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<br />Comm 26-053 <br />Aloha PONC Commissioners, <br />My name is Lilly Thomey, and I respectfully submit this testimony in strong support of <br />preservation actions that protect the Hklia Cave (Hokulia lava-tube system). Preserving this <br />site is not only about protecting a geological feature; it is about safeguarding a shared inheritance <br />that benefits community members, future generations, and the scientific understanding that <br />informs responsible stewardship across Hawaii Island. <br />For residents, preservation of Hklia Cave affirms the protection of place-based identity and <br />continuity. Lava tubes are part of the living landscape that shapes how communities understand <br />their relationship to ina. They hold ecological memory and physical evidence of past <br />environments that ground present-day stewardship decisions. When such sites are damaged or <br />lost, the loss is permanent. Protection signals that some spaces hold value beyond short-term <br />developmentÏthat they are essential to the islandÓs long-term well-being. <br />For educators and students, preserved cave systems provide opportunities for place-based <br />learning that connect geology, ecology, and cultural history. Maintaining their integrity allows <br />future generations to experience and learn from these environments in ways that cannot be <br />replicated once altered. <br />For scientists and resource managers, lava tubes function as nonrenewable environmental <br />archives. Sediments and deposits within caves may preserve records of vegetation change, fire <br />history, climate variability, and biodiversity across centuries. These records inform wildfire <br />mitigation, watershed protection, and conservation planning. Once disturbed, the information <br />they contain cannot be recovered. Preserving Hklia Cave therefore supports evidence-based <br />management that benefits the entire county. <br />Because subterranean systems often lack obvious surface visibility, their significance can be <br />underestimated in parcel-based evaluations. I respectfully urge the Commission, particularly as it <br />considers amendments to its rules and prioritization processes, to ensure that caves and lava <br />tubes are clearly recognized as qualifying resources deserving proactive protection. <br />Protecting Hklia Cave aligns directly with the CommissionÓs purpose to preserve lands of <br />natural, historic, and community value for present and future generations. I respectfully request <br />that this testimony be included in the official record and that strong consideration be given to <br />preservation measures that safeguard this site for the benefit of the broader community. <br />Respectfully, <br />Lilly Thomey <br />