HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm 26-032 - LOS 26-08 Vacca, Kirsten
Comm 26-032
From:Kirsten Vacca
To:PONC Testimony
Subject:Testimony for Preserving HkliÒa
Date:Tuesday, March 3, 2026 1:37:31 PM
Aloha PONC Commissioners,
My name is Kirsten Vacca, and I respectfully submit this testimony in strong support of
preservation actions that protect the Hklia Cave (Hokulia lava-tube system). Preserving
this site is not only about protecting a geological feature; it is about safeguarding a shared
inheritance that benefits community members, future generations, and the scientific
understanding that informs responsible stewardship across Hawaii Island.
For educators like myself, the preserved cave systems provide opportunities for place-based
learning that connect geology, ecology, and cultural history. A common question I am often
asked from my local students and communities I work with is how can we learn more about
the geological and environmental history of the islands? Protecting HkliÒa Cave provides an
invaluable opportunity for current and future generations to experience and learn about the
past in ways that cannot be replicated once altered. This is a non-renewable resource that must
be protected.
Protecting Hklia Cave aligns directly with the CommissionÓs purpose to preserve lands of
natural, historic, and community value for present and future generations. I respectfully
request that this testimony be included in the official record and that strong consideration be
given to preservation measures that safeguard this site for the benefit of the broader
community.
Respectfully,
Kirsten Vacca
--
Kirsten Vacca, PhD
Associate Professor of Anthropology, UH West OÒahu
| kmvacca@hawaii.edu
Pronouns: she/her/hers
https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/academics/degrees/social-
sciences/