HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm 25-025 re Sugg. 25-06 Comm.25-025
From: Kekai, Malia
To:
Subject: FW: [External] PONC Questions RE: Sugg 25-06 Kokua Kealakekua
Date: Thursday,July 3,2025 8:06:25 AM
Attachments: HKN response to County Director of Finance 2025.07.0l.docx
Kealakekua CAP- FINAL.pdf
From: Reyna Ramolete <Reyna.Ramolete@tpl.org>
Sent: Wednesday,July 2, 2025 5:44 PM
To: Kekai, Malia <malia.kekai@hawaiicounty.gov>
Cc: Kamuela Kaapana <kamuela.kaapana@tpl.org>; Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelsen
<akoni@kealakekua.org>; Heather Howard <ad min @kealakekua.org>
Subject: RE: [External] PONC Questions RE: Sugg 25-06 Kokua Kealakekua
Aloha Malia,
Mahalo foryour patience.Attached are HKN's responses to the Commission's questions
along with a copy of the CAP.
Please lmk if you or the Commission have any other questions.
Mahalo nui,
Reyna
Reyna Ramolete Hayashi
Aloha'Aina Project Manager
Trust for Public Land
P: 808.470.2146 1 C: 808.983.9985
From: Reyna Ramolete
Sent: Tuesday,July 1, 2025 9:44 PM
To: Kekai, Malia <malia.kekaina hawaiicount)�.gov>
Cc: Kamuela Kaapana<kamuela.kaapanana tpl^org>
Subject: RE: [External] PONC Questions RE: Sugg 25-06 Kokua Kealakekua
Aloha Malia,
Just writing to letyou know we are working with HKN on final edits to the answers to
Commission questions. I plan to send to you tomorrow. E kala mai for being a day late.
Comm.25-025
Mahalo nui,
Reyna
Reyna Ramolete Hayashi
Aloha Ana Project Manager
Trust for Public Land
P: 808.470.2146 1 C: 808.983.9985
From: Reyna Ramolete
Sent: Monday,June 16, 2025 10:23 AM
To: Kekai, Malia <malia.kekaina hawaiicount�l.gov>
Cc: Kamuela Kaapana<kamuela.kaapanana tpl^org>
Subject: RE: [External] PONC Questions RE: Sugg 25-06 Kokua Kealakekua
Aloha Malia,
Just got back from vacation and sent these over to HKN for responses.We will get you answers
by July 1.
Mahalo nui,
Reyna
Reyna Ramolete Hayashi
Aloha'Aina Project Manager
Trust for Public Land
P: 808.470.2146 1 C: 808.983.9985
From: Kekai, Malia <malia.kekai anhawaiicountgov>
Sent: Thursday,June 12, 2025 5:02 PM
To: Reyna Ramolete <Reyna.Ramolete(@tpl.org>
Subject: [External] PONC Questions RE: Sugg 25-06 Kokua Kealakekua
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open
attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Aloha Reyna,
Please provide answers to the following Commission questions by or before July 1, 2025.
• What methods are being considered to encourage all visitors to go through the
"gateway" before hiking down Ka`awaloa Trail/Road?
• What methods could be used to limit the numbers of people/day who are
Comm.25-025
"permitted" to hike down Ka`awaloa Trail/Road from the top of Napo`opo`o Rd.?
• Is this being considered: to obtain permission from the County to install a gate at
the entrance to the Ka`awaloa Road where it starts at Napo`opo`o Road and to
establish a permit system for managing the numbers of people using the trail/road
throughout the day?
• What does the Community Action Plan say about this property?
• The kipuka is a great idea—do we know how much it will cost and where would it
be placed?
• I assume that the "cultural stewardship center at the entrance is the same as the
kipuka referred to previously? If not, what is the plan for the center?Will it be a
real structure or just a small, roofed area for information signs to be placed?
• what is "regenerative" tourism? (last paragraph page 1)
• Is the Kealakekua Bay Community Action Plan (CAP) available for review?
Mahalo,
Malia
Malia Kekai
Deputy Finance Director
County of Hawaii
`O ke kahua ma mua, ma hope ke kukulu
"First set the foundation, then build."
Comm.25-025
Please provide answers to the following Commission questions by or before July
1, 2025.
• What methods are being considered to encourage all visitors to go through
the "gateway" before hiking down Ka`awaloa Trail/Road?
• What methods could be used to limit the numbers of people/day who are
"permitted" to hike down Ka`awaloa Trail/Road from the top of Napo`opo`o
Rd.?
• Is this being considered: to obtain permission from the County to install a gate
at the entrance to the Ka`awaloa Road where it starts at Napo`opo`o Road and
to establish a permit system for managing the numbers of people using the
trail/road throughout the day?
The Ka`awaloa Jeep Trail is under both State and County jurisdiction. Because the
trail is unmanaged, the human use statistics are 53,000 annually. However there are 5
entry points to Kealakekua Bay: Ka`awaloa Jeep Trail, Ocean (by boat), Napb'opo`o
Warf (by kayak), Manini Beach, and Hikiau Heiau. In total, conservative counts are
estiamted at 700,000 visitors annually to Kealakekua Bay.
The Kokua Kealakekua property would establish a gateway and hub to manage
human use. Our Community Action Plan (CAP) and State Parks both have a goal of
implementing healthy human carrying capacity limits to manage trail use. In order to do
this we are exploring hollistic and multifacited strategies:
o Establish formal partnerships/ co-management agreements with the State and
the County.
o Gather data critical to determining what the healthy human carrying capapcity
limits are for the State Park, including human use and water quality studies.
o Collaborate with County law enforcement to ticket cars that are illegally parked
along the roadside and highway, as well as ticket hikers who are jaywalking
across a very busy and dangerous road.
o Partner with the State and County to install a gate at the trailhead to implement
hours of operation and trail use.
o Partner with the State and County to develop a permit / reservation system for
parking and/or trail use, with certain exemptions for Native Hawaiian cultural
practitioners and State of Hawaii residents. Currently, the resident count for the
trail is less than 1%, and the use of the trail for subsistence gathering and cultural
practice is 0% (other than HKN's staff, board, and volunteers).
o Develop interpretive and educational signage, programs, and hana lima (work
experiences) for visitors to learn, give back, and restore this cultural landscape,
and ultimately transform how visitors engage our sacred sites and places.
o Develop a by reservation only "Ka`awaloa Visitor Experience" to include cultural
guides and trained first responders.
o HKN is currently in discussions with State Parks to allow HKN to manage the trail
and collect revenues to maintain the trail access, education, outreach, and the
broader cultural landscape.
Comm.25-025
• What does the Community Action Plan say about this property?
The jurisdiction of the Community Action Plan is limited to the Kealakekua Bay State
Historical Parks Master Plan jurisdiction. The Kokua Kealakekua property is
strategically located where over 53,000 visitors enter into the State Parks' jurisdiction
via Ka`awaloa Jeep Trail. It is alo strategically located at the top of Napo`opo`o Road
which is the primary vehicular access to 3 additional entry points into the State Park:
Napo`opo`o Warf, Hikiau Heiau, and Manini Beach. This is why we coined the property
"the gateway".
The property itself will be used to implement the CAP's Vision and Code of Conduct
as well as implement five Objectives laid out in the CAP:
o Objective 1 .1 Healthy human carrying capacity limits determined and
management actions implemeted (including rest day closures) to manage
commercial and visitor use by 2027.
o Objective 1 .2 Outreach and education camapigns implemented for residents and
visitors guided by the mo`olelo of Kealakekua Bay by 2023.
o Objective 1.3 HKN's organizational capacity built to successfully co-manage
stewardship of Kealakekua in partnerships with government agencies by 2023.
o Objective 2.1 The `ike kupuna and mo`olelo of Kealakekua intergrated into
management actions, outreach, and educatuion for residents and non-residents
by 2024.
o Objective 2.2 A cultural landscape preservation and stewardship partnership
program established by 2025.
• The kipuka is a great idea. Do we know how much it will cost and where it
would be placed?
• 1 assume that the "cultural stewardship center at the entrance is the same as
the kipuka referred to previously? If not, what is the plan for the center? Will it
be a real structure or just a small, roofed area for information signs to be
placed?
A kipuka is defined as "Variation or change of form, as a calm place in a high sea,
deep place in a shoal, opening in a forest, openings in cloud formations, and especially
a clear place or oasis within a lava bed where there may be vegetation." Kipuka play a
critical role as reservoirs and refuges for native plants and animals to re-seed and re-
populate lava flows. When we reference the Kokua Kealakekua property functioning as
a kipuka, literally, metaphorically, and spiritually, it will function as a place where Native
Hawaiian stewardship, science, Iifeways, culture, and mo`olelo will not only endure
(regardless of destruction from external forces) but will regenerate outward, re-seeding
the greater South Kona region.
Yes, this "kipuka" will function as a cultural stewardship center. Cultural Stewardship
refers to the modalities we use to steward Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park,
founded on traditions and philosophy of generational families who continue to reside
Comm.25-025
and live within and near the Kealakekua Bay State Park jurisdiction. It includes Kaulana
Mahina and ecological calendar, Papaku Makawalu, Kilokilo, and uplifting traditional
laws and cultural practices to promote climate and ecological resilience and address
human use.
