operating through a Colorado-based holdings company
called Resources Land Holdings).
2019 Purchased by ATA with a conservation easement held by the County.
Wahi Pana
This section shares the wahi pana and moʻolelo associated not only with this area, but also adjacent
areas, to provide an overview of the landscape and to better understand Waikapuna’s relationship with
the broader region, as plants, animals, ecosystems, and cultural practices extend beyond property
boundaries. Information presented below is primarily taken from Place Names of Hawaiʻi by Mary
Kawena Pukui et. al. (1974). It highlights the historical/legendary significance of this place in addition to
the presence of fresh water and ocean resources of the area. It also brings an awareness of the natural
hazards and conditions for Waikapuna.
The parcel overlaps the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipalinui on the eastern section of the property and
Kāhilipaliʻiki-Kahaea on the western section of the property. Kāhili-pali is described by Mary Kawena
Pukui et al. (1974) as a cliff and point in the district of Kaʻū. It translates literally as “[wind-] swept cliff”
named for an ancient priest, which is also suggestive of the windy conditions along this coast. Kāhilipali
is also the name of a point located to the south of Waikapuna Bay, about midpoint along the coastline of
the project parcel near the boundary between the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipalinui and Kāhilipaliʻiki-Kahaea.
Springs once supported the fishing village at Wai-ka-puna, which translates literally as “water [of] the
spring.” Pukui et al. (1974) notes that there are “springs at the bay below sea level and on shore.”
Waikapuna was once home to a coastal settlement wiped out by the 1868 earthquake and tsunami. In
Native Planters in Old Hawaiʻi, Handy and Handy (1991) related this account by Mary Kawena Pukui of
some of the changes that occurred at Waikapuna:
“On these visits [to Waikapuna by Mrs. Pukui and her grandmother Poai] they would erect a
shelter on the pahoehoe lava just above the water holes at the southwest corner of the beach
area. In those days there were three water holes. In the highest, the lua wai inu (drinking-water-
hole), there was good potable water. The next below this, the lua wai holoi umeke (water-hole-
for-utensil-washing), was slightly brackish, but good enough for washing dishes. The one nearest
the sea, the lua wai auau (bathing-water-hole), was for clothing and body washing. Only this
remains. The water lies at the bottom of a pit in solid lava. It formerly was a larger pool and the
water was more plentiful…The tidal wave filled up the other holes, and perhaps the
[underground shifting of the] fault reduced the flow of water. Probably this was the reason why
all the people moved away.
In those days there was more land behind the sandy beach, and the great rocks had not been
thrown up along the edge of the breakers. These came up during storms and tidal waves in the
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 15
last half century [since 1868]. It was a much more habitat spot. Where there was once a sandy
beach is now bare, jagged, sea-worn lava.”
A moʻolelo associated with Waikapuna refers to a beneficent shark god, Ke-aliʻi-kau-o-Kaʻū (the placed
god of Kaʻū), who married a girl at Waikapuna and she gave birth to a kindly green shark. Another
moʻolelo refers to a stone in the sea at Waikapuna called Pōhaku-waʻuwaʻu-ʻili (skin-scratching stone). A
boy or girl would take a sweetheart from elsewhere to this stone and scratch his or her skin so that
others would know that he or she was taken.
At the northeast end of the beach is Kawai-uhu, where uhu fish was caught. A small point named Noio
projecting seaward south of the bay was a good place for ʻulua fishing.
Situated at the eastern boundary of Waikapuna are Ma-nā-kaʻa Point and Māniania Pali. Ma-nā-kaʻa
refers to a stone, beach, and hill. It is said that the stone was a man named Ma-nā-kaʻa who was turned
to stone by Pele as he grieved over the loss of his children, Kanoa and Pōpō-ʻohai. Māniania is a cliff that
translates literally as “a shuddering sensation.” Pukui at al. (1974) shares a moʻolelo associated with
Māniania: “At Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi, a man called Niʻauepoʻo attempted to climb a coconut tree named Niu-loa-
hiki. As he climbed, the tree, in its eel form, lifted itself skyward. The man called down to his mother, Ē
Hina ē, ē Hina ē, māniania mai nei oʻu mau wāwae, Hina, O Hina, my feet have a shuddering feeling.”
Nā-ʻā-lehu is the closest community to the north of Waikapuna. It means “the volcanic ashes.” To the
west of Waikapuna is the ahupuaʻa of Wai-ʻōhinu. It is also a community to the south of Nāʻālehu and
means “shiny water.” Kamilo, a point to the south of Waikapuna, confirms the strong current that runs
south along the coastline. It translates literally as “twisting (of current).” Pukui at al. (1974) mentions
two places at Kamilo known as Ka-milo-pae-aliʻi (Ka-milo landing [of] chiefs) and Ka-milo-pae-kānaka
(Ka-milo landing [of] commoners). Drowned commoners washed in at the latter, chiefs at the former. It
is said that Kaʻū people traveling to Puna would cast leis with loincloths and pandanus clusters into the
sea at Puna; when the leis drifted back to Ka-milo, the Kaʻū people knew that the travelers had reached
Puna.
To the east of the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipaliʻnui is the ahupuaʻa of Kāwala, which is a land section extending
from Kāhilipali. Kāwala means to strike backwards.
16 June 2023
Site Description
Climate
The climate in the Hawaiian Islands is generally influenced by the prevailing trade winds from the
Northeast, which carry with them moisture picked up over the ocean. There are generally two seasons
that are distinguished by cooler temperatures and wet conditions during the winter months, typically
between October and April, and drier and warmer conditions during the summer months. The average
annual high temperature recorded in the vicinity of Waikapuna is 75.7 degrees Fahrenheit and the
average annual low temperature is 68.8 degrees Fahrenheit. While temperatures only vary a few
degrees between seasons, the warmest month for this area is typically August and the coolest month is
usually February. Annual rainfall for the area averages 32.4 inches, with November being the wettest
month (5.2 inches on average) and June being the driest (0.74 inches on average; Giambelluca et al.
2014).
Geology and Topography
The Hawaiian Islands are the result of volcanic eruptions over time as the Pacific Plate moves in a
northwest direction over a “hot spot” in the Earth’s mantle. As a result, the age of the islands increases
to the northwest, making the island of Hawaiʻi the youngest of the main Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi Island
is also the largest of all Hawaiian Islands and was built by eruptions from its five volcanos: Kohala,
Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Kīlauea, and Hualālai. The southern part of the island is still volcanically active
with ever-changing lava flows creating new land along the coastline.
Waikapuna is located on the southeastern slope of Mauna Loa, an active volcano. Mauna Loa is a shield
volcano made of Kaʻū Basalt and is the largest volcano on the island, with a summit at 13,681 feet above
sea level. However, from the sea floor to the volcano’s summit, the total height of Mauna Loa is about
56,000 feet, making it the largest volcano in the world. While Mauna Loa is active, it has not erupted
since 1984, making this the longest period of quiet in recorded history although there has been
increased earthquake activity and inflation of the summit reported beginning in September 2022.
Elevations on the Waikapuna parcel range from sea level to about 755 feet above sea level.
Soils
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service Web Soil
Survey has mapped eight soil types for the Waikapuna parcel. The soil types consist of:
• Lava flows, ʻāʻā, 2 to 20 percent slopes
• Lava flows, pahoehoe, 2 to 20 percent slopes
• Dune land, 2 to 20 percent slopes
• Lava flows-Kanohina complex, 2 to 20 percent slopes
• Kanohina ashy fine sandy loam, 2 to 10 percent slopes
• Nāʻālehu medial silty clay loam, 3 to 10 percent slopes
• Puueo extremely cobbly medial silt loam, 2 to 10 percent slopes
• Kanohina-Lava flows complex, 2 to 10 percent slopes
The mauka lands of Waikapuna leased for ranching are predominately Lava flows-Kanohina complex (2
to 20 percent slopes) and Kanohina ashy very fine sandy loam (2 to 10 percent slopes).
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 17
Vegetation
As described by Geometrician Associates (2017), the vegetation at Waikapuna can be categorized into
the following zones that are referenced by number in Figure 5:
1) Waikapuna Beach – Naupaka (Scaevola taccada) is the dominant native shrub in this beach area
behind a zone of tidepools. Other native plants present include ʻilima, koali, ‘awa (Ipomoea
indica) and nohu. A clump of non-native tree heliotrope (Tournefortia argentea) is located along
the southern side of the beach area.
2) Māniania Pali – Located along the coast to the far north of the property. A narrow, steeply
sloping strip of mostly native vegetation about 100 feet in width transitions quickly in the mauka
direction to koa haole (Leucaena leucocephala), also referred to locally as “ekoa”, and guinea
grass. Non-native Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) and swollen-finger grass (Chloris barbata),
along with ʻilima, pa‘ū o Hi‘iaka (Jacquemontia ovalifolia), nehe (Melanthera integrifolia), and
other native plants can be in this area.
3) Shoreline Lava Spray – Located adjacent to the shoreline extending inland to 300 feet from the
far south of the property to the south edge of Waikapuna Beach. There is little to no vegetation
near the seacliffs, but vegetation becomes dominated by the native akulikuli (Sesuvium
portulacastrum), mau‘u (Fimbristylis cymosa), and naupaka.
4) Lava Coastal Backshore – Located mauka from the shoreline lava spray zone extending inland
about 4,000 feet. This zone is completely dominated by highly diverse native plant species
including naupaka, pili, pa‘ū o Hi‘iaka, koali ‘awa, ‘ilima, ‘uhaloa (Waltheria indica), alahe‘e
(Psydrax odorata), naio (Myoporum sandwicense). There is also a high concentration of nehe
and scattered occurrences of the rare shrub maiapilo (Capparis sandwichiana).
5) Sandy Strip – Extends diagonally from Waikapuna Beach to the southwest direction almost two
miles inland. This zone consists of a roughly 700-foot wide ribbon of sand deposits over lava and
dominated by head-high koa haole, but also contains ‘ilima, kauna‘oa, nohu, and ‘uhaloa.
6) Lava Crack – Runs diagonally northwest to southeast through the property from Nāʻālehu to
Waikapuna Beach for a length of about 6,300 feet. This area consists of primarily native
vegetation including a dozen rare wiliwili trees (Erythrina sandwicensis), as well as two small
herbs known as ‘ala ‘ala wai nui, (Peperomia leptostachya and Plectranthus parviflorus), the
brambly ‘ilie‘e (Plumbago zeylanica), the vines koali ‘awa and huehue (Cocculus orbiculatus),
and the shrub kakalaioa (Caesalpinia bonduc).
7) Medium-intensity Grazing Zone – Covers about two-thirds of the property. There are few
natives and no rare plants. A small patch of alahe‘e is present on the extreme western corner of
this zone. A non-native forest is present consisting of Christmasberry (Schinus terebinthifolius),
Java plum, koa haole, sourbush (Pluchea carolinensis), Senna pendula, balloon plant (Asclepias
physocarpa), lantana (Lantana camara) and Sacramento bur (Triumfetta semitriloba). The low
forest in the mauka areas is dominated by Java plum and Christmasberry, which transitions into
grass-dominated (mainly Guinea grass) and koa haole pasture on the older, soil-covered lava
flows on the northern part of this zone.
8) Koa Haole Zone – Located in the southwestern third of the property mauka of the sandy strip,
this zone is densely covered in koa haole, with a few other non-native shrubs, small trees and
grasses.
18 June 2023
Figure 5. Vegetation Map by Zones (from Geometrician Associates, 2017)
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 19
Groundwater Hydrology
The majority of Waikapuna overlies the Ka Lae Aquifer System Area with the exception of the mauka
section of the property that overlies the Nāʻālehu Aquifer System Area. Both of these Aquifer Systems
are part of the greater Southeast Mauna Loa Aquifer Sector Area and are currently utilized for drinking
water. The estimated sustainable yield, or the amount of ground water that can be withdrawn without
depleting or negatively impacting the quality of the source, for the Ka Lae aquifer is 31 million gallons
per day (MGD), and the estimated sustainable yield for the Nāʻālehu aquifer is 117 MGD (County of
Hawaiʻi, 2010). The ground water nearest the shoreline may not be suitable for drinking, as indicated by
the “Underground Injection Control (UIC) Line” that the Hawaiʻi Department of Health uses to identify
potential sources of underground drinking water.
According to the DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) watershed delineations, Waikapuna lies
within the Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, and Kawela watersheds, covering 5,070, 19,694, and 25,485 acres,
respectively.
