HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm 26-069 - LOS 26-08 Mermel, Jeffrey
Comm 26-069
From:Jeffrey Mermel
To:PONC
Subject:In SUPPORT of the Preservation of the HkliÓa Cave
Date:Wednesday, March 4, 2026 10:18:42 PM
Aloha PONC Commissioners
I was fortunate to be hired by the National Park Service to come to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in 1976 on
a temporary assignment in the Interpretation Division. Since then, I went into business, retired and returned to that
NPS division, now as a volunteer.
I mention this only to say that I have some appreciation of the efforts needed to preserve special places on this
island. The HkliÓa Cave is certainly one of those special places.
Lava tubes function as non-renewable environmental archives. Sediments and deposits within these 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 HkliÓa Cave therefore supports evidence based management that benefits the entire county.
Underground systems like lava tubes, obviously lack surface visibility, and therefore their significance can be
underestimated in parcel-based evaluations. I respectfully urge the Commission to ensure that caves and lava tubes
are clearly recognized as qualifying resources deserving proactive protection, particularly as you consider
amendments to the rules and prioritization processes.
Mahalo for your kind consideration of this letter IN SUPPORT of the preservation of the HkliÓa Cave.
Respectfully,
Jeffrey Mermel
Volcano, HI 96785