In the short term we plan to begin by clearing the property of invasive vegetation,
replanting natives, and installing a temporary storage unit for our stewardship
equipment. Long term implementation will require a multipurpose space for gathering,
education, stewardship, office, storage, parking, and bathroom facilities. We envision
restoring the current structures on the property for this purpose. We also hope to
establish a mala/ native plant nursery to restore native plants of this ahupu`a. We further
envision constructing a traditional halau as a learning space to reintroduce ahupua`a
concepts in stewardship and reinforce foundational cultural practices such as kalai Ia`au
(wood carving), `ulana (weaving), `aho (cordage), kuku (kapa making), ha`i mo`olelo and
ka`ao, `oli, mete, hula, ku`i lei, Ia`au Iapa`au (plant medicine), ho`oponopono, and
Iomilomi. By creating this kipuka, we will bring back and perpetuate traditional
knowledge so that our community and visitors understand how to care for, engage, and
live within this space just as our forebearers did.
• What is "regenerative" tourism? (last paragraph page 1)
The traditional tourism industry has a history of being extrative and explotiative of
Hawaiian people, places, and culture. While sustainable tourism aims to reduce harm to
the environment, regenerative tourism aims to actively improve communities,
ecosystems, and culture leaving a place better than it was before. Hawaii Tourism
Authority adopted this paradigm shift post COVID pandemic. In regenerative tourism,
tourists are not just guests, visitors, or observers. They are participants in a living
ecosystem, giving back in ways that are guided by humility, respect, and a willingness
to listen and learn. Regenerative tourism in Hawaii is grounded in Hawaiian values like
malama (care), kuleana (responsibility), and aloha (connection).
• Is the Kealakekua Bay Community Action Plan (CAP) available for review?
Yes, we submitted it with our written testimony on May 8, 2025. We have an online
version on our website linked here: https://kealakekua.org/community-action-plan/ . Also
attached is a pdf version.
I
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KEALAKEKUA
BAY
C 0 M M U N I T Y
ACTION PLAN
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KealaLeLua Say Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
KEALAKEK'UA
BAY
COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN
OUR VISION
Kealakekua Bay is a living, spiritual place. It is a vibrant ecosystem interwoven with
traditional knowledge and practices, honored and cultivated through understanding
and reverence of this wahi pang (sacred place).
OUR VALUES
Ho'ihi
Onouli,Kedpuka Sacred,majestic,
dignified,treated
with respect
Ho'olokahi 'Imi
Unity, na'auao
agreement. To seek
harmony bmrsi knowledge or
education
Malama
'ai na f}
'Ohana
To take care of
land and what Family,relative
feeds us
Vahauloa
FOCUS AREA
m,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,A..
5555555555551((((SSS «r,,,,,,,, ,,,am rrrw ,......xx............. tix,,,
• re respectful of village CODE OF CONDUCT • Treat this sacred place with
residents and private
reverence
• Be property • Keep distance from wildlife
observant(kilo) I Coral is a living animal - Please
• Quiet hours 5 pm-8 am mow►
• Tread lightly l ' r sofloat above and don't step on it
• Relationship building with N � Safety first-when in doubt,
visitors Pono Behavior I 'Aina Activities don't go out
• Compliance of the rules on I • Bring plenty of water
signage I • Pack out what you pack in
• Show respect and
reverence for cultural and Harvest for the table,not the
archeological sites and freezer
their practitioners i Share your catch
• Stay on trails Respect traditional fishing
• Refrain from entering Spiritual and Lawai'a Pono practices
archeological and Cultural Sites i (fishing) Respect local fishing rules
spiritual areas
2
KealaLeLua 5a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
WHAT WE WANT TO MALAMA IMPACTS ON WHAT WE WILL MALAMA
CURRENT HEALTH STATUS CURRENT SEVERITY RANKING
f,- Fishing and Gathering p!'_ Disrespectful Human Behavior
POOR II VERY HIGH
errestr al ResourcesO Climate Change t7?t
POOR VERY HIGH ,
�i YiIYF f�+rIYrY Y� eeYYi��i� .. 1�iY ii 9IYfi Yil WW i��i
Kai Ola Kanaloa o 0 0
Exceeding Carrying Capacity
(The life in the ocean realm)
FAIR
HIGH
Cultural Sites Human Waste .
FAIR HIGH —
Ono 0 Community Well-being Non-Porto Fishing
FAIR OF a MEDIUM
Protected Species Non-Native Species
FAIR ��---�-- MEDIUM
wa am a*. ... rrr.rr..rr arr..rr rr
Ytlr}1f HIGH MEDIUM
FAIR GOOD . More localized
Requires lots of Issues with • Some imp acts Native species Verywidespread . Widespread Resources will be. Seriously Moderately Very localized
effort.to manage abundance&healthy. Functioning in thriving y degraded Slightly
y p g Fixable p
stem acceptable range Natural cycles impaired
properly ecosystem • c eliminated degraded aired
• Will lose target Some species May need human unimpacted Not fixable Fixable(costly) Easily fixable
Within 10 years if depleted/absent intervention sustainable (reasonable'
no action is taken harvesting Threats ranked based on scope,severity,and irreversibility
NIHO (STRATEGIES)
The three niho reflect the foundational
goal of adaptive community-led E malama `oukou is makou,
stewardship for Kealakekua,meant to a malama makou is 'oe
strengthen reciprocal piling
(relationships,connections)among OA� ,. e , 1, � ,
people,place,and nature. Iff Kealakekua is respected,
peaceful,and stewardship
Community is led by the community.
Ikawamamua, Ika
wa ma hope I ola `oe,
Pilina i ola makou nei
,Ike kupuna (elder knowledge)
is the foundation that ism
integrated into education = The ecosystems are
programs,outreach,and Heritage Environment healthy, resilient and
research activities. abundant with native
species for all to
benefit.
3
KealaLeLua bad Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
OBJECTIVES
1 • Healthy human carrying capacity limits
determined and management actions
implemented(including rest day closures)to
Objective manage commercial and visitor use by 2027.
Outreach and education campaigns
implemented for residents and visitors 1 .2
guided by the mo'olelo of Kealakekua by
2023. Objective
Community
Ho'ala Kealakekua'sorganizational capacity
1 .3 built to successfully co-manage stewardship
of Kealakekua in partnerships with the
Objective government agencies by 2023.
The'ike kupuna and mo'olelo of
Kealakekua integrated into management
actions,outreach and education for
O + tiv residents and non-residents by 2024.
Edscape preservation and •�
partnership program
y2025. jective 0 M ■ W
(Heritage
2.
3 Hikiau Heiau is a center of learning
that drives development of
Obj; community programs by 2023,
Past and present ecological conditions•
understood and management actions
implemented to restore Kealakekua's
Objective coral reefs by 2023.
Baseline water quality conditions 3.2
assessed and actions implemented
to improve water quality by 2025. Objective
3.3 Invasive species reduced by 500/o
in priority areas and native species
*low Objective abundance increased by 2027.
Current MLCD rules evaluated and 3.4
fishing rules modified as appropriate
by 2023. Objective
3.5 Violations of marine wildlife rules
Objective decreased by50%by2024.
4
Kealakekua Bay Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Mo'olelo and 01i
Ka'ao O Ke Ala Ke Kua...............................................................................................................................9
Na Ao Kupaianaha a Kealakekua ................................................................................................................12
Famed Fresh Water Sources of Kealakekua Bay ....................................................................................... 16
NaKaiaulu o Kapukapu...............................................................................................................................17
OliKomo no Kua .........................................................................................................................................18
'Awa o Manu'a............................................................................................................................................25
UaLu'ulu'u Kai Nei....................................................................................................................................50
Contents
Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................................... 6
Context.........................................................................................................................................................J
Purposeand Need....................................................................................................................................... 11
Kealakekua Community Action Plan Process..............................................................................................12
Participants.............................................................................................................................................12
OurVision and Values.............................................................................................................................I+
FocusArea..............................................................................................................................................15
Community Action Plan Outcomes..............................................................................................................18
Targets:What We Want to MAlama...........................................................................................................18
Target Viability (Health Rankings) ........................................................................................................20
Threats: Impacts on What We Want to MAlama.........................................................................................21
VoluntaryCode of Conduct..................................................................................................................24
Niho (Strategie5) ....................................................................................................................................2-5
Appendix A:G655ary and Acronyms .........................................................................................................31
Appendix 5:Capacity Needs Assessment..................................................................................................55
Appendix C: Indigenous Rights, Right-holders and Stakeholders,and the Application of the Paoakalani
Declaration.................................................................................................................................................59
Appendix D:Community-Based Participatory Research-Data Management and Collection .................+0
5
KealaUua Bay Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
acknowledgements
Our gratitude to the wahi pana (storied place) of Kealakekua Bay,
which has held the community in its embrace for generations and
continues to nurture, feed, and inspire us to listen to what it needs.
The Community Action Planning partnership is committed to _
honoring the rich history and traditions of Kealakekua with thoughtful
collaborations to malama `aina (care for that which feeds us). We
are humbled to join the long line of stewards of this wahi pana and
to uphold our place in that line of succession by bringing our highest W 1
selves and our collective strength to carry our kuleana (privileged
responsibility) with grace, wisdom, and perseverance.
The collective effort to create a Community Action Plan (CAP)for
Kealakekua would not be possible without the thoughtful intentions
of the community members who are the stewards of the `ike kupuna
(elder knowledge) and mo`olelo (stories of place). Mahalo piha Courtesy Leslie `Ohana,
(wholehearted gratitude) to Uncle Chuckie Leslie and his partner Bishop Museum
Krista Johnson for bringing us together to build this partnership.
Mahalo to the planning committee for thoughtfully outlining the process to make this plan inclusive and
collaborative. Through the traditions and customs of transferring traditional knowledge from one
generation to the next, mahalo to Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelsen for his inclusive approach to build the
knowledge of the planning participants in the mo`olelo and oli(chant) of Kealakekua Bay to ensure that
our foundation is grounded in place-based knowledge systems.