Hazards
Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
The effects of global climate change have resulted in air temperature increasing by 0.76 degrees
Fahrenheit over the last century and a general downward trend in rainfall. Sea surface temperatures and
ocean pH (an indicator of acidity) have also increased. Annual rainfall in the vicinity of Waikapuna has
decreased at least one percent per decade between 1920 to 2012. (U.S. Global Change Research
Program, 2018)
Increasing temperatures and decreasing rainfall will lead to an increased frequency of droughts. The
frequency of wildfires is also expected to increase as low rainfall creates dry vegetation that increases
fuel loads. Climate change is also expected to cause more severe rainfall events, which will increase
runoff to the nearshore waters. Higher sea-surface temperatures and ocean acidification, both impacts
of climate change, will have detrimental effects on aquatic and marine ecosystems, including
deterioration of coral reefs. Rising sea levels will inundate areas near shorelines, thus having a direct
impact on habitat for nearshore resources and public use. The coastal areas of Waikapuna, particularly
near Waikapuna Bay, will be impacted with 3.2 feet of sea level rise which is anticipated by the end of
the century.
Lava
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) categorizes lava flow hazard areas into nine zones, with lava
flows most likely to occur in Zone 1 and least likely to occur in Zone 9. These lava flow hazard zones are
based on characteristics of past eruptions, topographic features that could affect the path of lava, and
the assumption that future eruptions will be similar to those in the past. The resulting map was designed
primarily to provide information for general planning purposes to communicate long-term lava flow
hazards.
According to the USGS hazard classification, Waikapuna is in Lava Flow Hazard Zone 6. This area is
described as being “protected from southwest rift zone eruptions by a completed faulty topography.”
The lava underlying Zone 6 are all older than 4,000 years.
20 June 2023
Seismic and Tsunami
The largest earthquake recorded in the history of Hawaiʻi occurred in April 1868, measuring a magnitude
of 7.7 on the Richter scale. This event, often referred to as the great Kaʻū earthquake, likely changed the
historical trajectory of Kaʻū. Within minutes of the initial earthquake, a catastrophic tsunami hit the
coast and washed inland. The wave is reported to have destroyed homes in Kaʻū and took the lives of 77
people (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, 2018).
According to the Tsunami Evacuation Zone maps, Waikapuna is located outside of the tsunami
evacuation zone, but there are some low-lying areas within the Waikapuna property and records of
tsunami wave heights at nearby Honuʻapo were 14 feet in 1946, 7 feet in 1957, and 17 feet in 1960
(Loomis, 1976).
Fire
Based on data from DLNR Division of
Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW, 2007), the
area north of Waikapuna is identified as an
area with medium risk from Wildland Fires.
The nearby communities at risk from
wildfires for this area include Nāʻālehu,
Waiʻōhinu, Mark Twain Estates, and
Discovery Harbour. In September 2017, a
large brush fire burned at least 1,600 acres
along the coastline between Waikapuna Bay
to within three-quarters of a mile to homes
in the nearby Green Sand Beach subdivision
(Big Island News, 2017). Additional
information related to fire is provided in the
Fire Prevention and Management section of
this report.
Existing Uses
Existing uses of the Waikapuna parcel at the
time of acquisition consisted of:
• Cattle ranching of the mauka areas
of the property leased to two
different ranchers.
• Community managed access for
uses generally during the weekend.
These uses include but are not
limited to passive enjoyment,
fishing and gathering of nearshore
resources, salt gathering, cultural
practices, hiking; and often involve
overnight stays at the beach.
Brushfire in 2017. Photo Credit: Hawaii County Fire
Department
The term “community managed access” refers to the
regulated access for individuals which, in the past,
allowed for overnight access for one group at a time
to Waikapuna Bay.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 21
• Wireless telecommunication tower facilities located near the boundary of Waikapuna and the
adjacent Kāwala parcel leased to telecommunication companies.
Access
At the present-time, there are two vehicular entry points into the Waikapuna parcel, only one that leads
to the designated access roadway to Waikapuna Bay via Arena Road. This existing vehicular, and legal,
access, from Arena Road (which crosses over several privately-owned parcels) enters into the adjacent
Kāwala property (identified as TMK 9-5-010: 001; owned by Kuahiwi Ranch) before arriving at the
boundary of the Waikapuna parcel. At the present time, there are gates along this 3.75-mile access
route as it traverses through pasture lands used for cattle ranching. It is an unpaved ranch road that
requires the use of high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles. The other access point, primarily used by
the existing ranching lessee, is through Nāʻālehu Spur Road.
There is also a non-exclusive easement for pedestrian and vehicular ingress and egress and utility
purposes from Māmalahoa Highway that is located to the north of the Waikapuna parcel. This easement
is situated on a parcel identified as TMK 9-5-022: 001 (a 26-acre parcel owned by a private landowner).
However, there is currently no physical road access through this easement.
Public pedestrian access to the Waikapuna parcel is through the adjacent State land along the coastal
trail.
Infrastructure & Structures
Existing infrastructure within the Waikapuna parcel is minimal and primarily has been installed to
support cattle grazing. Infrastructure consists of waterlines that feed into water troughs and
fencing/gates. There are also overhead utility lines, three worn-down structures formerly used as
ranching headquarters, sleeping quarters, and pig pens, and three wireless telecommunication tower
facilities.
22 June 2023
Cultural and Natural Resources
This section provides a general overview of the key cultural and natural resources of Waikapuna, and
includes information shared by individuals during the outreach process.
Cultural Practices & Gathering
Waikapuna has become an integral part of the way of life for many families who have settled and reside
in nearby communities for generations. It is one of the places where people would access for fishing and
gathering of resources, “an icebox for
families.” The practice typically involved
staying at the beach for several days and
nights, which facilitated families spending
time together. During this time, important
values and practices were learned.
Harvesting of salt is another cultural
practice shared by many individuals. A
community member recalled how it was so
beautiful to see the sheets of salt, and
another reminisced gathering salt as a child
from Waikapuna and Honuapo using a rice
bag. Many people agreed that the salt from
this area as having a lot more flavor than
store-bought salt, “it’s fantastic…essence of
[the] ocean is so good.” Residents described
how they would gather salt to pulehu meats,
to make poke, or to dry fish. They emphasized the importance of protecting the salt ponds, as it is one of
the few places where they can still be found along this coastline.
A fisherman further described the salt as being “quite tasty” and explained the process of harvesting salt
from the pali south of Waikapuna Bay. There are pools of water captured along the pali after a period of
very rough water and splash from big surf (which usually occurs during the summer swell). He explained
that the ocean spray gathers in these pockets and when followed by a period of sunshine, a crust of salt
can be found as a result of natural solar evaporation, maybe within a two-week period.
In addition to the gathering of ocean resources and salt, a kupuna recalled going to Waikapuna with her
family to gather seeds from the wiliwili trees to make leis, while another individual shared the practice
of gathering kūpeʻe from Waikapuna for lei making for hula. The practice of caring for cultural sites and
connecting to their ancestors at Waikapuna was also emphasized.
Many community members continue to gather salt at
Waikapuna.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 23
Cultural & Historic Sites
Cultural and historic sites are located
throughout the Waikapuna parcel. These
sites include heiau, trails, caves, burials,
petroglyphs, salt pans, and a coastal
village surrounding the sand beach.
Archaeological fieldwork identified 98
sites within the Waikapuna parcel. Three
sites were previously identified during
initial archaeological fieldwork by
Rechtman Consulting, LLC between
September 2006 and October 2007.
Subsequent fieldwork by ASM Affiliates in
April and May of 2018 documented an
additional 95 sites containing a total of
1,011 features.
Two large site complexes contain the majority of the features, Site 50-10-74-30951 (identified as
“30951” in Figure 6) that occupy the upper part of the parcel within the ahupuaʻa of Kāhilipaliʻiki above
Waikapuna Pali and Site 50-10-74-31023 (identified as “31023” in Figure 6) that includes the makai area
below Waikapuna Pali. The draft archaeological inventory survey completed by ASM Affiliates (2018)
states that “these complexes represent fairly intact cultural landscapes that record the diachronic
history of the land at its use by humans since the arrival of the first Polynesian voyagers to the shores of
Kaʻū through the present day, and provide a tangible connection to the past for the modern residents of
the area.” The survey also suggested that this area consisted of former house sites and agricultural
fields. House lots were primarily near the coast since it provided easier access to marine resources and
freshwater found in springs that were once active adjacent to Waikapuna Bay. The agricultural fields
were located further inland in areas protected by coastal winds, such as at the western/southwestern
foot of the pali.
The coastal village can be seen upslope of the sand beach.
24 June 2023
Figure 6. Sites as identified by ASM Affiliates from their 2018 Draft AIS Report
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 25
Native Plant Habitat
The coastal area of Waikapuna is described as
being “an intact and botanically highly valuable
community,” whereas the inland area has been
“substantially altered by grazing and heavily
dominated by non-native vegetation.”
(Geometrician Associates, 2015)
A total of 32 native plant species in the coastal
ecosystem, including two rare, threatened, or
endangered species, have been identified during
surveys of the property by Warshauer (2003) and
Geometrician Associates (2015). The rare endemic
shrub maiapilo can be found in a small area near
the southern boundary of the parcel makai of the
jeep road. Although it has not been recently
confirmed on the property, the endangered herb
ʻihi (Portulaca villosa) was identified by a survey
conducted by Warshauer in 2003 in the backshore
on a lava substrate. Threatened and endangered
species are listed under and protected by the
federal Endangered Species Act. Additional
threatened and endangered plant species may be
present at Waikapuna and it has been suggested by
Geometrician Associates (2017) that the most likely
location would be along the coastal zones where a
few individuals of the endangered ʻōhai (Sesbania
tomentosa) could be present. Aside from the coastal
areas, endemic wiliwili trees are located on the
property near the lava crack/scarp and a patch of
alaheʻe in the mauka areas near the southwestern
section of the property.
A list of native plants species surveyed by a previous
study from Geometrician Associates (2017) is
provided below.
Rare endemic shrub maiapilo found near the
southern boundary of the parcel.
A large wiliwili tree growing toward the makai
end of the lava crack/scarp.
26 June 2023
Table 1. List of Native Plant Species (from Geometrician Associates, 2017)
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 27
Native Invertebrates
Geometrician Associates (2017) suggest that the endangered yellow-faced bee Hylaeus anthracinus
could be present at Waikapuna since it has been observed near South Point. They did note the presence
of a large patch of non-native Tournefortia argentea trees that are favored by yellow-faced bees, but did
not find any yellow-faced bees present at the time of their visit.
Aquatic Fauna
The beach area offers a haul out location for federally threatened green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)
and federally endangered Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi), but does not seem
favorable for Hawaiian hawksbill sea turtles to nest due to the rocky substrate fronting the beach area.
Consultations indicate that humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) travel close to shore due to the
sharp drop in the sea shelf and green sea turtles have been observed in the nearshore waters off of
Waikapuna Bay. Geometrician Associates (2017) state that the “aquatic and marine life may be the most
valuable biological asset at Waikapuna” and referenced data from NOAA:
NOAA-CRED data was generated using a randomized stationary point count (SPC) from a NOAA
visit in 2013 that observed areas 15 meters in diameter. Data compiled by a biologist indicates
that researchers observed 41 species of fish during their survey. The benthic cover at 5.85
meters in depth was composed of 66% turf algae, 20% crustose coralline algae, 14% coral cover,
with no macro algae or sand cover. The biomass was similar to other Hawai‘i Island locations.
Overall, this survey, along with others conducted by NOAA in 2005, 2006 and 2008, found an
extremely healthy aquatic biota and habitat.
Native Sea Bird Habitat
The coastal area provides valuable sea bird
habitat, particularly the sea cliffs along the
shoreline where hundreds of Black Noddies or
Noio (Anous minutus) have been recorded.
Biologists have also observed the federally
endangered Hawaiian Hawk or ʻio (Buteo
solitarius) and the following migratory birds at
Waikapuna: ruddy turnstone or ʻakekeke
(Arenaria interpres), wandering tattler or ʻulili
(Heteroscelus incanus), the Pacific golden-plover
or kōlea (Pluvialis fulva), and the bristle-thighed
curlew or kioea (Numenius tahiteiensis). Note
that the kioea is not commonly seen on Hawaiʻi
Island.
