HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm 26-062 - LOS 26-08 McKLamb, Margaret
Comm 26-062
From:Margaret McKLamb
To:PONC
Subject:Protect the Hklia Cave
Date:Wednesday, March 4, 2026 3:17:59 PM
Aloha PONC Commissioners,
My name is Margaret, 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 residents, preservation of Hklia Cave affirms the protection of place-based identity and
continuity. 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, the loss is permanent. Protection signals that some spaces hold value beyond short-term
developmentÏthat they are essential to the islandÓs 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
history, climate variability, and biodiversity across centuries. These records inform wildfire
mitigation, watershed protection, 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.
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.
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,
--
Margaret McKLamb
Master of Science Student
Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science
University of Hawaii at Hilo