Each person and organization that joined this community action planning process brought their full
selves to chart our path forward, committing to our relationships to Kealakekua and each other first. As
a result, this plan reflects the participants' personal connections to place, professional expertise, and
resources to share the kuleana. The implementation of the Community Action Plan is intended to be
adaptive to the changing conditions of the
m, future, while rooted in the collective intention
to malama Kealakekua Bay through active
stewardship and partnerships that honor the
history and cultural practices and traditional
philosophies of this wahi pang.
f � =_ Mahalo piha to each of the planning
participants. We are hopeful for the future,
while acknowledging the hana (work) ahead
- of us. There is great comfort in knowing that
the hana is made much more joyous and
lighter through the shared kuleana and
laulima (cooperation), as many hands make
light work.
Courtesy Leslie `Ohana
6
Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Context
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1
View of Kealakekua Bay, 1864 by Rufus Anderson, Bishop Museum, Courtesy Leslie `Ohana
Located within the district of Kona Hema (South Kona) on the Moku o Keawe (Island of Hawaii) is the
pulsating wahi pana (storied place) of Kealakekua Bay (including the traditional place name of
Kapukapu Bay). It is a location of great importance to the history of the Hawaiian people and continues
to be cherished by all that reach its shores today. The lands and waters of Kealakekua have shaped
the mo`olelo (stories of place), the origins of place names, the interactions between the people and the
akua (gods, natural phenomenon), and the reverence that people continue to hold for the mana
(energetic forces) of Kealakekua Bay.
The bay was likely populated between 900-1300 A.D., eventually becoming a ruling center for the Kona
coast. Determined by the abundance of i`a (marine animals), such as `opelu (mackerel scad) and akule
(bigeye scad), Kealakekua Bay became the home of a thriving community for centuries. The
abundance and health of the fishery was closely tied to the konohiki system, an adaptive, self-
sustaining and holistic method of land and resource stewardship that administered and enforced kapu
(taboo, prohibition) and kanawai (law, code, rule). Kilo (observations) of seasonal cycles allowed for
guiding adjustments to ensure food security for the kanaka maoli(Hawaiian people). While scarce in
surface water resources, Kealakekua Bay relies on the natural and seasonal rain cycles and has
significant puna wai (freshwater springs)that the kanaka maoli relied upon for drinking, bathing, and
7
Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
traditional aquaculture, such as lokowai(anchialine pools) and loko (ponds). These cooling freshwater
sources are essential for the communities and for the ecological conditions shaped by the nutrient-rich
waters.
Pivotal historical events at Kealakekua Bay fill
volumes, including the arrival of Captain Cook
and his men to the shores at Kealakekua in
1779. During the late 1700s, the great ali`i
(chief) King Kamehameha established a royal i �1
residence and naval yard for his warships at
Napo`opo`o (southeast area of the bay). In the
late 1800s, the population center shifted from
Ka`awaloa to Napo`opo`o as new missionaries
arrived and established a whaling port here.
From the late 1800s through the mid 1900s, ~
many changes took place at Kealakekua Bay
with different commercial enterprises growing Wharf at Ka`awaloa, ca. 1880, Courtesy Leslie `Ohana
and then dwindling. Immigrants joined the
community as laborers for various agricultural and cattle enterprises. World Wars shaped the villagers'
way of life, and railroads became established in the region. In the mid to late 1900s, another significant
shift occurred in the bay with major commercial operations closing, except fishing, and the population
moving from makai(toward the sea) to mauka (toward the
mountain) areas.
For several decades and more prevalent from the early
1990s, stewardship of Kealakekua Bay was heavily focused
on providing access and infrastructure for tourism and
recreational users, which continues to attract a growing
number of visitors — both residents and non-residents —each
year. The recreational and commercial activities that attract
r these visitors, including kayaking, snorkeling, diving, hiking,
boating, and short term vacation rentals, have degraded
traditional uses and the natural and cultural resources.
These impacts have dramatically diminished the quality of
life for the Kealakekua Bay community and have led to
ongoing user conflicts and displacement of lineal families.
77
�� a While numerous efforts have been made to discuss and find
solutions to the conflicts, these efforts have had limited
Ka`awaloa, Courtesy Leslie `Ohana impact or success.
Through all the changes at Kealakekua Bay, the cultural traditions of this wahi pana persevere. Rooted
in deep knowledge of place, these traditions weave together both the physical and spiritual realms
through everyday practices. The traditions and mo`olelo serve to guide its stewardship, ensuring that
which is best for Kealakekua Bay perseveres.
8
KealaLeLua 15a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Ka`ao 0 Ke Ala Ke Kua
"There was a story about how Kealakekua came about. Perhaps
this is where the name came into use. Sometimes I wonder why
they said it is the pathway of the gods. Is it named for the belief of
the people and their gods of the past and where they worshipped,
or was it named for a particular god as the story states? Only the
people of the past know."
Aunty Mona Kapule Kahele
Clouds of Memories
Ke-ala-ke-Kua (The path of Kua)
It is unknown of the exact date when Kua arrived in Kealakekua Bay. We know he
appears in our genealogies around the same time the Pele Clan arrives to the
islands. Kua was a chief from Ka'u and was known for his frequent travels
throughout the entire Pacific Ocean. He returned with new concepts, objects, and
people that he acquired on his journeys.
After a long expedition from the Pacific Northwest, Kua sighted Kapukapu Bay. A
humble and kind man, he was welcomed by the villagers with lots of Aloha. He
shared his expeditions that took him to cold and rainy regions. He would share his
journeys under the night sky and during daylight hours, Kua was eager and open to
learn their style of fishing, farming, canoe building, and participated in familial
ceremonies specific to this area. Kua learned quickly and his humbled nature
allowed him to be trusted and part of the 'ohana and was no longer treated as a
visitor.
Eventually, after gaining respect from the people to accept his knowledge, Kua
began to share the characteristics of the seasons he observed at Kapukapu and how
it could help them recover from the famish times they were experiencing. One day he
overheard a few farmers from Piele complaining about the lack of soil that was
recently flushed due to flooding and the lack of surface water. Kua had the
opportunity to share a technique called maka'ili, by planting 'uala and kalo in rock
beds. They no longer suffered and if they did, it was for a brief time.
9
KealaLeLua 15a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
One day after coming down from Manua and Kuapehu, he perched on Pali'ula'ula
above Kalepeamoa and observed the nai'a swimming through the large schools of
halalu, and months later the 'opelu, then akule. He then proceeds to construct ko'a
and teaches the people how to grow and increase their fish population in the open
ocean. As time went by, they established the right time to harvest in large quantities.
With the abundance of food after the harvest, the fires of the cook house were
readied. Kua then introduces the method of keeping heated coals lighted just
enough so the people could cook their food more frequently providing a variation of
processing food for consumption.
The day arrived when Kua announced that he had to return to his own people.
Everyone was heartbroken because they were now losing a member of their'ohana.
They begged him to stay, but he thanked them and said, "I enjoyed my stay and all
of you have treated me as a relative and not a visitor. Someday, I will return until
then, when the sun is bright and the horizon is red and gold, I will be here, and even
if I am not here physically, you will always be safe within the boundaries of this bay.
Continue the practices I shared with you and this will be true for your generations to
come."
The people were confused because as Kua stepped into the water, he bent down
and cupped his hand to his mouth and chanted a booming voice that only his mouth
knew. Suddenly, two dark lines on the sea appeared from the horizon to the shore
as Kua stood still watching this formation.
The people murmured as Kua chanted over the water and the lines appeared, "he
must be an ali`i", those lines were his canoes approaching him. As the lines touched
the shore, the people's voices resounded in awe, °aue! He must be a god!" He stood
in the center of the lines as he turned and gave his last farewell and dove into the
water and reappeared as a shark swimming between two rows of sharks towards the
setting sun. They were then certain that Kua was the great king of sharks.
In remembering this occasion, the people constructed a ko'a on the land and called
the waters Kai-a-ke-Kua, the sea water of Kua, and this is where the W ipo'opo'o
wharf stands today. The people kept their promise to Kua by following the ways of
his teachings, and Kua has kept his promise to protect them and the generations to
come, hence, Kapukapu recognizes the kapu of Kua.
Mo`olelo provided by Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelsen
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KealaLeLua 5a� Communit�Action Plan Comm.25-025
Purpose and Need
Kealakekua Bay faces severe challenges due to habitat
degradation, overuse, and tourism that are an ever-growing
concern across Hawaii nei(beloved Hawai`i), with many Loina
communities facing similar challenges. During the global How we will work together
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, our community witnessed imii ■�
and experienced the positive effects of a pause in tourism, A'ohe hana nui ke alu 'ia
which reminded many of us of times long ago, inspiring us to No task is too big when done
work together to care for Kealakekua Bay. Our efforts center on together by all
pursuing a more balanced and sustainable relationship with ......•••••••••••••••••••••.
each other and the resources that fosters community well- ohe pau ke,ke 1 ka halau
being. This improved and sustainable management of natural hookahi
All knowledge is not taught in the
resources will provide a more enriching experience for all. same school,one can learn from
Through the integration and perpetuation of mo`olelo and `ike many sources
kupuna, we will improve the health of the bay's cultural and •°°•m•m........................
natural resources for the akua, people, and wildlife that depend xafaigina
on it. We will strive to learn, educate, and care for Kealakekua using process to work out our
decisions,and owning them
Bay with a deeper understanding of this wahi pana, and through afterwards
our actions, serve as a model for community management to ...........................
inspire others to care for their wahi. Put place-based knowledge first
The desire to create a Community Action Plan (CAP)was Be kind to each other,but tough
inspired by other communities that have applied similar on the issues
approaches to overcoming these challenges. Our plan focuses •••.••.
on establishing community capacity for co-management of Listen for understanding
natural and cultural resources with the county, state and federal ...........................I
government agencies and building diverse partnerships among Everyone's ideas are valued
stakeholders and rights-holders with the interest, expertise, and ............................
resources to collectively address challenges. Have fun
Together, challenges will be met by the collaborative
partnerships while upholding our loina (code; see sidebar). This
loina reflects our respect for place and for each other and
directs the manner in which we work together.