Sense of Place
Waikapuna is an important place for nearby Nāʻālehu and Waiʻōhinu residents, but also for kamaʻāina
from other communities in the Kaʻū District and other regions of Hawaiʻi Island. When asked about the
significance of Waikapuna to them, individuals described unique connections to the place. For lineal
descendants, Waikapuna connects them to their families through their iwi kūpuna who are buried there
Noio nest in crevices in the sea cliffs along the
Waikapuna shoreline.
28 June 2023
and the house sites they have left behind are memories of people who once lived and were part of the
thriving fishing village at Waikapuna. “For us, Kaʻū is a special place. It’s our ancestral home,” said a
lineal descendant. He added that “Waikapuna reminds me of a different time,” and explained how
Waikapuna evokes memories of old Hawaiʻi. He recalled stories of his family relocating to mauka areas
after the tsunami and shared how they would grow sweet potatoes, load up mules every summer and
head to Waikapuna. They would stay a couple of weeks seaside and he remembered a time when
people would share freely.
For the kamaʻāina who once worked during the plantation days and for paniolo during the ranching era,
Waikapuna was a place where only a select group of people were permitted to access the place.
“Waikapuna used to be closed off, sugar company and ranch had locked gate, only way [to access] if you
got the key from the plantation,” shared a former employee of Hutchinson Sugar Plantation Company.
He explained that it was a privilege to go down to Waikapuna beach, as it was usually reserved for the
supervisors and was not made available to the general public.
Another Kaʻū resident reflects on the significance of spending time with the family at Waikapuna:
Wonderful feeling to be able to gather from the land. The only thing we used to bring was rice
or poi. For us, it bought a closeness to rely on family together as a whole unit that provided
for…and teaching. The things my dad and husband taught me and that we taught our
children…the respect of the ʻāina and our culture.... Those were special times with grandpa. Him
Waikapuna Bay (facing north)
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 29
teaching them what his parents taught him. Going as a whole unit. When the generations can
unite and appreciate the special places in Kaʻū.
She also recalled learning at Waikapuna at a young age from her dad, “how to do our hooks…specific
places to go [fishing] day or nighttime, my dad followed the moon, even for planting. Follow the old
ways. Learned how to adapt to change.” She further explained that Waikapuna “allows us to practice
what we were taught….and to keep that way of life. There was a purpose of my dad teaching us to
survive and to take care of one another and he would say if you can survive in Kaʻū, you can survive
anywhere.”
One individual recalled visiting Waikapuna as a child and shared fond memories of riding her horse with
her mom for day trips to the beach at a young age while her dad would drive down and go fishing and
lay net in the pond. Another individual shared that he enjoys going to Waikapuna with his wife and kids
and “just being maʻa to the place.” He adds, “The beach…there is so much to do, fishing and gathering. It
truly is a classroom...to show kids how special the place is.”
A Kaʻū resident reiterated the value of Waikapuna as a place for education and perpetuating Hawaiian
practices:
Everybody learn how to fish. Get room to play and swim. Take the older people, sit down in the
sand. Down there…just for the kids to enjoy, learn how to fish, throw net, and dive.
He shared his sentiments and feelings evoked while at Waikapuna:
Just family, no matter what…It’s about family. No more service for phone. Only radio to turn on
to catch music. Get to climb on the pali. Every memory is great…just with the family. It’s not just
about the fishing, gotta feel the beach. Enjoying the sand. The feeling…the vibe is different. Even
the kids…the beach…just nice to walk from one end. Enjoyment. Catch pipipi…kids enjoy
catching […] Take the stress out of life.
A kamaʻāina from Kaʻū also shared the significance of Waikapuna to his learning, “We used to go down
there with Dad to clean up, clean up brackish pond. Spend time with my dad…where I first learned how
to throw net and fish.” Years later, he wants to share that experience with his own children: “For the
younger kids…to walk out to throw net, for younger kids to start learning, just to be down there, just a
feeling…the beach…do a little, help a little…keep it clean, leave [the] beach better than you found it.”
For most, Waikapuna is one of the special places in Kaʻū to go to “slow down the pace of life.” Referred
to by some as “the last of the frontiers,” a fisherman explained that not much has changed since he first
visited Waikapuna in the 1960s except that vegetation has gotten thicker and bigger. “The beauty of
Kaʻū is that it is untouched,” said another fisherman. Waikapuna is a place to pass the time. People
shared that they enjoy going there to be able to get away from everybody and because it is secluded.
“Don’t have to worry about other people coming around….nobody can bother us,” said a fisherman but
also felt by many people consulted.
A resident explains the importance of Waikapuna: “To me, it’s about a very heavy feeling…It feels like
you go back in time, pick up in time...the landscape changed with the tidal wave, a piece of that puzzle,
30 June 2023
starting at Honuʻapo and walking all the way over there, and then make it to Ka Lae, [Waikapuna is] one
piece of the puzzle [connecting this Kaʻū coastline].”
Issues and Concerns
In addition to the significant resources shared by the community, the outreach process provided
information on issues and concerns relating to these resources. A summary of these issues and concerns
are described below (not listed in any specific order), while more detailed descriptions of key threats to
specific resources are outlined in subsequent sections.
• Access to Waikapuna facilitates family spending time together and is important to the way of
life for Kaʻū residents. Community members need to visit the property to engage in subsistence
gathering, cultural practices, and connection with the place, and to hand down traditions and
stories. Some expressed concerns that residents would no longer have access because of
landowner restrictions or too many people wanting access.
• It is feared that too many visitors will take away from the remote sense of place enjoyed by
families. Too many visitors and/or visitors that do not have a connection with this place may
result in inadvertent damage to the property and its resources, such as causing wildfires,
damaging cultural sites, spreading invasive plant species and/or diseases, inappropriate
depositing of trash, looting, etc.
• Vagrancy and associated impacts have become both a threat to the resources, sense of place,
and overall experience for other site users at Waikapuna.
• Risk of fire as a result of increased public use and drought conditions.
• Damages to cultural and historic sites from use of heavy machinery and bulldozing; cattle
foraging; and inadvertent impacts from human use and fire suppression.
• Safety related to the rough ocean conditions, strong currents, steep cliffs, lack of emergency
phone service along the coastline and challenging terrain, particularly for first time visitors to
Waikapuna but also for experienced visitors and fishermen. Previous accidents along the cliff
have resulted in serious injuries and/or deaths. Unmanaged access may interfere with ranching
operations and make it difficult to know who is on property in the event of an emergency.
Additionally, there are risks from earthquakes and tsunamis. It has been reported that the
State’s emergency siren system cannot be heard along the coastline at Waikapuna.
• Impacts to nearshore resources and the cultural landscape if access is not controlled.
Irresponsible visitors have engaged in unsafe behaviors or behaviors that are unsustainable or
damage or overtax the resources, such as overharvesting and commercial taking of marine
resources.
• The need to elevate reciprocity between people and place; mālama the land and hold kuleana
to care for the resources.
• Marine debris from ocean currents and trash left from human use.
• Invasive plants and animal species that can exacerbate fire risk, outcompete native plant
species, pose a threat to cultural sites, and disturb habitat for native species.
• Impacts of climate change which may result in an increased frequency of droughts, thus
impacting feasibility of cattle ranching, and increased frequency of wildfires.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 31
Management Plan
This management plan focuses on two key concepts: CULTIVATING KNOWLEDGE and COMMUNITY
STEWARDSHIP.
Knowledge cultivation starts with building awareness of the resources that exist
which may lend to an appreciation of the place and in turn garner greater respect,
willingness to care for the resources, and strengthen one’s connection to the land.
Public awareness may occur at Waikapuna, but there are also opportunities to raise
awareness off-site. For example, outreach with keiki through local school
programs and at local community events (e.g., annual July 4th parade in Kaʻū,
etc.) are ways to enhance the community’s understanding of the cultural
and natural landscape. For people requesting overnight access to
Waikapuna, awareness is reinforced through educational videos and
information integrated as part of the overnight reservation process and
shared both online and in-person.
Beyond having an awareness of the resources that exist, engaging people through
educational access days or site visits at Waikapuna allows them to experience the
place and develop a deeper understanding of the resources.
Encouraging community stewardship of Waikapuna helps to elevate reciprocity between
people and place. Community stewardship allows the people to determine the fate of their own
resources and shape the future of the place. Through this process, the community, particularly
individuals that utilize resources for cultural or subsistence12 practices, helps to restore and perpetuate
the generational knowledge of caring for resources. The community takes an active role in re-educating
others on the purpose of certain kapu, including “pono practices,” and the use of traditional kapu as a
conservation measure. Kūpuna and descendants of the place contribute to sharing their stories and
knowledge so that information and ancestral values may be passed on to future generations.
Knowledge cultivation and community stewardship are simultaneously activated by creating spaces for
individuals, families, and entities to have a role in stewardship where knowledge can be shared and
cultural practices perpetuated. These spaces can be created at Waikapuna through:
• Kūpuna days - a space for kūpuna of the place to access the cultural landscape and to share
their knowledge of the place and practices that have been passed down generation to
generation.
• ʻOhana days - an opportunity for families to explore wahi pana and wahi kūpuna of Kaʻū, to
practice kuleana to steward resources, and to perpetuate cultural traditions and practices.
12 The Governor’s Task Force on Molokaʻi Fishpond Restoration (1993) defines subsistence as “the customary and
traditional use by Molokaʻi residents of wild and cultivated renewable resources for direct personal or family
consumption as food, shelter, fuel, clothing, tools, transportation, culture, religion and medicine, for barter or
sharing, for personal or family consumption, and for customary trade.” The Waikapuna management plan adopts
this definition with the following modifications, “Subsistence is the customary and traditional use of renewable
resources for direct personal or family consumption, including for barter or sharing, for personal or family
consumption, and for customary trade, in a manner where practices are sustainable to ensure the availability of
resources for future generations.”
Build
Awareness
Learning and
Experience
Stewardship
32 June 2023
• Organized mālama ʻāina workday(s) - a means to empower community groups/individuals to
host mālama ʻāina workday(s) to carry out one or more of the action items presented in this
management plan or to participate in an ATA-organized workday; all who call Hawaiʻi home
have kuleana to support good stewardship of resources.
• Community managed access – to provide community access for subsistence fishing and
gathering, family overnight stay on public property at the shoreline, and to perpetuate Kaʻū
traditions.
The desired outcome from cultivating knowledge and encouraging community stewardship is a
community that is (re)connected to functional wahi kūpuna and engaged in stewardship and education.
Healthy ecosystems will be achieved through traditional resource management practices that are built
upon the foundation of Hawaiian values and are combined with modern scientific approaches to
steward the ʻāina. The spaces provided through the kūpuna days, ʻohana days, organized mālama ʻāina
workdays, and community managed access facilitate meaningful conversations amongst communities
and families and build community capacity to care for resources that are the foundation of life for the
people of Kaʻū.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 33
The following concepts from the Kali‘uokapa‘akai Collective Report (2021) are shared below to
provide context for the goals, actions items, and implementation approach presented in this
management plan:
• The term “cultural resource management” tends to focus on just the tangible resources
whereas the term “wahi kūpuna stewardship” includes intangible resources such as
genealogies, inoa ʻāina (place names), moʻolelo, and mele.
• Wahi kūpuna stewardship conveys a sense of reciprocity to mālama as opposed to
management (where humans are superior to the ʻāina and wahi kūpuna).
• The ability for Hawaiians to develop pilina (relationship, connection) with place is
important to the practice of culture and the restoration of wahi kūpuna.
• There is no separation between cultural and natural resources. Hawaiian cultural
resources also include the natural environment which defines and supports people’s
knowledge, practices, beliefs, rights, and responsibilities in relationship to the ‘āina. The
concepts of mālama ‘āina and aloha ‘āina reflect the Hawaiian worldview of caring for
both natural and cultural landscapes as one and the same, as Native Hawaiians
recognize the cultural significance and value of the natural world.
• A major part of restoration which is often overlooked is the restoration of people to
place. Access for indigenous people to their traditional places is vital for cultural
survival.
• Western historic preservation law and practice has commonly viewed the practice of
preserving historic sites and ancestral places as static snapshots of the past. However,
wahi kūpuna are not static; they are dynamic, living parts of our community.
• Throughout history, and in traditional practices of stewarding wahi kūpuna, it is clear
that many of these sites have been actively used, built, and/or rebuilt over time, or have
even fallen out of use for extended periods.
• Both preservation and restoration of wahi kūpuna are essential components of cultural
survival. There is a lot of restorative work needed to repair numerous cultural sites and
places that over time have been damaged, ruined, or have simply deteriorated because
of misuse or lack of use.
