HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm 26-038 - LOS 26-08 Dullanty, Malialani
Comm 26-038
From:Malialani Dullanty
To:PONC
Subject:Written Testimony for the Preservation of Hklia
Date:Wednesday, March 4, 2026 8:01:09 AM
Aloha mai kkou,
My name is Malialani Dullanty. I am Kanaka Maoli and a resident of Moku o Keawe,
submitting this written testimony in support of preservation actions that protect the Hklia
Cave (Hokulia lava-tube system). Preservation of this site does more than protect a geological
feature; it will safeguard a shared inheritance for Knaka, kamaaina, and moopuna that
benefits the community and scientific understanding that informs responsible stewardship on
Moku o Keawe and further across the paeina.
Preservation of Hklia Cave affirms the protection of place-based identity and continuity as
lava tubes are part of the living landscape that shapes how communities understand their
relationship to ina. They hold ecological memory and physical evidence of past
environments that ground present-day stewardship decisions. When such sites are damaged or
lost, that loss is permanent and far reaching. Protection signals that some spaces hold value
beyond short-term developmentÏthat they are essential to the islandÓs long-term well-being.
For educators, students, and the wider scientific community, preserved cave systems provide
opportunities for place-based learning that connect geology, ecology, geography, cultural
history and values, and more. Maintaining their integrity allows future generations to
experience and learn from these environments in ways that cannot be replicated once altered.
For scientists and resource managers, lava tubes function as nonrenewable environmental
archives. Sediments and deposits within caves may preserve records of vegetation change, fire
history, climate variability, cultural artifacts, and biodiversity across centuries. These records
inform wildfire mitigation, watershed protection, anthropological histories, and conservation
planning. Once disturbed, the information they contain cannot be recovered. Preserving
Hklia Cave therefore supports evidence-based management that benefits the entire county
and archipelago. Because subterranean systems often lack obvious surface visibility, their
significance can be underestimated in parcel-based evaluations.
I urge the Commission to ensure that caves and lava tubes are clearly recognized as qualifying
resources deserving proactive protection, particularly as it considers amendments to its rules
and prioritization processes. 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.
Me ka mahalo nui,
Malialani Dullanty