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Communit)Action Plan Comm.25-025
Na Ao 1{upalanaha a Kealakekua
'01i kanaenae o Ualedani-a-Kane The Pllihala wind bears the rain called HAleu'ole
E Kanehoalani a Hey Kanehoalani(the heat element)
E Lono-noho-i-ka-wai Hey Lono-noho-i-ka-wai(the charging element in the wateq
4 ho'dlu`oe,6 inana oe,ho Tnana i ke ola Inspire,animate„and give life
Punohunahu ke kualau a Kane The kualau rains of Kane spread wide and long.
Halihaii Ya i ka makani a Pilihala Collected and moved by the Pilihala wind
Kokolo aku'o Haleu'ole The creeping Haleu'ole rains
ua kupu!ua lau!ua loa! Sprout!'Multiply!Expand!
ua'aol ua mu'o! Bud!Branch outward!
'0 luna. `o lalo, 'o uka, 'o kai a Everything above,below,upland and in the sea.
Ua 'ikea I*see'you and experiencing it!
Mai pa a i ka leo My voice is my affirmation-1 do declare"
Haku"la(composed byj:Shane A =Palaeat-Neisen. 1999,rev,2019
Kealakekua Community Action Plar '',,ocess
Our planning group developed the Kealakekua Bay CAP to define and structure our actions to protect
the natural and cultural resources and nurture relationships to improve community well-being in
Kealakekua Bay. Between August 2021 and July 2022, we held 14 meetings via Zoom and one in-
person to develop the CAP to guide our work. Our meetings were facilitated by The Nature
Conservancy (TNC) local staff, who have led numerous Hawaii communities through the CAP process.
The plan, grounded in our love of place and our deep respect for past and future generations, guides
the work we undertake to ensure Kealakekua Bay is healthy, respected, and allowed to thrive.
Participants
Our planning group, referred to as CAP participants,
represents multiple stakeholders and rights-holders
engaged in using and caring for Kealakekua Bay, i
including community members, government agencies
(county, state, and federal), nonprofit organizations, 4
researchers, and ecotourism companies (Table 1).
We continue to enlist additional members with
complementary expertise, resources, and skillsets
(Appendix B) to help implement the CAP strategies
outlined in this plan. Kealakekua Bay CAP Participants,
April 2022 workshop
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KealaLcLua Ba ) Communty)Action Plan Comm.25-025
Table 1. CAP Participants ( * = Steering Committee Members)
Community Partners
Chuck Leslie* Kupuna, Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory`Ohana, Community member
Krista Johnson* Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory`Ohana, Community Member
Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelsen* Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory`Ohana, Community Member;
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Mary Crispi Ho`ala Kealakekua
Alayna DeBina* Ho`ala Kealakekua; Community Member
Scott Neish* Ho`ala Kealakekua
Usha Kilpatrick* Community Member; The Healy Foundation
Bill Morris Community Member
Government Partners
Aric Arakaki* Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, National Park Service
Tanya Souza* Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, National Park Service
Curt Cottrell DLNR Division of State Parks
John Kahiapo DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources
Megan Lamson DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources; Hawaii Wildlife Fund
Nikki Smith DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources
Chris Teague* DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources
Tracy Tam Sing* DLNR Division of State Parks
Martha Yent* DLNR Division of State Parks
Maile David* Hawaii County Council
Cameron Dabney National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration,
Hawaii Island Cetacean Response Coordinator
Adam Kurtz National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
Non-Governmental Organizations
Manuel Mejia* Coral Reef Alliance
Erica Perez Coral Reef Alliance
Ulu Ching Conservation International
Scott Laursen* University of Hawaii, Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center
Rebecca Most* The Nature Conservancy
Julia Rose The Nature Conservancy
Leah Keller The Nature Conservancy
Barbara Seidel The Nature Conservancy
Cecile Walsh The Nature Conservancy
Ecotourism Partners
Mendy Dant Fairwinds Cruises
Adam Dant* Fairwinds Cruises
Frank Carpenter Kona Boys Kayak Company
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KealaLeLua 5a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Our vision drives all of the work that we do, and our values shape the way we interact with each other,
with the broader community, and with the environment. They reflect our core beliefs and serve as the
guiding principles for how we conduct ourselves in the shared hana to care for Kealakekua Bay.
OUR VISION
Kealakekua Bay is a living, spiritual place. it is a vibrant ecosystem interwoven with
traditional knowledge and practices, honored and cultivated through understanding
and reverence of this wahi pana (sacred place).
OUR VALUES
H6'ihi
Sacred, majestic.
dignified, treated
with respect
Hv'Olakahi 'Inni
Unity, na'aUao
agreement, To seek
harmony knowledge or
education
Malama
'dina 'Ghana
To take care of
land and what Family, relative
feeds us
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Focus Area
The CAP focus area is located in the South Kona District where partners will implement actions to care
for the bay across the ahupua`a (traditional land divisions)from Keopuka in the north to Kahauloa 2 in
the south. It is important to consider this ahupua`a approach to stewardship since areas adjacent to the
focus area (mauka and makai) are connected to and impact the things we want to malama (care for).
The focus area encompasses three protected areas and a coastal village:
• The 537-acre Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park, which includes the sacred cliffs of Pali-
poko-a-Manuahi and Hikiau Heiau, a significant spiritual site still used for cultural practices;
• The Kealakekua Bay Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD), which includes a shallow coral
reef ecosystem and deeper sandy habitat that extends to a depth of 120 feet;
• A portion of the 175-mile Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail corridor; and
• Napo`opo`o Village, which includes the wharf, Manini Beach Park, large landholdings mauka of
the bay, and the surrounding residential community, home to both short-term visitors staying in
a growing number of vacation rentals and long-term residents, some of whom are lineal
descendants of Kealakekua.
�4
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KealaUua Bay Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
i
�jl 11
•C!
1
r
�r
Ka'awaloa Ahupua`a
Awili: mixture of kai and wai currents
Hali'ilua: naturally purified, physical and spiritual cleansing
Kealakekua/K7oa Ahupua`a
Waiulu: spring forth, gushing; used for growth, great source of potable water
WaiakekeualWaiakeakua: sacred water, deified
Waipuna`ulaJKalamakumu/Kalama`umi/Kalamakowall Ahupua`a
Wai'awa`awa: murky water, appears like the water in a kanoa (kava bowl)
Wai'ula: caused by the abundance of limn kohu that grew in the area
Kalamakapala/Kalamawai`awa`awa Ahupua`a
Waiamau: constant steady flowing water source
Waile`a: soothing, pleasing, healing
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KealaLeLua Say Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Na Kaiaulu o Kapukapu
I ka fewa nu"u 'o Makali'i'ea High above is Makali'i
Hanau ka Makahiki i ka fiko hou 'ea The season of Makahiki emerges in a new era
I ka moana a wao nahele `ea From the horizon to the forest spaces
E ale helefinta o Kalama 'ea The fingers of Kalama are extended
E KOlou a Maluhia 'ea Kulou and Maluhia
Noho mai i ka lae o Palemano 'ea You reside at Palemano
Ea a ke one o Ke`ei'ea' Respond to the sands of Ke'ei
Owili i ke'ale he'e nalu 'ea The tumbling surf
Ke lu'u nei o Lelekawa 'ea Lelekawa a favorite leaping spot
Wela nui'o Keawaiki'ea Keaweiki is hot
Pane mai a Kahauloa ea Kahauloa answers
Ho`ofohe o Kapahukapu 'ea Now listen for Kapahukapu
tllana mo'olelo a mau a mau 'ea 'Weaving the stories of the past
Llhilihi kai nui pa'akai'ea The creeping ocean provides the salt
Pala'a pahe`e a ua nui'ea The rains arrive and the limu pahe'e spreads
A inu kuhikuhi o Waiamau 'ea We drink the sweet water from W'aiamau
" Aia 'o Kua ka mana 'ea There is Kua our'aumakua
Hoohihi na manu no Kekua 'ea The masses of Kekua are intertwined
,Era ke ko'a a Kekua 'ea Here is the shrine of Kekua
Halihali pu na Va 'ea The fish gathers in abundance
E kipa mai a Waipuna'ula 'ea Waipuna'ula welcomes you
A ho"iho'i a Kapukapu 'ea Return to Kapukapu
Aia i Ke Ala Ke Kua 'ea There is the Path of Kua
Hanohano "ia'o Hikiau 'ea Glorifying at Hikiau
KO a`e I ka pali a Kaloa 'ea There is the pali of Kaloa
Kau I ka hanohano 'ea A glorifying place
Aia ka paii o Keoua 'eal ka la'i o ka There is the pali of Keoua
Lepemoa 'ea In the calm of Kalepeamoa
Ho`akoakoa a Hali`dua 'ea Hali'iiva gathers
He wahine kapu i ka wai'ea The water is reserved for ranking women.
Hoapik a'e a Kane me Kanaloa The companions One and Kanaloa
Ke ola ka wai ulu a Wakea 'ea The unifying water of Waked lives on.