• The restoration process of wahi kūpuna is complex because its function is dynamic. The
function of wahi kūpuna can change over time and vary amongst communities. The
restoration process not only includes repairing the physical aspects of the sites, but also
includes the process of re-connecting people to these important places and restoring
the functionality of these sites. In other words, it involves respecting, acknowledging,
and accepting the role and importance of history, culture, and traditions in our lives.
Guiding Principles
34 June 2023
Key Action Items
Action items are categorized into five topic areas, as generally outlined in the Grant of Conservation
Easement (Figure 7). These action items can be achieved through building and supporting community
capacity, collaborating with other non-profit organizations and partnering with other adjacent large
landowners such as the State DLNR, Kamehameha Schools, and DHHL for greater landscape level
protection and stewardship. Stewardship and responsible land management of the entire region
through partnerships with adjacent properties are critical for success at Waikapuna.
The following Educational and Outreach Activities are also applicable to all of the topic areas and are
important to ensure the protection and preservation of Waikapuna’s resources:
• Develop educational materials in consultation with kūpuna and descendants of the place that
highlight the historical significance, place names, moʻolelo, mele, and traditional practices to
care for resources. Information about the purpose of the County’s Conservation Easement and
State’s grant should be shared with the public. Educational materials and information could be
shared in print, video, or audio and made available online, and in-person during site visits,
educational access days, organized mālama ʻāina workdays, and upon check-in for overnight
access.
• Host talk story sessions in addition to kūpuna days, ʻohana days, and organized mālama ʻāina
workdays to allow the sharing of stories, knowledge, oral histories and practices to build
community capacity and to pass on ancestral knowledge.
• Conduct youth education programs at Waikapuna and off-site at nearby schools to engage the
younger generation in conservation ethics and values. Work with educators, cultural
practitioners, archaeologists, researchers, and ecologists, to promote learning opportunities for
youth (e.g., service learning internships and other programs).
• Create and install signage to remind people to be mindful and respectful of the place; consider
involving keiki to create some of the signs. Educational or interpretive signs should be
developed in consultation with the local community, including kūpuna and descendants of the
place, to determine what type of information should be shared with the public and appropriate
places to install them (e.g., along the trail or near sensitive resources). Signs should be placed
strategically at various access points but without compromising the sense of place and scenic
qualities of Waikapuna. Positive language should also be utilized on signs to build awareness
and encourage desired behavior.
Figure 7. Management Plan Topic Areas
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 35
The following section outlines specific action items for each of the topic areas, including identifying
goals, or desired results from implementation of this management plan. Figure 8 provides an overview
of the general stewardship concepts recommended for Waikapuna.
Figure 8. Waikapuna Stewardship Concepts
36 June 2023
Archaeological, Cultural, and Historic Resources
There are significant archaeological, cultural, and historic resources throughout the Waikapuna parcel,
including salt pans, trails, house sites, and burials. Strategies will focus on protection of these resources
from key threats, monitoring of resources, and fire management. Lineal descendants and kūpuna, along
with the local community and youth, will be engaged to care for these resources and to monitor, survey,
and document sites so that stewardship of wahi kūpuna is reflective of the proper stewardship
techniques ingrained in the traditions and customs of the native people. The immediate approach for
stewardship of cultural resources around Waikapuna Bay will focus on building awareness through
education; monitoring of sites as this area will be subject to the highest use from the public; and
maintaining vegetation around the cultural resources. For the areas leased for ranching, coordination
and communication with lessees on cultural resources will be critical, coupled with identifying the
sensitive sites that require additional protection and attention through the installation of markers or
signage and monitoring of impacts. Cultural sites need to be maintained free of non-native vegetation
using hand clearing methods. Such clearing and fencing of sites (if required) needs to be coupled with
the capacity for the ongoing maintenance of vegetation, as overgrown vegetation can damage the sites
and increase fuel loads for wildfires.
Goals
The goals for the stewardship of archaeological, cultural, and historic resources are as follows:
• Significant archaeological, cultural, and historic sites are protected from inadvertent damage.
• A Kaʻū community that is reconnected to wahi kūpuna and engaged in stewardship, education,
and research.
Threats
Archaeological, cultural, and historic resources are threatened by:
• Use of heavy machinery from ranching practices such as dragging a chain to clear vegetation
and from fire suppression activities such as bulldozing to create fire breaks.
• Non-native vegetation such as Christmasberry, lantana (Lantana camara), sourbush, and java
plum (Syzygium cumini) compromise the structural integrity of cultural sites when their roots
grow into them.
• Cattle sometimes wander outside their normal foraging areas during dry conditions in search of
food or water and may disturb cultural sites.
• Inadvertent impacts from human use including trash; improper use of areas as toilets; and
damage and erosion from recreational dirt bikes, ATVs, UTVs, and other off-road vehicles.
• Lack of respect and understanding of the history, culture, and traditions of the wahi pana.
• Looting of cultural resources by collectors.
• Coastal erosion and sea level rise as a result of climate change.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 37
Action Items
Goal: Significant archaeological, cultural, and historic resources are protected from inadvertent
damage.
• Protection
o Fence off pastures and place water troughs strategically to ensure that cattle do not
roam into significant cultural sites, which will also minimize impacts to native plants and
reduce soil erosion.
o Repair sections of the ranch rock wall so that it can be used effectively to keep cattle
from traversing past this area.
o Avoid use of heavy machinery near cultural sites; maintain vegetation around cultural
sites utilizing hand clearing or small hand tools only. Consider the use of herbicides to
maintain vegetation, except within 50 feet of the coastline or water sources.
o Ensure cultural sites within pasture areas are kept free of vegetation to avoid cattle
disturbing sites to forage; conduct additional monitoring during drier months.
o Utilize markings or signage around sensitive cultural sites particularly along trails and
roadways to avoid inadvertent impacts from ranching activities and human use. Fencing
of sensitive sites should be considered if deemed that additional protection is needed
from ranching activities and/or human use. However, fencing of any sites must be
accompanied with ongoing vegetation clearing and maintenance as roots from
vegetation may cause just as much or more damage to the integrity of features than
non-fencing.
o Conduct a walk through with lessees to identify the sensitive cultural sites within their
leased areas and where extra care needs to be taken.
• Monitoring
o Conduct periodic monitoring of cultural resources, particularly aboveground burial sites,
to avoid adverse impacts from uses on the property. Conduct additional monitoring of
sites within areas leased for cattle ranching.
• Fire Management
o Coordinate wildfire response, including identifying a road map for fire suppression, in
advance with first responders and lessees to avoid inadvertent damages to the cultural
landscape.
o Place emphasis on fire prevention through effective education and outreach for site
users.
o Maintain vegetation to minimize the need for potentially damaging activities to
suppress fire. Refer to additional strategies outlined under the Fire Prevention and
Management section.
38 June 2023
• Site Users
o Prohibit recreational dirt bikes, ATVs, UTVs, and other off-road vehicles, except through
permitted activities such as stewardship and educational activities, and managed
community access.
o Direct site users to stay on designated trails and roadways.
Goal: A Kaʻū community that is reconnected to wahi kūpuna and engaged in stewardship, education,
and research.
• Encourage community stewardship of Waikapuna to elevate reciprocity between people and
place.
• Create spaces for individuals, families, and entities to have a role in stewardship where
knowledge can be shared and cultural practices perpetuated.
• Remove leaf litter from the springs and consider outplanting native, rare, threatened, and
endangered plants as long as they do not contribute significant leaf litter to the springs.
• In consultation with the descendants of the area, identify proper restoration of resources,
including treatment of burial features, and place-based stewardship training.
• In consultation with the community, identify whether restoration of sites that were damaged
during the previous bulldozing activities should be pursued.
• Partner with lineal descendants, community organizations, and archaeologists to regularly
monitor and assess the condition of resources and to continually update archaeological data
from previous surveys.
o Best Management Practice: Utilize the opportunity to conduct archaeological surveys
during drier seasons or in the event of a fire, post-fire, to identify any cultural resources
that may have been concealed from overgrown vegetation.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 39
Native Plants
The most intact native plant communities are along the coast, thus, the most intensive management of
native plants will be focused along the coastal areas. The general approach is (1) to remove invasive
plant species to allow existing native plants to thrive and regenerate before outplanting any additional
native and rare, threatened, and endangered species; and (2) to monitor for any pests and/or diseases
that may impact the existing native plants at Waikapuna. Fencing of pastures to protect cultural sites
and minimize soil erosion and implementing fire management strategies will also protect existing native
plant communities. Opportunities that perpetuate cultural practices and restore both native plants and
cultural sites should be prioritized.
Goals
The goals for the encouragement and propagation of native plants are as follows:
• The health of existing high-quality endemic and other native plant communities are protected,
restored, and improved.
• Threats to endemic and other native plant communities are minimized.
• The native and culturally significant wiliwili trees are protected and preserved.
Threats
The key threats for native plants at Waikapuna include:
• Invasive plants including but not limited to Christmasberry, Sourbush, Lantana (Lantana
camara), Sandbur (Cenchrus), and Fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum). Invasive plant species
compete with native plants for space, water, and nutrients; therefore, non-native plant species
should be removed from proposed restoration sites.
• Disease & pests including the Bagrada (Bagrada hilaris), a stink bug found on maiapilo, and
ants such as the yellow crazy ant, established along the shoreline, will impact native plant
restoration efforts.
• Ungulates including goats, pigs, and cattle. Wild goats in Kiolakaʻa and Waiʻōhinu could be a
threat if they migrate into Waikapuna and eat and trample upon native plants and spread
invasive seeds. Cattle may move into beach areas, trampling cultural areas and eating native
vegetation.
• Wildfire can wipe-out the native plant communities along the coast at Waikapuna.
• Vehicles and pedestrians can also trample on native plants and introduce invasive species.
40 June 2023
Action Items
Action items related to the encouragement and propagation of native plants are presented below.
Goal: The health of existing high-quality endemic and other native plant communities are protected,
restored, and improved.
• Remove Christmasberry, lantana, koa haole, fountain grass, and other invasive plant species to
provide more space for existing native plant species near Waikapuna Bay and along coastal
areas using hand-clearing methods.
o Avoid using herbicide within 50 feet of the shoreline or water source.
o As discussed in the earlier section to protect existing archaeological, cultural, and
historic sites, avoid using heavy machinery at Waikapuna for vegetation management.
However, if treating with herbicide, be careful of overspray where native plants may be
present.
• Near Waikapuna Bay, maintain the beach heliotrope and consider replacement with a native
plant such as kou (Cordia subcordata) or milo (Thespesia populnea) that will provide shade and
can co-exist with other native plants in the area.
• Consider creating small restoration sites that are accessible without four-wheel drive vehicles
to allow for additional mālama ʻāina r groups to participate in restoration.
• Find opportunities to restore both native plants and cultural sites and learn about how they
were interdependent upon one another.
Goal: Threats to endemic and other native plant communities are minimized.
• Invasive Plant Monitoring & Eradication
o Support and encourage efforts to eradicate Christmasberry using hand clearing methods
and/or herbicides instead of heavy machinery to avoid inadvertent damages to cultural
sites.
o Monitor for target invasive plant species (e.g., fountaingrass) throughout the property
and remove when sighted.
• Pests & Disease Monitoring & Treatment
o Monitor and inspect high quality native plant communities for pests and diseases as
frequently as possible, or at minimum on a monthly basis, to catch early infestation.
Place emphasis near the existing maiapilo, or near areas where infections previously
occurred.
o Monitor the maiapilo regularly to ensure the Bagrada bug does not come back.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 41
• Ungulate Management13
o Partner with adjacent landowners and utilize a coordinated trapping program to help
reduce the threat of ungulates such as goats and pigs, if required.
o Install fencing to restrict cattle from traversing beyond pastures and negatively
impacting native plant habitats and the cultural landscape.
• Wildfire Suppression
o Install a catchment/dip tank to have water on site for firefighting activities and to
irrigate outplantings for any restoration efforts.
• Vehicular & Pedestrian Management
o Implement strict rules and regulations (e.g., no parking on dry grass, fire extinguisher
requirement, designated fire pit areas) that must be followed for community managed
access and mālama ʻāina participants and other site users to minimize the threat of
fires.
o Identify any no-go zones (“sensitive areas”), also in consideration of the cultural
landscape, where high pedestrian and vehicular traffic should be avoided.
o Utilize existing trails and ranch roads to avoid introducing pests and trampling over
fragile native plant communities and cultural resources.
o Control vehicular access from the south side of property to prevent physical damage to
the cultural and natural landscape, as well as the accidental introduction of invasive
species.
o Consider having a designated decontamination area for vehicles in order to minimize
the introduction of pests.
