HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm 26-042 - LOS 26-08 Barkats, Kathleen
Comm 26-042
Aloha PONC Commissioners,
My name is Kathleen Barkats, and I respectfully submit this testimony in strong support of
-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
-based identity and
continuity. Lava tubes are part of the living landscape that shapes how communities understand
ical evidence of past
environments that ground present-day stewardship decisions. When such sites are damaged or
lost, the loss is permanent. Protection signals that some spaces hold value beyond short-term
development—that they are essential to the island’s long-term well-being.
For educators and students, preserved cave systems provide opportunities for place-based
learning that connect geology, ecology, and cultural history. 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
ords inform wildfire
mitigation, watershed protection, and conservation planning. Once disturbed, the information
-based
management that benefits the entire county.
Because subterranean systems often lack obvious surface visibility, their significance can be
underestimated in parcel-based evaluations. I respectfully urge the Commission, particularly as it
considers amendments to its rules and prioritization processes, to ensure that caves and lava
tubes are clearly recognized as qualifying resources deserving proactive protection.
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,
Kathleen Barkats