This chant honors place names of Kapukapu
Haku 5a(composed and choreographed by):
Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelsen,KOkulu hulahula 'o Kanani Enos
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KealaLeLua 15a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Community Action Plan Outcomes
Targets- Wh,,lt Win Want to
CAP participants identified six natural and cultural resource priorities to malama (Table 2). The priorities
are referred to as targets in CAP terminology and throughout this plan.
Participants then ranked the health or viability of each target based on the key attributes of the target
and what a good or healthy target looks like (Table 3). The ranking or"current status" is based on the
standard CAP system, defined as:
Heavily impacted or depleted, ecosystem function impaired,
'.. requires lots of effort to manage properly, will lose target
within 10 years if no action is taken
Issues with abundance and ecosystem function, some
species depleted or absent
Some impacts observed but functioning in an acceptable
range, may need human intervention
Native species are thriving, natural cycles are not impacted,
harvest is sustainable
01i Komo no Kua
I ka waha ko`u noho At the mouth I await your arrival
He `ele`eie,he uhuh, he kala,he lipoa ka moena A black,dark,yellowish and sea greenish bed
Mai hele a noho i ka moana nui,moana iki In the vast ocean,the small ocean
E U1i noho i ke alohilani, The goddess Uli is dwelling in the glistening light,
auau i ke ponaha ke one vibrating in the swirling sand
E kulia I ka naenae a Kanaloa Striving to the peak of Kanaloa`s breath
E na kini a ke akua,na hoa o ka papa The multitude of gods are the companions of the reefs
Ka papa kaha kua kea o Lono The white reefs of Lono
0 Lono ka pao The interjecting Lono
01a ke au a Kanaloa The thriving currents of Kanaloa
Composed by Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelsen
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Communty)Action Plan Comm.25-025
Table 2. CAP Targets and Definitions
Defi,,nitioT,
Fishing and gathering is the practice of harvesting marine and terrestrial resources for
subsistence and/or cultural reasons. Harvesting through traditional practices and
ensuring access to resources are crucial components of fishing and gathering.
Fishing and Kealakekua's traditional practices include akule surrounds, `opelu fishing, pole and
Gathering line fishing, and gathering hala plants and plumeria flowers for weaving and lei-
making. Food resources commonly harvested at Kealakekua include limu kohu
(Asparagopsis taxiformis), limu pahe`e (Porphyra sp.), akule (bigeye scad), kole
(Goldring surgeonfish), paku`iku`i (Achilles tang), ula (lobster), and wana (sea urchin).
Educated fishers and sustainable catch per unit effort (CPUE) help to secure the
abundance of these resources for generations.
Terrestrial resources are natural elements (biotic and abiotic)found in land-based
ecosystems. These resources include flora, fauna, freshwater ecosystems (such as
Terrestrial anchialine pools), and geological features such as the pali(cliffs). Terrestrial
Resources resources are considered most healthy when native species have high biodiversity,
invasive species abundance is low, and wai(freshwater) resources are abundant and
free of pollutants.
Kai Ola Kanaloa refers to all life in the ocean realm. This includes coral, fish, limu
(algae), and invertebrates, such as he'e (octopus), ula (lobster), snails, crustaceans,
Kai Ola `opihi(limpet), and wana (sea urchin). Water quality, rugosity (structural complexity) of
Kanaloa reefs, herbivore biomass, number of people in the water, and the resiliency and
genetic diversity of coral and other organisms all interact to determine the health of the
ocean ecosystem and marine life.
Kealakekua's cultural sites include archeological and natural features that hold rich
Living heritage and history. Hikiau Heiau is considered one of the most important heiau in the
Cultural District of Kona and had an important role in the annual Makahiki. Other significant
Sites sites include trails, dry-stack walls, lokowai(anchialine pools), Wailokoali`i a loko wai
(ponds), birthing sites, house sites, and burial grounds.
Community well-being is the combination of social, spiritual, economic, environmental,
cultural, and political conditions that are essential for communities to thrive. This is
Community achieved through feelings of connectedness, livability, and equity. A thriving
Well-Being residential community that includes lineal descendants and their families, harmonious
resident and visitor interactions, respect of place, and opportunities for cultural
succession are important aspects that contribute to community well-being.
Protected species are those designated under the Marine Mammal Protect Act and/or
Protected the Endangered Species Act. Some of these species include nai`a (spinner dolphins),
kohola and palaoa (humpback and sperm whales), honu (green sea turtles),
Species `7ioholoikauaua (monk seals), mano (sharks), hahalua (manta rays) and ope`ape`a
(Hawaiian hoary bat).
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Kcalakckua Bach Communit,9 Action Plan Comm.25-025
Target Viability (Health Rankings)
Table 3. Targets, Key Attributes, and Current Status
. .- KpX Attributes What Good Looks
NEW' Status
Harvest using Abundance of food and natural resources (akule, limu
Fishing traditional practices, kohu, lauhala, and plumeria), access to favorite fishing
and access to food spots (`opelu ko`a), ability to do akule surrounds, akule --Poo
Gathering resources, gathering present at wharf and can be hooked off the pier, taste of
for customary uses. food is `ono (delicious), trees are healthy
Abundant freshwater
M available and free of Public awareness and advocacy for freshwater resources,
Terrestrial pollutants, diversity of low human waste (sewage and trash), absence of invasive off
Resources native plants, low species and abundance of native species, minimized
invasive flora and upslope erosion and pollution
fauna.
Clean water, structure
M intact (non-living High abundance and biomass of fish, high coral cover,
habitat), healthy
Kai Ola herbivore biomass, abundant predators, return of the fish species that used to
Kanaloa more coral than algae, be here, return of edible limu abundance, clean and clear
coral and genetic water (can see the bottom)
diversity and resilience
Heiau, trails, burials, Cultural sites are intact, undamaged, and actively and
Cultural dry-stack walls appropriately cared for, people have access to sites and
Sites (including walls around trails based on Native Hawaiian traditional and customary
loko and lokowai) rights, practices and religious purposes, and the community
has rights to implement restrictions
Tourism is well managed (controlled, sustainable,
regenerative, and community-guided), culturally appropriate
outreach materials are shared with visitors, residents have
access to parking, there is a calm atmosphere in the
village; thriving residential community that includes lineal
Residents, youth, descendants and their families; commuity has access and
Community soundscape, parking are comfortable practicing ceremonies at cultural sites,
Well-Being access, traditions traditional practies are occuring, place names are used and
actively practiced honored, `ike kupuna is respected, protocols are followed,
and stories are shared and preserved; community is co-
managing natural and cultural resources with government,
there is clear and frequent communication between the
community and partners, and the local workforce is
engaged in management
Dolphins, whales, Protected species are free of harrassment, dolphins
Protected green and hawksbill engage in normal behavior and are visible during the day
Species turtles, sharks, mantas, and throughout the week, the water is clean and free of
Hawaiian hoary bats disease (toxoplasmosis) and other pollutants, wide variety
L of native algae in the bay
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Threats: Impacts on What We Want to Malama
CAP participants identified six critical threats impacting our targets (Table 4).
We then ranked the level of each threat based on the scope, severity, and irreversibility each has on
our targets (Table 5). This process helped us identify which threats were having the greatest impact on
the most targets, so we could develop strategies and actions to mitigate the threats and maintain and/or
improve target health. The overall threat ranking is based on the standard CAP system, defined as:
Very widespread throughout focus area, resources will be
eliminated without intervention, nearly unfixable
Widespread in focus area, serious degradation occurring, fixable
(but may be expensive)
_ More localized within focus area, moderate degradation
occurring, fixable (reasonable cost)
Very localized within focus area, slight impairment to targets,
easily fixable
Wildlife harassment at Kealakekua Bay, Courtesy of the Leslie `Ohana.
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Table 4. CAP Threats and Definitions
ri4
Definitiw
Behavior that diminishes target health, intentionally or unintentionally, such as general
Disrespectful disrespect towards residents and natural and cultural resources; illegal activity,
Human including extracting pohaku (rocks) and trespassing on private lands and historic
Behavior trails; commercialization; and social media posts and other promotions that contribute
to exceeding Kealakekua's carrying capacity and result in traffic congestion and
parking problems in the small village.
Climate Impacts of climate change— including periodic marine heatwaves that cause coral
change bleaching, ocean acidification, increased drought, rising sea levels, and increased
storm damage—degrade target health and are expected to increase in severity.
Carrying capacity refers to the maximum population — residents and visitors —that an
Exceeding environment can support sustainably. Exceeding that level leads to the degradation of
Carrying the environment and impacts to traditional and cultural practices and community
Capacity quality of life with many factors contributing, including too many people, boats,
kayaks, cars, and vacation rentals.
Point and non-point sources of pollution that can enter an ecosystem and be a vector
Human for disease, algae blooms, and physiological impairments to marine wildlife (e.g.,
Waste coral health and reproduction). Human waste includes marine debris (e.g., derelict
fishing gear, litter, fishing line), trash, and sewage (including from cesspool and septic
tanks).
Pono fishing is the sustainable harvest of marine resources. Non-pono fishing
Non-Pono includes the depletion of food resources through illegal and unsustainable fishing
Fishing activities. Non-pono fishing was identified as a threat because it greatly impacts food
security and, therefore, community well-being. It also diminishes the relationship
between people and nature that is a key aspect of Hawaiian culture.
Aquatic and terrestrial species that are not native to a particular area often displace
Non-Native native species and become invasive. Non-native aquatic species include ta`ape
Species (bluestripe snapper), to`au (blacktail snapper), roi(peacock grouper), guppies,
mollies, and tilapia. Non-native terrestrial species include goats, plants, rats, and
mongoose.