Goal: The native and culturally significant wiliwili trees are preserved and protected.
• Remove invasive plant species around wiliwili trees to allow for seedlings to sprout when they
fall.
• Monitor for wiliwili seedlings that germinate and install enclosure fences to prevent grazing of
seedlings by ungulates.
• Coordinate fire management strategies to protect wiliwili trees from wildfire.
• Monitor and inspect wiliwili trees for pests or diseases and treat as needed.
• Collect and store seeds from wiliwili trees on-site as a seed bank for outplanting when needed.
13 The land acquisition grant application submitted to the State LLCP in 2016 states that the benefits and risks of
tightly managed hunting will be discussed in this management plan. Recreational hunting will not be permitted on
this property, as it is not aligned with the mission of ATA. The current strategy to address the threat of feral
ungulates on the landscape is to coordinate with neighboring landowners to minimize the potential for these
ungulates to enter the Waikapuna property to begin with. Should the threat of ungulates such as goats and pigs
escalate, then the approach to managed hunting will need to be reviewed.
42 June 2023
Marine & Avian Resources
Emphasis will be placed on responsible land uses to protect and promote the health and sustainability of
marine and avian resources. Land areas and adjacent marine waters are interconnected and inseparable
units. Activities that occur on land have direct and indirect impacts to the resources of the adjacent
marine waters. Building awareness through educational outreach and stewardship, along with scientific
research and data collection to support local knowledge and traditional ways of stewardship, are key
components to protecting the marine and avian resources for Waikapuna.
Goal
Land uses are managed in a manner that protect and promote the health and sustainability of marine
and avian resources.
Threats
Key threats for marine and avian resources at Waikapuna include:
• Light pollution that may disorient native seabird populations, resulting in fatality events.
• Unmanaged fishing, overfishing, or improper fishing/harvesting (e.g., time of year, size of fish,
and type of fish) of marine resources can be devastating as it creates an imbalance to the
natural ecosystems.
• Land uses from human use, non-native plant species, and cattle ranching that may contribute to
soil erosion and/or impact freshwater input may negatively affect nearshore water quality and
health of resources.
• Climate change impacts including higher sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification will
have detrimental effects on aquatic and marine ecosystems.
Action Items
• Land-Based Practices
o Ensure land uses do not contribute to 1) any significant negative impacts to nearshore
water quality and 2) any light pollution that may attract and disorient native seabird
populations, resulting in fatality events.
o Carry out all materials carried into Waikapuna, including human waste.
o Conduct regular beach cleanups to reduce the amount of trash, plastic, and other solid
waste that is blown or washed into the ocean and deposited onto the shoreline.
o Avoid the use of chemical fertilizers within 50 feet of the shoreline.
o Designate an area to park vehicles at Waikapuna Bay in order to reduce sources of land-
based pollution to coastal waters.
o Designate roadways for vehicular use to minimize erosion.
• Education & Awareness
o Establish a community makai watch mālama ʻāina program to raise awareness and to
increase on-site presence.
o Utilize kūpuna days, ʻohana days, and organized mālama ʻāina workdays to facilitate
exchange of knowledge about traditional and place-based practices, such as:
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 43
▪ Meet present food needs without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their needs.
▪ Gather only what one needs for immediate personal and family uses and only
use what one takes carefully and fully without wasting. Take what you need
without disrupting natural processes.
▪ Observe the moon phases and its relationship to fish spawning cycles to
determine when to fish for/gather specific species and when to observe kapu.
▪ Avoid light pollution on native seabird populations.
• Data Gathering
o Establish a long-term scientific monitoring program of marine resources to support
traditional and local knowledge and traditional ways of monitoring.
o Complement scientific monitoring with community-based observations and monitoring
during managed access, kūpuna days, ʻohana days, organized mālama ʻāina work days,
and other times when community members are on-site. Monitoring methods may
include water quality monitoring and logs of fish, spawning seasons, and lunar cycles.
Identify an appropriate method to share data with the community to support
stewardship initiatives.
o Conduct long-term monitoring surveys of the noio population and habitat.
o Utilize data from the long-term monitoring program to support traditional knowledge to
employ adaptive management and to allow changes to be made to management
actions, as deemed appropriate.
44 June 2023
Fire Prevention and Management
The priority strategy is to put emphasis on fire prevention through effective education and outreach for
site users. Implementation of fire mitigation efforts particularly during drought and dry seasons is
critical, and particularly in consideration of climate change impacts that may result in the increased
frequency and intensity of wildfires. Communication and coordination with the County’s Fire
Department, as they are responsible for the initial response, ahead of time are important to ensure the
safety of fire personnel and the protection of the natural and cultural landscape during fire suppression.
Goals
Below are the goals related to fire prevention and management.
• Fire prevention efforts are emphasized to reduce the threat of human caused fires.
• Vegetative fuel sources managed to reduce fuel load.
• Fire suppression that is efficient and safe without negatively impacting the cultural landscape.
Concerns
• Wildfire could threaten life and property in Nāʻālehu, any visitors on-property, cattle in the
ranching areas, and native plants.
• Unmanaged vegetation provides fuel for wildfires to spread across the property.
• Human activities, such as improper management and extinguishing of cooking fires, improper
disposal of coals and lit cigarettes, and sparks from equipment and vehicle catalytic converters,
may inadvertently start fires.
• Fire suppression actions, such as creating impromptu fire breaks, may damage cultural sites.
• Unfamiliarity with the property makes it difficult for fire fighters to navigate the unmarked
roads.
• Locked gates delay fire fighter access to the property.
• Lack of water on-property creates delays as water must be trucked in.
• Rough road conditions limit the number and type of fire trucks that can access certain parts of
the property.
Action Items
Action items related to fire prevention and management are presented below.
Goal: Fire prevention efforts are emphasized to reduce the threat of human caused fires.
• Incorporate fire prevention as part of the educational component and pre-entry access protocol
for site users.
• Develop and enforce rules and guidelines for site users to prevent human caused fires
including, but not limited to:
o Instruct mālama ʻāina participants in the proper use of equipment such as chain saws
and weed whackers to prevent mechanical fires.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 45
o Allow cooking fires within fire pits only and to be under continuous supervision. Site
users shall extinguish fires completely after use and not dispose of hot coals/wood on or
around vegetation.
o Vehicles are allowed only on maintained ranch roads and designated beach areas to
reduce the risk of catalytic converters igniting grass fires.
o Prohibit smoking on the property.
o All ATA, cooperator vehicles, and ranch vehicles should carry at least a five-pound fire
extinguisher and fire swatter on board while driving through the property.
Goal: Vegetative fuel sources managed to reduce fuel load.
• Fuel Load Reduction
o Coordinate pasture rotations with lessees, if possible, to utilize cattle to strategically
keep fuel loads down and to maintain fuel breaks.
o Minimize fuel load near Waikapuna Bay and other areas frequently used.
o Coordinate native plant restoration efforts near Waikapuna Bay and utilize higher water
content native plants such as naupaka to serve as a green fuel break.
o Monitor for fountain grass and other invasive, highly flammable plant species on the
property and treat/remove accordingly.
Goal: Fire suppression that is efficient and safe without negatively impacting the cultural landscape.
• Detailed Fire Management Plan
o Create a detailed fire management plan in cooperation with Hawaiʻi County Fire
Department (HFD) and adjacent landowners that identifies the following information:
▪ Emergency notification list
▪ Access points, existing roadways, fuel breaks, and pre-determined fire breaks
▪ “Sensitive area" maps prioritizing sites for fire protection such as native plant
habitat, telecommunication facilities, and cultural resources
▪ Road map to use for fire suppression to prevent inadvertent damages to sites
during fire suppression
• Fuelbreak Management
o Maintain existing roads and fence lines as potential fuel breaks (if possible) rather than
create new fire breaks to fight wildfires.
o Maintain fuelbreaks regularly, particularly during the dry season or during drought.
o Connect all fuel breaks to anchor points, for example, natural landscape features that
provide a safe area of unburnable fuels or some other barrier to fire spread such as
pāhoehoe lava flows, sandy areas, cliffs or faults where vegetation is sparse.
o Identify, map, and maintain predetermined fuel breaks.
• Vehicular Access
o Maintain all major access roads in good condition and improve them, if needed, to
facilitate use by fire fighting vehicles.
46 June 2023
o Consider providing a secondary vehicular access to the shoreline for emergencies.
• HFD Coordination
o Conduct regular site visits with HFD personnel to familiarize them with the property and
cultural landscape.
o Consider providing locks or keys for the gates specifically for HFD to use during
emergencies unless there is regular on-site staff presence.
• Water Supply
o Consider installing a new water tank with close proximity to existing internal roadway to
assist ground units by providing an on-site water source and to minimize travel time
between the fire and the staging area.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 47
Existing Structures, Roads, Trails, & Utilities
The general approach is to renovate and reuse existing structures to facilitate and support stewardship
activities, as needed. Roads, trails, and utilities will be maintained to ensure safe access for site users
and to support fire suppression actions. Repairments or improvements will be implemented as long as it
does not compromise the sense of place or negatively impact cultural sites. Any improvements to
existing structures, roads, trails and utilities must also be done in accordance with the Grant of
Conservation Easement.
Goal
Structures, roads, trails, and utilities are maintained to facilitate and support stewardship activities, to
provide safe access for site users, and to support fire suppression without compromising the sense of
place.
Concerns
The concerns related to the renovation and reuse of the existing structures and the maintenance of
roads, trails and utilities include:
• Structural condition of existing structures
• Environmental risks from historical uses of the structures
• Theft of equipment and supplies without on-site security
• Safe access for fire fighting vehicles, site users, and ranch operations
Action Items
• Renovate and reuse existing structures
o Assess the structural condition of the existing structures and feasibility of reusing and/or
renovating them to support stewardship activities.
o Conduct an additional analysis of any proposed land uses in the vicinity of the existing
three structures to ensure that no significant environmental risks are anticipated due to
the historical uses of the structures and surrounding area.
o Consider an on-site caretaker to minimize the threat of theft and vandalism as
structures are renovated and reused.
o Create a native plant greenhouse to propagate seeds for future outplanting at
Waikapuna and other coastal properties, provided there is on-site security to prevent
theft and vandalism.
o Apply the guidelines and standards for the renovation and reuse of existing structures as
outlined below.
• Maintain existing roads, trails, and utilities
o Maintain all existing major roads and trails in a safe condition for pedestrian and
vehicular access, emergency access, and to serve as potential fuel breaks; improve any
major roads and trails if needed to facilitate use by fire fighting vehicles and to minimize
impact to surrounding areas, but keep all roads and trails unpaved if possible.
48 June 2023
o Keep vegetation low along roads and trails to prevent fires from jumping over the
fuelbreaks.
o Consider providing a secondary vehicular access to/from the shoreline for emergencies.
Note that the existing alternate access goes off-property before connecting back onto
the Waikapuna parcel, therefore a secondary road that stays on-property should be
considered.
o Implement erosion control measures on sections of the existing road using materials on-
site, if possible.
o Maintain naupaka or other vegetation near Waikapuna Bay to minimize encroachment
onto the beach that may impede access.
Guidelines & Standards for the Renovation and Reuse of Existing Structures
The following guidelines and standards are provided for the renovation and reuse of the three existing
structures and establishment of any future cultural or agricultural structures:
• Structures must preserve the sense of place, particularly any viewsheds and must not have a
significant negative impact to the cultural and natural resources.
• Renovation or establishment of any new structures should utilize natural materials, where
possible, and be designed in a manner that retains Kaʻū’s rural character.
• Ensure that structures will not create any artificial light pollution that may disorient native
seabirds.
• In accordance with the Conservation Easement, the cumulative footprint of any new structures
to replace the existing structures must not exceed the cumulative footprint of the existing three
structures which is as follows:
o Structure 1 (former piggery) – 30 meters x 8 meters
o Structure 2 (former bunkhouse) – 12.3 meters x 3.5 meters
o Structure 3 (former ranch office, workshop, and storage area) – 52 meters x 23 meters
• Limit any relocation of existing structures and new replacement structures to the northeast
corner of the parcel.
