HomeMy WebLinkAboutComm 26-070 - LOS 26-08 Chambers, Brennan
Comm 26-070
Kahaialii, Athena M
From:Brennan Chambers <bvfchambers13@gmail.com>
Sent:Thursday, March 5, 2026 9:13 AM
To:PONC
Subject:Hklia Cave
Aloha PONC Commissioners,
My name is Brennan Chambers, and I respectfully submit this testimony in strong support of
preservation actions that protects 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.
Mahalo for your time,
1
Comm 26-070
Brennan
2