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KealaLeLua 15a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
able 5. Threat Rankine
Targets Fishing Terrestrial Kai Ola Cultural Community Protected Overall
and[Threats Gathering Resources Kanaloa Sites Well-Being Species Threat Ranking
Disrespectful
Human
Behavior •
Climate
Change •
Exceeding
Carrying
Capacity
Human
Waste
Non-Pono
Fishing
Non-Native
Species
We identified disrespectful human behavior and climate change (ranked as Very High) as the
threats having the greatest impacts (in terms of scope, severity, and irreversibility), followed by
exceeding carrying capacity and human waste (ranked as High). Non-pono fishing and non-native
species were ranked Medium. As we work to address all six threats, the rankings will help guide
management efforts in terms of the resources (funding, time, staffing) needed to improve the health of
each target.
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KealaLeLua 15a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Voluntary Code of Conduct
As a first step toward improving people-to-people and people-to-nature pilina (relationships) in the focal
area, CAP partners developed a voluntary code of conduct. Based on the area's cultural traditions, it is
a guide for proper behavior when living in or visiting the bay.
When followed, the code of conduct is a summary of actions that will improve the quality of life for all in
Kealakekua Bay. Encouragement to respect this voluntary code of conduct will be shared online and
through signage, brochures, and direct engagement to help educate visitors as to how to respectfully
interact with the natural and cultural landscape. The goal is to reduce the negative impacts of overuse
and disrespectful, unsustainable behaviors.
Promoting the code of conduct through outreach activities is key to helping people understand the ways
they can individually contribute to preserving the villagers' lifestyle, improving habitat for native species,
perpetuating cultural traditions, and improving everyone's relationship with the bay.
• Be respectful of village CODE O F CONDUCT • Treat this sacred place with
residents and private
� reverence
property • Keep distance from wildlife
• Be observant(kilo) • Coral is a lliving animal - Please
• Tread lightly
• Quiet hours.5 pm -8 am
• float above and don't step on it
• Relationship building with ' I Safety first-When in doubt,
visitors Pono Behavior 'Aina Activities don't go out
• Compliance of the rules on • Bring plenty of water
signage • Pack out what you pack in
• Show respect and
reverence for cultural and • Harvest for the table,not the
archeological sites and freezer
their practitioners • Share your catch
• Stay on trails • Respect traditional fishing
'Spiritual and Lawaia Pono
• Refrain from entering 5 P practices
archeological and Cultural Sites (fishing) • Respect local fishing rules
spiritual areas
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KealaLeLua 15a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
`Awa o Manu`a
Eia ka `ai e Kahulipapahonua Here is the food source from Kahulipapahonua(earthly realms)
Ke akua i ke alo i ka `opu o Lono The god is in my presence,and I am filled(bloated)like the water that
fills the gourd of Lono
E ho i e Mihakalani Mihakalani (tranquillmesmerizing state of mind)is intensified
E ala a Pelehonuamea Pelehonuamea(peppery heat)arises(creeps up/sneaky)
E ala e ke kumu o Hulinu`u I am on the path to the source of Hulinu`u (the highest heavens)
0 Hulinu`u Kealohiloa i ka lua e... The elongated splendor likened to Hulinu`u
This chant honors the place names of Manua, Kawa`aloa for their potency
and favored by the high-ranking chiefs of Kapukapu and neighboring districts.
Excerpt from:Ke Ka'ao Ho`oniva Pu`uwai no Kamiki a Maka`iole
(The Heart Stirring Story of Kamiki and Maka`iole)
Niho (Stratorlior-
To revive a culture of community-driven stewardship that is inherently adaptive, resilient, and
sustainable, our plan centers on three Niho—Community (people), Heritage (place), and Environment
(nature). Like the niho (foundation stone) in traditional dry-stack masonry, they provide the foundation
our plan is built upon with the aspirational goal for each reflected in the sentiments of `olelo no'eau
(Hawaiian proverbs). We will nurture and strengthen the pilina (relationships) among these niho within
the Kealakekua Bay wahi pana in our actions, words, and embodiment of our values.
CAP partners developed SMARTIE (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound, inclusive,
and equitable) objectives and specific actions for each niho. The actions will be implemented through
collaborative management involving the community, government agencies, private businesses,
landowners, and nonprofit organizations. We do not view the niho as separate, but rather three prongs
of the same spear. As such, we will supportively elevate our collective efforts to reach our aspirational
goals.
The actions we identified focus on improving community connectivity, cultural understanding, and visitor
engagement through place-based `ike (knowledge)with a central focus stemming from the current
practices, philosophies, traditions, and customs from Hikiau Heiau to enhance residents' and visitors'
relationships to place, reduce violations and threats to natural and cultural resources, and ensure
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KealaLeLua 5a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Kealakekua is healthy, respected, and cared for. Our community strives to protect the interest of
indigenous knowledge by upholding the Paoakalani Declaration (Appendix C) and the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and will use these principles to develop a process to
properly engage and consult with traditional knowledge holders through the Kealakekua Bay Cultural
Advisory 'Ohana, and ensure that Hikiau Heiau is a center for learning and the traditional practices are
perpetuated.
We will meet to share progress and advance our work. As we implement the plan, we intend to be
flexible and nimble to changing situations and address new opportunities and challenges as they arise.
To that end, the CAP plan will be revisited and revised periodically (every 5 years) to reflect the
changes needed to achieve the niho. To foster increased and long-term engagement in this effort, CAP
partners will develop and host community discussions, bi-annual workshops, and other events that
feature local kupuna and youth leaders; that honor place-based traditions with local cultural practitioner
networks; and that strengthen person-to-person and person-to-nature pilina, fostering collective actions.
Relationality (Kinship)
Crass-Cutting Theme
In support of strengthening adaptive, resilient, sustainable, and community-led stewardship of
Kealakekua's resources,the Kealakekua community will perpetually engage, interconnect, and
strengthen long-term person-to-person and person-to-nature relationships rooted within the
Kealakekua wadi pana to, thereby,facilitate and root broader community connectivity, awareness,
understanding, communication processes, and visitor engagement through a place-based vantage
maintained by long-term relationships locally.
Together we will develop long-term frameworks for community discussion and connection to ensure
adaptive and resilient communication forums in perpetuity(e.g., inclusive of Ho'ala Kealakekua, the
Cultural Advisory'Ohana, CAP Participants, and regularly seeking out additional Kealakekua
community members wishing to participate). Such regular local engagement frameworks will allow
community members to express challenges that arise in addressing CAP objectives and actions,
discuss solutions, and then work together to put collaborative solutions into practice. Such
framework and regular support of person-to-person and person-to-nature long-term relationships
will root collective actions and broader community engagement in diverse knowledge forms,trust,
and honor place-based knowledge within local practitioner networks on the ground (i.e., `ike
kupuna). Long-term relationships will additionally maintain the CAP as a living document that is
iterative and adaptive to needs that evolve in the future. Novel approaches can, thereby, be piloted
within such long-term communal processes in support of this cross-cutting theme, strengthening
adaptive capacities through time at a local level.
Scott Laursen
Community Action Plan Steering Committee Member
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Kcalakckua Bach Communit,9 Action Plan Comm.25-025
bukou ia m5kou, • •-
Goal Kealakekua is respected, peaceful, a,
You care for us, we care for you
Ilk
a. Design and implement carrying capacity studies relating to ocean, trails,
land, roads, and short-term rentals by the end of 2023.
b. Establish a reservation system with a parking lot (payment for non-
Objective 1.1: residents) and shuttle for visitors at the Gasper Coffee Mill location (above
Healthy human Hikiau Heiau) and establish parking zones in Napo'opo'o village with
carrying capacity access given to residents by the end of 2027.
limits determined c. Conduct outreach to local commercial operators, residents, and visitor
and management industry to see if they will voluntarily participate in rest day closures rather
actions implemented than be subject to top-down regulation.
(including rest day d. Consult `ike kupuna, researchers, and findings from carrying capacity
closures) to manage studies to design an effective management plan and ecological closure
commercial and plan (by area, time, season, etc.).
visitor use by 2027. e. Work with government agencies to develop a rest day(s) closure process,
rules, and management plan for the bay.
f. Implement management plan and access rules in collaboration with
enforcement agencies.
Objective 1.2: a. Create and display appropriate outreach materials (signage, social media,
Outreach and TV, and websites)for compliance with the Code of Conduct; evaluate and
education reassess on an annual basis. (See Action 2.1)
campaigns b. Create ongoing certification process for commercial operators (including
implemented for short-term rentals) to keep mo`olelo (stories) narrative consistent and
residents and accurate and increase compliance with Code of Conduct by summer 2023.
visitors guided by c. Implement a Makai Watch program and collaborate with DOCARE and
the mo`olelo of NOAA enforcement officers to observe and gather data and increase
Kealakekua by compliance with rules and community Code of Conduct.
2023.
Objective 1.3: a. Staff Ho'ala Kealakekua with paid positions; hire at least one staff by the
Ho'ala Kealakekua's end of 2022 and two more by mid-2023.
organizational b. Increase the membership and initiate capacity-building training for Ho'ala
capacity built to Kealakekua Board of Directors to guide successful implementation of
successfully co- mission.
manage stewardship c. Develop a 5-year strategic plan and implement funding strategy (grants,
of Kealakekua in donations, parking and reservation fees, and concession stands) to
partnership with support Ho'ala Kealakekua by the end of 2023.
government
agencies by 2023.
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KealaLeLua 5a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
d. Develop and implement volunteer engagement strategy that incorporates
voluntourism programs to generate revenue and build Ho`ala Kealakekua's
capacity to achieve its mission.