• Possible use of structures to include:
o Greenhouse to propagate native plant species for outplanting on the property and
surrounding properties;
o Storage for equipment and tools for stewardship projects;
o Gathering space for individuals and groups participating in stewardship and/or
cultural/educational activities.
o Office space to coordinate access for community members, cultural practitioners, and
mālama ʻāina participants.
o Caretaker residence/office
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 49
Creating Spaces for Knowledge Cultivation and Community Stewardship
As discussed earlier, knowledge cultivation and community stewardship are simultaneously activated by
welcoming individuals, families, and entities back to the land and by creating spaces where knowledge
can be shared and cultural practices perpetuated from one generation to the next. In doing so, the
community’s relationship with the ʻāina is strengthened, supporting a robust and culturally appropriate
stewardship framework.
Kūpuna Days are intended to bring together kūpuna of the place to talk story with each other and to
share their knowledge and stories with others so that the history and practices of the place may
continue to be passed down from generation to generation. ʻOhana Days focus on providing a space for
families to explore wahi pana and wahi kūpuna of Kaʻū, to engage in stewardship, and to perpetuate
cultural traditions and practices. They would also provide local residents with the opportunity to access
the place during the week, especially when the weather and conditions may be more favorable for
certain cultural or gathering practices.
Both Kūpuna Days and ʻOhana Days are envisioned to provide kūpuna and families with the opportunity
to access the place on weekdays, with the goal of achieving a community (re)connected to functional
wahi kūpuna. The following guidelines for Kūpuna Days and ʻOhana Days are suggested:
• One Kūpuna Day or ʻOhana Day may occur each week during weekdays to avoid conflict with
another group that may be there during the weekend as part of the Community Managed
Access (see below).
• One family would access the place at a time. An individual from the family must have visited
Waikapuna previously to ensure some familiarity with the property for safety purposes.
• Requests for keys to the access gates must be made no more than 72 hours in advance.
• This is meant to be “day access” and does not include overnight stays.
In addition to the Kūpuna Days and ʻOhana Days, organized mālama ʻāina workdays are intended to
engage larger groups of participants, including Kaʻū residents, to assist in stewardship. These organized
mālama ʻāina workdays are envisioned to occur at least once a month, initially hosted by ATA. Other
community groups or organizations are also encouraged to partner with ATA to host mālama ʻāina
workdays at Waikapuna to carry out one or more of the action items presented in this management
plan.
Lastly, the Community Managed Access is intended to allow the community to be able to safely access
the property for cultural, spiritual, subsistence, educational, and stewardship purposes in a manner that
does not compromise its sense of place or the health of the resources. The suggested protocol for
Community Managed Access is outlined below.
• Continue to maintain a policy of providing overnight access to one group at a time, which has
typically been allowed only on weekends (e.g., Friday to Sunday). The restriction on maintaining
only one group overnight access at a time on weekends is intended to preserve the sense of
place, remoteness, and privacy, which are important qualities for Waikapuna.
• One designated weekend per month will be reserved to allow for organized mālama ʻāina
workdays. No group overnight access would be allowed during this weekend.
50 June 2023
• Reservations are required. An individual can only hold one reservation at any given time. Once
an existing reservation is completed, then another reservation may be made. Allowing an
individual to make only one reservation at a time provides opportunities for more people to
participate in overnight access.
• A reservation system is to be made available on a quarterly system or other appropriate
timeframe to allow for users to plan ahead while preventing reservations from being booked too
far into the future. A system where reservations are opened up on a quarterly basis avoids
reservations being made far in advance because of high demand.
• Participation in community stewardship activities for Waikapuna will be encouraged and will
allow for priority access to the reservation system after each mālama ʻāina participation
(example sequence: mālama ʻāina →priority access to the reservation system→ mālama ʻāina
→priority access to the reservation system). In other words, an individual must participate in a
mālama ʻāina activity every time they wish to secure priority access to the reservation system or
request access.
• In order to request access, an individual must have visited Waikapuna previously, either as a
mālama ʻāina participant; a participant in a site visit or educational program; or for kūpuna days,
ʻohana days or previous overnight access, to ensure some familiarity with the property to
ensure safety.
Table 2 below provides an example of a framework for accessing the reservation system on a quarterly
basis (e.g., January to March, April to June, July to September, and October to December). Users would
be able to start requesting reservations in the month prior to the quarter. For example, reservations for
the first quarter from January to March will be available starting in December; reservations for the
second quarter (April to June) will be made available starting in March; reservations for the third quarter
(July to September) will be made available starting in June; and reservations for the fourth quarter
(October to December) will be made available starting in September. During the month that
reservations open up, the booking window will be made available on the first Monday of that month to
individuals that have participated in a mālama ʻāina event through the kūpuna days, ʻohana days, or
organized community workdays.
Out of consideration for individuals that may have other commitments or conditions that restrict them
from participating in a mālama ʻāina activity , opportunities will be provided for them to access the
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 51
reservation system starting on the
second Monday of the month for Kaʻū
residents and on the third Monday of the
month for non-Kaʻū residents.
Figure 9 illustrates the order of priority
for access to the reservation system:
mālama ʻāina participants, Kaʻū residents,
and non- Kaʻū residents.
Table 2. Example of Quarterly Reservations for Community Managed Access
Reservation for
overnight access during: Booking window for:
Access to reservation system
starting:
First Quarter:
January to March
Mālama ʻāina participant First Monday of December
Kaʻū residents Second Monday of December
Non-Kaʻū residents Third Monday of December
Second Quarter:
April to June
Mālama ʻāina participant First Monday of March
Kaʻū residents Second Monday of March
Non-Kaʻū residents Third Monday of March
Third Quarter:
July to September
Mālama ʻāina participant First Monday of June
Kaʻū residents Second Monday of June
Non-Kaʻū residents Third Monday of June
Fourth Quarter:
October to December
Mālama ʻāina participant First Monday of September
Kaʻū residents Second Monday of September
Non-Kaʻū residents Third Monday of September
Adaptive management must be employed, and changes will be made to the Kūpuna Days, ʻOhana Days,
Organized Mālama ʻĀina Workdays, and Community Managed Access to improve the process, account
for demand and staffing fluctuations, if significant impacts are observed to the cultural and natural
resources after a certain period of time, and/or if other issues or considerations arise. Access protocols
should also take into consideration seasonal variations, weather and ocean conditions, and moon
phases in relation to appropriate times to gather resources. Mālama ʻāina opportunities that support
the management priorities outlined in the management plan (over and beyond those organized by ATA)
should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Mālama ʻĀina Participants
1st Monday of the Month
Kaʻū residents
2nd Monday of the Month
Non-Kaʻū residents
3rd Monday of the Month
Figure 9. Order of Priority for access to the Reservation System
for Community Managed Access
52 June 2023
Implementation
Figure 10 illustrates a possible framework for implementing this management plan. While ATA is the fee-
simple owner, land uses and activities at Waikapuna must also be aligned with the values outlined in the
grant agreements with the State Legacy Land Conservation Program and the County’s Conservation
Easement. This plan focuses on encouraging community stewardship as a management model to build
community capacity and re-connect people to place. A Stewardship Committee, along with an
Administrative Coordinator and Resource Specialists, are proposed to assist with plan implementation;
their roles and responsibilities are further described below.
Figure 10. Possible Framework for Plan Implementation
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 53
Stewardship Committee
To support ATA’s management of these lands, a Stewardship Committee will serve in the following
capacities: 1) oversee implementation of this management plan and 2) organize and lead stewardship
activities, as well as advise ATA on stewardship programs and projects that affect resources for
Waikapuna. To address the diversity and complexity of resources present at Waikapuna, the
Stewardship Committee, with members serving in a voluntary capacity, should be comprised of Cultural
Advisors, Community Advisors, Technical Specialists, and an ATA representative/Board Member, with
individuals as shown in Figure 11. This Committee is a WORKING committee with individuals who will
organize and lead stewardship activities that support the management plan priorities. Over time, as
ATA increases capacity, staff such as the Administrative Coordinator may take on some of those
responsibilities. However, the Stewardship Committee will still oversee and lead some of the activities to
continue with ATA’s efforts for community-led management.
Figure 11. Stewardship Committee Members
Administrative Coordinator
A coordinator, who will work in close consultation with the Stewardship Committee, will oversee the
day-to-day administration of the kūpuna days, ʻohana days, and organized mālama ʻāina workdays, as
well as handle the coordination of check-in/check-out and engaging with community managed access.
The coordinator will work with the resource specialists to manage the different groups that may be on-
site to engage in stewardship activities. The coordinator will also be responsible for reporting to the
Stewardship Committee on information relating to participation in the various stewardship and
community managed access programs. While it may not be feasible to implement the coordinator
position immediately due to funding constraints, a phased approach may be applied, whereby the
Stewardship Committee fulfills the duties of the administrative coordinator position in the near term,
and then transitions those duties to the coordinator position at a future time.
54 June 2023
Resource Specialists
The resource specialists will provide hands-on oversight of the land and resources and direct groups
and/or individuals during community mālama ʻāina workdays and/or other stewardship initiatives at
Waikapuna. They will also implement some of the actions recommended through this management plan
that may not be as suitable to be carried out by the general public, such as monitoring sensitive sites.
Actions that may require more technical expertise or specific training, such as application of chemical
spray for invasive plant species removal, would also be conducted by the resource specialists. The
resource specialists will oversee any interns and/or service learners and work with the Administrative
Coordinator to report to the Stewardship Committee on information related to the stewardship
activities on-site. Similar to the Administrative Coordinator position, the Stewardship Committee will
have to fulfill the duties of the resource specialists in the interim until funding is secured for these
positions.
Although not an exhaustive list, below is an example of mālama ʻāina projects to be completed during
kūpuna days, ʻohana days, and organized mālama ʻāina workdays.
Table 3. Example of Mālama ʻĀina Projects
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 55
Summary of ATA Administrative Tasks
Below is a summary of administrative tasks to be implemented by ATA to support this management
plan.
• Establish the Stewardship Committee
o Develop protocols for holding meetings, meeting schedules, the level of commitment
needed from members, and a procedure for establishing the Stewardship Committee.
o Ensure that the Stewardship Committee understands their duties and responsibilities.
o Hold regular meetings as necessary to coordinate with the Stewardship Committee.
• Update existing lease agreements and areas to reflect the values and action items as presented
in this management plan.
• Develop clear policies to establish the kūpuna days, ʻohana days, overnight weekend access,
and organized mālama ʻāina workday programs.
• Identify and implement a simple online platform to host and streamline the reservation process
for community managed access, including providing safety information and administering the
liability waiver forms and other pertinent documents to increase operational efficiency.
• Inform the public about the protocols for requesting access. Make information available on
ATA’s website and/or hold public meeting(s) at least three months prior to launching the new
access protocols to provide information, answer questions, and offer a tentative timeframe for
implementing various management actions.
• Seek funding for and hire local staff to coordinate kūpuna days, ʻohana days, and organized
mālama ʻāina workdays and to administer access requests for overnight and day use. In the
interim, have the Stewardship Committee fulfill this role.
• Implement the mālama ʻāina and managed access programs.
• Conduct baseline documentation, including since ATA’s acquisition if available, and assess the
number of Kaʻū residents requesting access/obtaining access in order to ensure that
unintended consequences can be avoided or addressed.
Regulatory Review, Permits, & Approvals
Most of the actions in this management plan may be implemented with few permitting requirements
and/or approvals, as actions are intended to preserve, conserve, and protect resources. This section
outlines some of the state and county agency review, permits or approvals that may be required for
various action items presented in this management plan.
State of Hawaiʻi
• State Environmental Review Law
o The State Environmental Review Law (Chapter 343, HRS) requires an environmental
review of any action that proposes the use of State or County funds; or any proposed
use within land classified as a conservation district. Environmental review will need to
be completed prior to submittal of a State Conservation District Use Application, if
needed.
56 June 2023
• Department of Land and Natural Resources
o Legacy Land Conservation Program
▪ Review required grant recipient report and inspect property to ensure
compliance with HRS Chapter 173A, Acquisition of Resource Value Lands, and
the terms of the grant agreement between ATA and the State.
o Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands
▪ Administrative or Board of Land and Natural Resources approval for
Conservation District Use Applications required for certain actions within the
State Conservation District. Actions such as installing signage; removing existing
plants; planting native and endemic plants; clearing land for fire pre-suppression
and prevention; installing a new fence; or implementing erosion control projects
may require approval.
o State Historic Preservation Division
▪ Reviews projects for compliance with HRS Chapter 6E Historic Preservation;
approves Archaeological Inventory Surveys or other plans such as Preservation
Plans or Restoration Plans; any relocation or preservation in place of previously
identified Hawaiian burials over 50 years old must obtain approval of the
Hawaiʻi Island Burial Council.