• •-
HERITAGE
To seek the future, we must look deeply to the past
Ike k0puna is the foundation that is integrated into education programs,
outreach, research, and management
Objective 2.1: a. Create a list of people to interview including village `ohana, historical
The `ike kupuna and researchers, and pili(close) people by December 2023.
mo`olelo of b. Complete an ethnographic study in collaboration with Ho`ala Kealakekua
Kealakekua and the Cultural Advisory `Ohana to collect, securely store, and determine
integrated into appropriate mo`olelo to be used for education and outreach by the end of
management 2024.
actions, outreach, c. Create place-based oli and/or mele to be incorporated into outreach,
and education for education, and malama `aina activities by the summer of 2023.
residents and non-
residents by 2024.
Objective 2.2: a. Complete an Archaeological Inventory Survey and Preservation Plan by the
A cultural landscape end of 2025.
preservation and b. Conduct cultural landscape monitoring and enforcement to protect and
stewardship preserve archaeological sites.
partnership program
established by 2025.
Objective 2.3: a. Implement the philosophies of heiau protocols with community (e.g.,
Hikiau Heiau is a through closures that are aligned with cultural philosophies of
center of learning management).
that drives b. Identify active `ohana practitioners to help formalize heiau protocols and
development of capture their mana`o (thoughts) in writing, art, music, mele (song, chant), or
community programs videos to be incorporated into outreach and education programs.
by 2023.
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Kcalakckua Bach Communitq Action Plan Comm.25-025
Rpm
' • i
•. The ecosystems • abundant
species for • benefit
Objective Actions
am
Objective 3.1: a. Compile existing research of marine, coastal, and terrestrial habitats by
Past and present the end of 2023.
ecological conditions b. Develop capacity and implement coral restoration through collaborations
understood and with DAR, researchers, and non-profit organizations by the end of 2022.
management actions
implemented to restore
Kealakekua's coral
reefs by 2023.
Objective 3.2: a. Identify water quality pollution sources and extent in collaboration with
Baseline water quality researchers by the end of 2024.
conditions assessed b. Identify short-term and long-term management actions that would
and actions improve water quality by the end of 2024.
implemented to c. Implement water quality improvement plan for Kealakekua Bay by the
improve water quality end of 2025.
by 2025.
a. Identify priority restoration areas and management actions to remove
Objective 3.3: invasive species (flora and fauna).
Invasive species b. With volunteer support, remove invasive plant species in priority areas
reduced by 50% in and replant with native species sourced from the region by the end of
priority areas and 2027.
native species c. Reduce feral ungulates by 50% in collaboration with landowners through
abundance increased fencing and removal.
by 2027. d. Reduce invasive aquatic species by 50% within priority restoration areas.
e. Restore loko (pond) habitat quality by the end of 2025.
Objective 3.4: a. Document and discuss historical fishing practices with village kupuna,
Current MLCD rules long-time fishers, and community members by the end of 2023.
evaluated and fishing b. Determine which pono practices are still appropriate to reestablish, as
rules modified as guided by `ike kupuna by the end of 2023.
appropriate by 2023. c. Develop a fisheries management plan for the MLCD in collaboration with
DAR and revise the rules as needed.
Objective 3.5: a. Increase frequency and number of DLNR and NOAA enforcement
Violations of marine agents routinely visiting the bay by the end of 2022 and work in
wildlife rules decreased collaboration with Kealakekua Makai Watch.
by 50% by 2024. b. Increase monitoring and data collection on dolphin behavior by
partnering with researchers, citizen scientists, and others by the summer
of 2023.
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KealaLeLua 5a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Ua Lu`uiu`u Kai Nei
Beneath The Ocean
Ua lu'ulu'u kai nei ka uku ako`akoa The coral polyp dives beneath the sea.
Mai ka wai huna o Lononuiakea From the hidden waters of Lononuiakea
Ohua ka ohua ma ka pa`akea ahua. The young fry fish sliding around the swelling reef.
Hirpoi is ka ho`oluupa'akai'o Hinakamalama and Hinahele, tend to the salt baskets
Hinakamalama `o Hinahele
Ua puka The coral emerges
Ua eli It digs in;takes root
Ua uku a is It renumerates
0 ka'Ale`ale a,o ka leho, o ke kualakai, o These are the sea snail,cowry snail,sea slug, and octopus
kahe'e —all familial god forms that scrub, rub, crawl and burrow on
the reef and are crucial to maintaining its ecological balance
Mai hiki hapapa a hiki kohola From the Shoal waters to the reef flats
E waiho kuanaka 1 ke au o Lono pau The hard coral is placed in the currents of Lono pao
Ua ikea It is being known, it is being expressed, it is happening now
Mai pa`a ka leo The profoundness is proclaimed. Which makes it wisdom
This chant was developed as the opening protocol for coral restoration work on the Kealakua reef.
Haku `ia (composed by) 'o Kahaka`io Ravenseraft, 2022
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KealaLeLua Say Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Appendix A: Translations, Glossary, and Acronyms
Translations
Akua Gods; natural phenomenon
Akule Bigeye scad mackerel
Ali`i Chief
Aloha An action that requires reciprocation; greetings, love, affection, and respect
Aue Oh! Alas! Goodness! Really!; action of"matter of fact" (used to express
wonder, fear, scorn, pity, affection)
Hahalua Manta ray
Hana Work
HalaI0 Juvenile akule
He'e Octopus
Heiau Place of worship, altar
I`a Marine fish
`Ike/ `ike kupuna Knowledge, wisdom of respected elders that is transmitted generationally
`Ilioholoikauaua Monk seal
Ka`ao Transcendental novels, myths, or legends. Stories that are passed down
about how or why something came to be; or stories designed to teach a
lesson about a real person in history, with a few facts dramatically changed.
Kahakai Area near the sea, beach
Kaheka Tidal pool area
Kai Sea, sea water, area near the sea I
Kai ola a Kanaloa All life in the ocean realm
Kalo Taro i
Kanaka Maoli An individual whose ancestors were natives of the area which consists of the
Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778 (42 U.S. Code, § 3057k—"Native Hawaiian"
defined)
Kanawai Law, code, rule
Kapu Taboo, prohibition
Kilo Observations
Ko`a Shrine, often consisting of circular piles of coral or stone, built along the
shore or by ponds or streams, used in ceremonies as to make fish multiply
Kohola Humpback Whale
Kohola Reef flats, bare reef, the first law a chief promulgates.
Kole Goldring surgeonfish
Konohiki Sub-chief; land agent for a chief; landlord agent. Headman of an ahupua`a
land division under the chief/self-sustaining and holistic methods of land and
resource stewardship
Konohiki System A partial definition of"The Ancient Hawaiian Land System" which legally
defines stewardship for right-holders within a specific region. (10-JUL Haw.
B.J. 46, Hawaii Bar Journal, July 2006, Hon. Jon J. Chinen (ret.), copyright
2006
Kuleana Prerogative; privledged responsibility; assignment; land division act of 1850.
Kupuna/kupuna Respected elder, grandparent, ancestor/plural of kupuna,
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KealaLeLua F)ay Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Lauhala Leaves of the hala tree (Pandanus tectorius)
Laulima Cooperation
Limu Algae
Limu kohu Asparagopsis taxiformis
Limu pahe`e Porphyra sp.
Loina Rule, custom, manners, code
Loko Ponds
Lokowai Anchialine pools
Mahalo/Mahalo piha Thank you/wholehearted gratitude
Maka`ili Rocky patches where sweet potato and kalo were cultivated
Makai Towards the ocean, seaward
M51ama/M51ama `aina To care for/To care for that which feeds us
Maria Power
Mana`o Thought, idea, belief, opinion
Mano Shark
Mauka Toward the mountains, inland, upland
Mete Song, anthem, or chant of any kind; poem, poetry
Mo`olelo Stories of place
Nai`a Porpoise, dolphin
Niho Foundation stone in dry-stack masonry
Niuhi Carnivorous shark
`Ohana Family
Oli Chant
`Olelo no`eau Hawaiian proverbs
Ope`ape`a Hawaiian hoary bat
`Opelu Mackerel scad
`Opihi Limpet
Paku`iku`i Achilles tang
Palaoa Sperm whale; lei palaoa, makau palaoa - tusk used from the palaoa. Highly
prized as a gift from Kanaloa. An indication or metaphor for abundance.
Pali Cliffs
Pili Close
Pilina Relationships
Pohaku Rocks
Pono Moral, righteous
Puna wai Freshwater springs
Roi Peacock grouper
Ta`ape Bluestripe snapper
To`au Blacktail snapper
`Uala Sweet potatoes
Ula Lobster
Wahi pana Storied place
Wai Water other than sea water
Wana Sea urchin
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KealaLeLua F)a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Glossary
Actions In the context of a Community Action Plan, the activities or interventions that explain
how objectives will be accomplished
Adaptive Adjusting your actions based on what you learn from implementing and monitoring
management
Area-based The integrated, sustainable management of the full suite of human activities occurring
management in large, spatially defined areas, which take into account biophysical, socioeconomic,
and jurisdictional considerations, wherein no-impact and low-use areas may be
necessary elements of biodiversity protection
Community Residents, families, and people who come together from across a wider geography to
care about a place from many perspectives—anyone who cares enough, steps up
and helps take care of and lift up a place is part of the community
Community-led Natural resource stewardship regime in which a community comprised of an
stewardship/ organized group of people with an ancestral, residential, and/or use-based
Community- relationship with a place is empowered through agreement, policy, or legal ownership
based to inform decision-making about how that place's resources are used, managed, and
management conserved. This includes a range of governance conditions, from a community
playing a formal advisory role to a government agency, a community exercising
exclusive collective ownership, or a hybrid set-up within this spectrum. The advisory
type of community-based management is currently the most commonly practiced in
contemporary Hawaii.
Collaborative Occurs when two or more parties within the collaboration share decision making
or Co- authority over common-pool resources (Berkes et al. 1991). The 1996 World
management Conservation Congress states via Resolution 1.42 that co-management is a
"partnership in which government agencies, local communities and resource users,
non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders negotiate, as appropriate to
each context, the authority and responsibility for the management of a specific area
or set of resources."
Goals A simple phrase that succinctly communicates your aim or desired result
Herbivore/ An animal/fish that feeds on plants
Herbivorous
fish
Objectives In the context of a Community Action Plan, the outcomes you hope to achieve that
answer the questions what, where, by how much, and in what time frame
Resource/ In the context of a Community Action Plan, something the community wants to
Resource protect. Typically, a plant, animal, or habitat of biological, social, cultural, and/or
species economic significance
Stakeholder(s) In the context of a Community Action Plan, individual or group with interest in the
geographic area/resources your group is working to protect
SMARTIE Objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound, inclusive, and
objectives equitable
Target In the context of a Community Action Plan, resources your group is working to protect
Threat In the context of a Community Action Plan, people or things putting pressure on the
resources your group is working to protect
Viable/viability Capable of survival
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KealaLeLua bay Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Vision In the context of a Community Action Plan, conveys what your resources, place, or
community will look like once you achieve your mission
Acronyms
CORAL Coral Reef Alliance
DAR DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources
DLNR Hawaii Department of Natural Resources
DOCARE DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement
HWF Hawaii Wildlife Fund
MLCD Marine Life Conservation District
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPS National Park Service
TNC The Nature Conservancy
UH University of Hawaii
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KealaLeLua 5a� Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
�ppendix 6: rapacity Needs Assessment
The CAP participants brainstormed an initial list of potential collaborators, resources, and opportunities
for support to implement CAP actions. We will expand upon the list as the CAP is implemented and
new information and relationships develop.
1'
o-
You care for us, we care for you
Kealakekua is respected, peaceful, and stewardship is led by
the community.
• Friends of Hanauma Bay
• Kamuela Plunkett
Objective 1.1: • DLNR Division of Boating and Recreation
Healthy human carrying . UH Manoa DURP Program
capacity limits determined . Pupukea Carrying Capacity Study
and management actions . Ha'ena and Hapuna Beach State Parks
implemented (including rest Hawaii Tourism Authority Destination Management Action
day closures) to manage Plans
commercial and visitor use
by 2027. Other ecotourism operators (e.g., at Molokini)
• The Kohala Center
• Fair Wind Cruises
• Kona Boys Kayak Co.
Objective 1.2:
Outreach and education • Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
campaigns implemented for • Frecia Cevallos (Hawai'i County)
residents and visitors • Caroline Anderson (Hawai'i Tourism Authority)
guided by the mo`olelo of • Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL)
Kealakekua by 2023.
Objective 1.3: • The Nature Conservancy
Ho'ala Kealakekua's • Hui Maka'ainana o Makana
organizational capacity built • Hui Aloha Kiholo
to successfully co-manage • Hawai'i Community Foundation
stewardship of Kealakekua • Hawai'i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations
in partnership with • State Parks
government agencies by • Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory 'Ohana
2023.
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Communit)Action Plan Comm.25-025
• •-
To seek the future, we must look deeply to the past
'Ike k0puna is the foundation that is integrated into education
programs, outreach, • management
• Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory `Ohana
• Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation
• Uncle Chuckie Leslie
• Kona Historical Society
Objective o E Ala PO Network, Kua`aina Ulu `Auamo
The `ike fpuaa and University of Hawaii at Hilo's Heritage Management Program
mo`olelo of Kealakekua integrated into management Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, NPS
actions, outreach and Halau Ohia
education for residents and Kamuela Plunkett
non-residents by 2024. Kumu Pono
• Daviana McGregor
Hawaii Tourism Authority
• Kepa Maly (2004) resource
• Hawai`i Community Foundation
• Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory `Ohana
• Division of State Parks, DLNR
• Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, NPS
Objective 2.2: Huliaupa`a
A cultural landscape Hawaiian Civic Club
preservation and Big Island Hiking Club
stewardship partnership Dennis Klimke
program established by Local Educators
2025. Kumu Hula
• University of Hawaii at Hilo Heritage Management Program
• Halau Ohia
• Kamuela Plunkett
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
• Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelson
• Kealakekua Bay Cultural Advisory `Ohana
• Ku-A-Kanaka, Aunty Ku Kakahakalau ma
• Local Educators
Objective 2.3: • Kumu Hula
Hikiau Heiau is a center of • University of Hawaii at Hilo Heritage Management Program
learning that drives • Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
development of community • Halau `Ohia
programs by 2023. • Kamuela Plunkett
• Office of Hawaiian Affairs
• Office of Hawaiian Education
• Native Hawaiian Educational Grants
• Kokua Hawaii Foundation
ENVIRONMENT
NVIRONMENT
hen
When you thrive, we thrive
•. • • abundant
•- • • benefit
Objective 3.1:
Past and present ecological Dr. John Burns (University of Hawaii at Hilo)
conditions understood and Arizona State University
management actions Edith Kanaka`ole Foundation
implemented to restore Manuel Mejia (Coral Reef Alliance)
Kealakekua's coral reefs by Cultural Advisory `Ohana
2023.
• Erica Perez (Coral Reef Alliance)
• Tracy Wiegner (University of Hawaii at Hilo)
• Pam Madden (Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority)
Objective 3.2: Rebecca Most (The Nature Conservancy)
Baseline water quality Rick Bennett or Rae Chandler-`lao
conditions assessed and (Kona Water Keepers)
actions implemented to Hawaii Wai Ola
improve water quality by Stuart Coleman (Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations)
2025. Craig Downs (Haereticus Environmental Laboratory)
• Greg Asner (Arizona State University)
• Representative Nicole Lowen
• NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program grants
Hokuli`a Water Quality Reports
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Kcalakckua Bay Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
• Fair Wind Water Quality results (Dear Ocean collaboration)
• The Nature Conservancy
• Hui Loko network
• Steve Hess (USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research
Center, retired)
Objective 3.3: • South Kohala Coastal Partnership
Invasive species reduced by • Three Mountain Alliance
50% in priority areas and • Local hunting and fishing groups
native species abundance • Hiki Ola
increased by 2027. • University of Hawaii at Hilo
• Terraformation
• Hawai`i Wildlife Fund
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Division of Forestry and Wildlife
• Stacia Marcoux (Division of Aquatic Resources)
• Keali`i Sagum (Division of Aquatic Resources)
Objective 3.4: Ka Huli Ao
Current MLCD rules CBSFA communities
evaluated and fishing rules NO CRISES research group
modified as appropriate by Hannah Springer (Ka`upulehu Marine Life Advisory
2023. Committee)
• TNC FishPath
• Department of Land and Natural Resources
• David Aku Carruthers (NOAA Office of Law Enforcement)
Objective 3.5: Cammy Dabney (NOAA)
Violations of marine wildlife Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement
rules decreased by 50% by (DOCARE) Kona Officers
2024. Hawaii County Police Department
• Hawai`i County Planning Office
• Hawai`i Tourism Authority
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Appendix C: Indigenous Rights, Right-holders and
Stakeholders, and the Application of the Paoakalani
Declaration
In October 2003, Kanaka Maoli of Ka Pae `Aina Hawaii gathered at the Ka `Aha Pono— Native
Hawaiian Intellectual Property Rights Conference— and united to express our collective right of self-
determination to perpetuate our culture under threat of theft and commercialization of the tradtional
knowledge of Kanaka Maoli, our wahi pana, and na mea Hawaii.
The Kealakekua Bay CAP acknowledges the unique legal status of the indigenous residents of
Kealakekua Bay, generally referred to as Mauliauhonua, generational residents or Native Hawaiians,
and urges to protect and continue to create abundance for their traditions, customs, and spiritual
lifestyle, not limited to but, afforded by the County of Hawaii, State of Hawaii, U.S. Federal, and
International governments. The Kealakekua Bay CAP also recognizes place-based knowledge holders
to navigate traditions, customs, and spiritual lifestyles within the jurisdiction of the Kealakekua Bay
CAP.
The Paoakalani Declaration can be found on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs website at this link:
https://www.oha.org/ne ws/statement-on-the-aloha-poke-controversy/paoakalani-declaration/
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Kcalakckua Ba ) Community Action Plan Comm.25-025
Appendix D: Community-Based Participatory Research -
Data Management and Collection
Community-based participatory research is an approach to research that involves collective, reflective
and systemic inquiry in which researchers and community stakeholders and right-holders engage as
equal partners in all steps of the research process with the goals of education, improving practice, or
bringing about social change. This approach to research is recognized as particularly useful when
working with populations that experience marginalization, such as Indigenous communities, because it
supports the establishment of respectful relationships and the sharing of control over individual and
group health and social conditions.
The purpose of this appraoch is to recognize the value of `ike kupuna, community place-based
knowleldge holders, and academic researchers and to set up a framework to address the need for
improved transdiciplinary and intervention research methods.
The Kealakekua Bay CAP will design an appropriate framework for all stakeholders and right-holders to
facilitate and prioritize the increase and evolution of all knowledge sources and understanding of a
given akua (phenomenon) and to integrate the knowledge gained with interventions for policy and
social change benefiting the community and natural and cultural resources the Kealakekua Bay CAP
serves.
An optional template for research and data sharing agreements can be found on page 184 of the
created by the Maui Nui Makai Network.
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