County of Hawaiʻi
• Department of Public Works
o A building permit will be required for all building, electrical, and plumbing work on or to
a building or structure, including repairs and renovations and demolitions. Installation of
water tanks or catchments intended for potable use or fire protection will also require a
permit from the County.
• Finance Department
o The County’s Finance Department is responsible for conducting an annual monitoring of
the property for compliance with the Conservation Easement agreement. Per the
Conservation Easement agreement, the County’s approval is required for activities and
uses on property such as the demolition or construction of any structure; use of any
structure as a dwelling such as by an onsite caretaker; and creation of any new unpaved
road or trails and/or paving of any existing or new road or trail.
In addition to the review, approvals, and permits required, coordination with the following federal,
state, and county agencies may help to support management plan actions. Coordination with
community or environmental conservation organizations on stewardship activities and neighboring
landowners on fire management strategies will also strengthen plan implementation.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 57
Federal
• U.S. Department of Agriculture – Coordinate with the Natural Resources Conservation Service
to engage in conservation practices and to implement systems that conserve water and soil
resources.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Responsible for making the decision on whether or not a
proposed project may affect federally listed threatened and endangered species or designated
critical habitat under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and overseeing the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act. Coordinate and consult regarding stewardship activities, as there is a possibility
that activities may attract federally listed threatened and endangered species.
• U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Coordinate efforts to support the
responsible stewardship of marine resources.
• U.S. National Park Service Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail – Coordinate efforts for trails
management and engagement with the community.
State of Hawaiʻi
• Department of Land and Natural Resources
o Division of Aquatic Resources – Coordinate with educational outreach specialist(s) on
various aquatic resource topics; scientific monitoring of marine resources; engage with
the State’s Holomua Marine 30x30 initiative to further the concept of place-based
management and region-specific seasons and gathering based on moon phases.
o Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement – Coordinate efforts to support
the responsible stewardship of marine resources.
Division of Forestry and Wildlife – Coordinate land management actions and
consultation on natural resources and trails management with the Nā Ala Hele, Wildlife
Management, and Forest Management Programs.
County of Hawaiʻi
• Finance Department – Oversees the Preservation Maintenance Fund which could provide
funding to support stewardship projects for Waikapuna.
• Fire Department – The Hawaiʻi County Fire Department is responsible for the initial response to
fire, medical, and associated emergencies at Waikapuna. Coordinate fire preparedness and
response, including consulting with them to develop a detailed fire management plan for
Waikapuna.
• Police Department – Coordinate response during emergency situations and any illegal activities
reported.
58 June 2023
Preliminary Phasing Plan
The following is a preliminary phasing plan for the major tasks associated with implementing the action
items outlined in this management plan. The table is not meant to be comprehensive but is intended to
identify the major milestones to help guide the stewardship of Waikapuna and to evaluate progress in
implementing this management plan. ATA will need to seek funding through various grant opportunities
to assist with plan implementation. Actions specific to leased areas will be coordinated between ATA
and lessees through further discussion.
While the desired outcome is to empower community to take on a more prominent role in caring for
resources and to shape the future of the place, community workdays will initially be hosted by ATA.
Over time, other organizations and groups may partner with ATA to host community workdays at
Waikapuna to implement stewardship actions as outlined in this management plan. Eventually, there
may be opportunities for ATA to enter into an agreement with organizations/groups through a
Figure 12. Preliminary Phasing Plan
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 59
Community Stewardship Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to “Adopt-a-Site.”
Community resources should be leveraged to support implementation of this management plan. For
example, other non-profit organizations could also seek funding to support stewardship activities
through the County’s Preservation Maintenance Fund and/or other funding sources.
In addition to the community mālama ʻāina workdays, it is hoped that, by creating spaces for individuals,
families, and entities to engage with the place for cultural, spiritual, subsistence, educational and
stewardship purposes, the community will be (re)connected to functional wahi kūpuna. Cultivating
knowledge along with building and supporting community capacity are critical elements of this
management plan. Collaboration with other non-profit organizations and partnerships with other
adjacent large landowners such as the State DLNR, Kamehameha Schools, and DHHL for greater
landscape level protection and stewardship are also important for success at Waikapuna. While
Waikapuna has its own unique uses and management needs, management activities for adjacent
properties will also impact Waikapuna. Additionally, some management activities such as fire mitigation
require regional scale planning.
It is crucial to understand that implementation of this management plan, including specific
administrative tasks, may take some time to carry out due to limited personnel capacities and funding.
In order to successfully execute this management plan, a level of trust and relationship must be
developed and maintained between ATA and the community through on-going dialogue and willingness
to work together to ensure that Waikapuna remains a place known for its sense of place, abundant
marine resources and native coastal plants, intact cultural sites, and a place where families can continue
to spend time together to perpetuate Hawaiian values and practices and local traditions important to
the Kaʻū way of life. This management plan will also need to be periodically updated to assess the
progress of plan implementation, any issues resulting from management projects and programs, new
information gathered through research and monitoring, and new conditions to be addressed. Adaptive
management must be employed and land uses re-examined particularly with external factors such as
climate change looming.
60 June 2023
References
Ala Kahakai Trail Association. 2019. Conservation Easement Baseline Documentation Report.
ASM Affiliates. 2018. An Archaeological Inventory Survey of the 2,296-acre Waikapuna Property.
Prepared by Joshua Gastilo and Matthew Clark. Prepared for Kaʻū Mahi, LLC.
Brown and Caldwell. 2018. Nāʻālehu Wastewater Treatment Plant Preliminary Engineering Report.
Prepared for County of Hawaiʻi Department of Environmental Management.
Brown and Caldwell. 2018. Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Nāʻālehu Wastewater Treatment
Plant. Prepared for County of Hawaiʻi Wastewater Division.
Clark, J. 1985. Beaches of the Big Island. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press.
County of Hawaiʻi. 2010. Hawaiʻi County Water Use and Development Plan Update. Prepared by
Fukunaga & Associates, Inc.
“Delays in Release of Spaceport Plans Fuel Skepticism of Kaʻū Residents.” Environment Hawaiʻi. Volume
4, Number 1. Published July 1993.
Ford & Associates, Inc. 2019. Environmental Hazard Mitigation Plan. Prepared for The Trust for Public
Land.
Ford & Associates, Inc. 2019. Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment. Prepared for The Trust for Public
Land.
Geometrician Associates, LLC. 2015. Biological Overview Report. Prepared by Ron Terry and Patrick Hart.
Prepared for Resource Land Holdings, LLC.
Geometrician Associates, LLC. 2017. Biological Reconnaissance Report TMKs 9-5-007: 005, 008, and 016.
Prepared by Ron Terry and Patrick Hart. Prepared for Kaʻū Mahi, LLC.
Giambelluca, T.W., Q. Chen, A.G. Frazier, J.P. Price, Y.-L. Chen, P.-S. Chu, J.K. Eischeid, and
D.M. Delparte. 2013. Online Rainfall Atlas of Hawai‘i.
Handy, E.S. Craighill, E. Handy and M. Pukui. 1991. Native Planters in old Hawaiʻi (Rev. ed).
Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press.
Handy, E.S. Craighill and M. Pukui. 1998. The Polynesian Family System in Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi.
Honolulu: Mutual Publishing.
Hawaiʻi Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Seabirds Noio or Black Noddy Fact Sheet. 2005
October 1.
Hawaiʻi County Department of Planning. 2017. Kaʻū Community Development Plan.
“Hawaiʻi Island Firefighters Contain 1,600-Acre Kaʻū Blaze.” Big Island News. 2017 September 24.
https://bigislandnow.com/2017/09/24/hawaii-island-firefighters-contain-1600-acre-kau-blaze/
Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. 2010. Kaʻū Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan 61
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. “Volcano Water – Disaster strikes Kaʻū in 1868: The rest of the story.” 5
April 2018. https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-seismic-event-devastated-
kau-150-years-ago
Kaliʻuokapaʻakai Collective. 2021. The Kaliʻuokapaʻakai Collective Report, Re-envisioning Wahi Kūpuna
Stewardship in Hawaiʻi. Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.
KFC Airport, Inc. 1990. Nāʻālehu Airport Feasibility Study. Prepared for C. Brewer Properties, Inc.
Magin, J. “Lehman loan jams up Big Island project.” Pacific Business News. 23 March 2009.
National Park Service. 2006. Kaʻū Coast, Island of Hawaiʻi Reconnaissance Survey.
National Park Service. 2009. Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Comprehensive Management Plan.
Pukui, Mary K., S. Elbert, and E. Mookini. 1974. Place Names of Hawaiʻi. Honolulu: University
of Hawaiʻi Press.
State of Hawaiʻi Bureau of Conveyances Recorded. Warranty Deed, Kaʻū Mahi, LLC & Ala Kahakai Trail
Association, December 16, 2019, Doc No(s) A-72890591.
State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources. 2006. Report to the Twenty-Fourth
Legislature 2007 Regular Session from The South Kona - Kaʻū Coastal Conservation Task Force.
The Trust for Public Land & Ala Kahakai Trail Association. 2016. Waikapuna Application to the State
Legacy Land Conservation Program.
U.S. Census Bureau. 2020. American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Retrieved from Census
Reporter Profile page for Kaʻū CCD, Hawaii County, HI
<http://censusreporter.org/profiles/06000US1500191170-kau-ccd-hawaii-county-hi/>
U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. 1994. Kaʻū River Basin Study. Prepared for
County of Hawaiʻi Kaʻū Soil and Water Conservation District.
U.S. Soil Conservation Service. 1973. Soil Survey of Island of Hawai‘i, State of Hawai‘i.
Washington: US.A. Soil Conservation Service.
U.S. Global Change Research Program. (2018). Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States:
Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II [Reidmiller, D.R., C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel,
K.L.M. Lewis, T.K. Maycock, and B.C. Stewart (eds.)]. U.S. Global Change Research Program,
Washington, DC, USA.
62 June 2023
Community members shared the practice of harvesting salt at Waikapuna.
Waikapuna
Resources Management Plan
Appendix A
Grant of Conservation Easement between the County and Ala Kahakai Trail
Association
Waikapuna
Resources Management Plan
Appendix B
Warranty Deed
Waikapuna
Resources Management Plan
Appendix C
Summary of comments received on Draft Plan
900 Fort Street Mall Suite 1160 · Honolulu, HI 96813 · PH: (808) 536-6999 · FAX: (808) 524-4998 · www.townscapeinc.com
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan (RMP)
Date: May 16, 2023
To: Project Files
From: Townscape, Inc.
Re: Summary of comments received on the Draft Waikapuna RMP
Below is a summary of the general key themes of the comments received on the Draft
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan. Responses and/or further clarification on the key
themes/comments are provided in italics.
GENERAL
• What is the purpose of the management plan and what level of detail is provided
on managment actions?
o The purpose of the management plan is to guide stewardship actions and
strategies that will protect, preserve, and conserve Waikapuna resources – as
outlined in the State grant agreement and County Conservation Easement. The
contents of the management plan follow the components outlined in the
Conservation Easement agreement (which is included in the Appendix).
o The management plan is intended to provide guidance on how the resource
values identified in the grant agreement and Conservation Easement will be
protected. This approach was meant to allow the Stewardship Committee to
develop practical, implementable steps while supporting the vision and remaining
consistent with the guidance articulated in the management plan. Therefore,
more detailed, implementation actions will need to be further identified by the
Stewardship Committee as next steps once the management plan is finalized.
o The management plan is also written to provide the Stewardship Committee the
flexibility to adapt its management practices as lessons are learned, conditions
change, and progress is made.
• The Values and Resources identified in the State Legacy Land Conservation
Program section may not be found specifically at Waikapuna.
o This section is based on information submitted in the ATA’s grant application to
the State Legacy Land Conservation Program which, in turn, was based on
information available at that time. Subsequent observations and studies may find
different or changing conditions that can be used to update the management
plan. The general approach to management of the resources will still apply and
the Stewardship Committee will have the ability to adjust specific actions to
accommodate any new or changing information.
Summary of comments received on the Draft Waikapuna RMP
May 16, 2023
Page 2 of 4
• Why are wahi pana of other areas discussed in the plan?
o This management plan discusses the wahi pana of the area, including adjacent
areas, to provide an overview of the landscape and to better understand
Waikapuna's relationship with the broader region, as plants, animals,
ecosystems, and cultural practices extend beyond property boundaries. Place
Names of Hawaii was used as the primary source for the Wahi Pana section.
• How many people were engaged as part of the planning process?
o Page 4 provides a summary of the planning process, along with the number of
participants involved.
• How are the conditions in the Conservation Easement enforced?
o ATA is required to submit an annual report to the County describing its
compliance with the Conservation Easement. Enforcement of the Easement’s
conditions is outlined on page 15 of the Conservation Easement agreement (see
Appendix).
• Will adequate Mālama ʻĀina opportunities be available to accommodate varying
schedules, abilities, and skill sets?
o ATA must protect, preserve, and conserve the resources outlined in the grant
agreement and Conservation Easement. The volunteer activities will therefore be
focused on meeting this requirement.
o ATA may initially offer only a few volunteer activities as it grows its capacity, but it
eventually hopes to be able to increase the number and types of opportunities
that it leads.
o Community members and organizations may propose additional volunteer
activities that support the management priorities outlined in the management
plan (over and above those that ATA organizes). These proposals will be
considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that all of the management
priorities are being addressed and to accommodate ATA’s and/or the
Stewardship Committee’s ability to provide support.
o ATA will begin posting scheduled volunteer activities on its website after the
management plan is finalized.
Summary of comments received on the Draft Waikapuna RMP
May 16, 2023
Page 3 of 4
ACCESS
• There should be unrestricted vehicular access to Waikapuna.
o The management plan actions must be aligned with the values stated in the
County’s Conservation Easement agreement and State grant agreement.
Unrestricted vehicular access for Waikapuna would result in detrimental impacts
on resources similar to those that have been observed at other places on the
island with unrestricted vehicular access, such as erosion, illegal harvesting of
resources, wildfires, damage to cultural sites and natural habitats, and
introduction of invasive species. Pedestrian access is available at any time from
the south side of Waikapuna.
• Use of cattle guards may impact access to Waikapuna.
o The management plan recommends fencing and gates for pasture areas to
prevent cattle from traversing to areas where sensitive cultural sites are located.
Access to Waikapuna will still be made available. Please see page 49 that
described the community managed access.
• Will kūpuna still have access to fishing grounds?
o The plan identifies kūpuna days and ʻohana days, in addition to weekend
overnight access. The kūpuna days are intended to provide kūpuna with
opportunities to access Waikapuna over and above overnight opportunities.
• How does the community request vehicular access for Waikapuna?
o The management plan proposes weekend overnight access, which is similar to
the existing overnight access that has been in place. Reservations are required,
where individuals can only make one reservation at any given time. Reservations
are made available on a quarterly basis to avoid reservations being filled far out
in advance. Participation in mālama ʻāina activities will be encouraged. Access to
the reservation system for weekend overnight access will be prioritized for
individuals who participated in mālama ʻāina activities. Therefore, no one is
denied access to the weekend overnight opportunities, but those who engage in
mālama ʻāina activities will be able to make their reservations first.
o One weekend a month will be dedicated to mālama ʻāina work, where no
weekend overnight access will be available.
o Access during the week is also permitted through the kūpuna days and ʻohana
days. This would allow residents to be able to seek one-day access without
having to reserve far out in advance. One-day access would be based on
availability since only one group would be allowed at a time. There is no
restriction on who can request one-day access, but because time spent would be
only a few hours, it is anticipated that most, if not all, of those requesting this type
of access would be Kaʻū residents.
o The proposed access protocols are intended as a starting point and will be
reassessed to see if they are working the way they were intended. The
management plan will also suggest that ATA conduct a baseline documentation
Summary of comments received on the Draft Waikapuna RMP
May 16, 2023
Page 4 of 4
and record the number of Kaʻū residents requesting access/obtaining access in
order to ensure that unintended consequences can be avoided or addressed.
• Can overnight access be provided to more than one group at a time?
o One of the important values expressed by many individuals consulted during the
planning process is the ability to connect to the place as a family and being able
to maintain the sense of place that is unique to Waikapuna; therefore, providing
several groups access at the same time will not be allowed, as it would
compromise those values.
• Will our access to fishing grounds along this coastline be impacted given that
ATA is now stewarding several coastal properties in Kaʻū?
o Access to Waikapuna along with other properties stewarded by ATA will still be
maintained. However, vehicular access to some areas that traverses sensitive
sites may be impacted in order to protect the resources.
IMPLEMENTATION
• What is the role of the Stewardship Committee?
o The Stewardship Committee is a “working” committee that will organize and lead
activities that support the management plan priorities. Over time, as ATA
increases capacity, staff such as the Administrative Coordinator, may take on
some of those responsibilities, but the committee will still oversee and lead some
of the activities to continue with ATA’s efforts for community-led management.
o Resource Specialists and the Administrative Coordinator will support the
Stewardship Committee, but report to ATA. Figure 10 will be revised.
• Who will cover the costs to implement the management plan?
o ATA will need to seek funding through various grants to assist with plan
implementation. Actions specific to the areas leased for ranching will be
coordinated between ATA and lessees.
Waikapuna
Resources Management Plan
Appendix D
Comment Letter from the State Legacy Land Conservation Program
on the Draft Plan
May 10, 2023 Townscape, Inc.
900 Fort Street Mall, Suite 1160 Honolulu, HI 96813 VIA EMAIL TO: gabrielle@townscapeinc.com SUBJECT: Waikapuna Resources Management Plan, Public Review Draft, February
2023 The Legacy Land Conservation Program partners with State agencies, counties, and
nonprofit land conservation organizations to ensure, through acquisition, the protection of
valuable resources found on private land. At Waikapuna—in partnership with a willing seller
(Ka'u Mahi, LLC), the County of Hawai‘i, The Trust for Public Land, and private donors—a
competitive grant award from the Legacy Land Conservation Program ("LLCP") provided Ala
Kahakai Trail Association with 27% of its total costs for acquiring over 2,300 acres that harbor
valuable natural, cultural, and agricultural resources. After subsequent acquisitions at
Kaunāmano and Kiolaka‘a—also supported with County of Hawai‘i ("County") and LLCP
funds—Ala Kahakai Trail Association ("ATA") is now responsible for resource protection on
over 5,500 acres, embraced within a regional conservation landscape of federal, state, county,
and private properties that stretches along the Ka‘ū coast from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
to the State's Manuka Natural Area Reserve.
Although County and State management requirements are not integrated across the different
properties now conserved by ATA, the Waikapuna Resources Management Plan ("Plan"), as it
evolves in tune with an organizing concept of "encouraging community stewardship . . . to
elevate reciprocity between people and place" (Public Review Draft, February 2023, page 31),
can make important contributions for advancing a site-specific approach to resource protection
that also recognizes regional interconnections. The people of Ka‘ū, the planning team, and all
participants in the planning process deserve our gratitude for moving the Plan forward to this
point.
LLCP does not require that ATA prepare a Waikapuna management plan. However, the
status and adequacy of management planning and the presence and role of a management activity
in existing plans can provide competitive advantages for receiving funding from LLCP
management grants aimed at (1) protecting, maintaining, or restoring resources at risk, or (2)
providing for greater public access and enjoyment (see Sections 130-140-12, -13, and -41,
Hawai‘i Administrative Rules). Therefore, LLCP comments on Management Plan Development
and Implementation, below, focus on resource summaries, strategies, and action items that are
directly related to these management aims.
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan, Public Review Draft, February 2023
Legacy Land Conservation Program Comments, May 10, 2023
2
The deed that conveyed Waikapuna ownership to ATA, as well as ATA's grant of
conservation easement to the County, include a standard LLCP restriction that "the property shall
be managed consistently with the purposes for which it was awarded a LLCP grant and Chapter
173A, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes." LLCP is responsible for monitoring Waikapuna management
accordingly (see Legacy Land Conservation Program Monitoring Framework, below). However,
LLCP will not seek to compel ATA to implement a specific action described within the Plan,
unless (1) monitoring results lead to a finding that ATA management is inconsistent with the
purposes of the LLCP grant award, and (2) further analysis indicates that a specific management
action would remove the inconsistency. The State Board of Land and Natural Resources, not
LLCP, is authorized to impose sanctions for a breach of this deed restriction and to determine if a
breach is cured (see Section 130-140-56).
Management Plan Development and Implementation
Identifying the purposes for which a LLCP grant was awarded, and the resources to be
protected post-acquisition, relies primarily upon the content of the LLCP grant application
submitted and its approval by the Board of Land and Natural Resources ("BLNR"). A key
component of the application and its approval is alignment with the nine "public purpose[s] for
which public funds may be expended or advanced" as established in Section 173A-5(g), Hawai‘i
Revised Statutes. For Waikapuna, Section D of the grant application provides specific examples
of resource types to be protected for eight of the nine LLCP statutory purposes, which are
captured in the Plan on pages 2 and 3. In addition, Section K.1 of the Waikapuna grant
application notes that "Ala Kahakai Trail Association is dedicated to protecting and revitalizing
use of the trail. Public access on the Ala Kahakai is a priority."
Beginning on page 36, the Plan identifies approximately 16 specific threats to resources
(across three of five topic areas) and 84 specific management actions (across all five topic areas)
that largely overlap with the content of the LLCP grant application. A map/chart of Stewardship
Concepts provided on Plan page 35 adds some visual spatial context, however it appears that
additional focus on prioritizing threats and associated management actions would benefit future
strategies/phasing for overall plan implementation.
Legacy Land Conservation Program Monitoring Framework Administrative rules governing the Legacy Land Conservation Program ("LLCP") describe
State authority for monitoring a property conserved with LLCP funding (see Sections 130-140-
32 and 33, Hawai‘i Administrative Rules). The general framework for LLCP monitoring includes: (1) self-reports filed by a landowner or easement holder in response to LLCP requests (note that
at Waikapuna, the Grant of Conservation Easement (pages 9-10, Section C.2.d) requires that
ATA provide the County "with an annual self-monitoring report that is substantially similar to
the State Legacy Land Conservation Program Grant Recipient Self Report Form and provide a
Waikapuna Resources Management Plan, Public Review Draft, February 2023
Legacy Land Conservation Program Comments, May 10, 2023
3
copy of said annual self-monitoring report to the State Legacy Land Conservation
Commission");
(2) a verification process, including site visits by LLCP and other DLNR staff, aimed at
inspecting the condition and status of protected resources and examining overall compliance with
governing statutes, administrative rules, grant agreements, and conveyance documents; and
(3) follow-up for resolving problems, establishing objectives for the next self-report, and
communicating about potential enforcement actions, if any.
Additional resources for the monitoring process include the LLCP grant application (Exhibit A
of the grant agreement); pre-acquisition due diligence documents as required in Exhibit B of the
grant agreement (especially LLCP Resource Value Documentation and conservation easement
baseline documentation); and other readily available information gathered for scientific and
regulatory purposes (including resource surveys and mapping, aerial/satellite imagery, and
government records).
One increasingly important component of the LLCP monitoring framework is assuring that a
landowner or easement holder did not dispose of its interests in the property without written
approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources (a requirement that arises from Section
173A-9, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes). For example, a recipient of a federal grant award for
constructing/improving infrastructure on a property conserved with LLCP funding may not
realize that its disposition of property interests in a mortgage document—as required by a federal
sponsor—conflicts with State requirements (as properly noticed via LLCP deed restrictions) that
the State's financial interest in the property hold first lien position against other creditors. At
Waikapuna—a portion of which may be targeted for County use, and where title to the property
is encumbered by various licenses for private pasture and telecommunications use—the deed of
conveyance to ATA also provides notification that "the meaning of 'disposition,' 'dispose[d] of,'
'encumber,' and 'convert' includes (1) acquisition of the Property for a public purpose by the
County of Hawaii through the exercise of County eminent domain authority and (2) amendment,
extension, reissuance, or renewal of a pre-existing license agreement that encumbers the
Property, under terms and conditions that differ, substantively, from the terms and conditions of
the existing license agreement."
LLCP is aware of community interest in participating in the monitoring process, and urges
people to share concerns about resource protection and public access with the ATA Waikapuna
Stewardship Committee as well as with pertinent County and State programs. Although LLCP
will not accommodate direct community participation in compliance-driven monitoring
activities, including site visits, we welcome suggestions for arranging related public knowledge
exchanges to help plan monitoring activities and assess monitoring results.