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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 Pohaha I Ka Lani Final Report_Waipi'o Valley Lookout, Hamakua TMK.: (3) 4-8-004:006PŌHĀHĀ I KA LANI P.O. BOX 412 KURTISTOWN, HI 96760 Website: www.pohahaikalani.com Email: pohahaikalani@gmail.com PONC STEWARDSHIP GRANT 2017 Award Waipiʻo Valley Lookout Parcel, TMK: 4-8-04:06 Final Report Date: September 30, 2018 CONTACT PERSON: Jesse Keone Potter, President Phone: Mobile (808) 936-9610 Email: jesse.k.potter@gmail.com TO: County of Hawaiʻi Parks & Recreation Department CC: Department of Finance, Property Management Division January 2017July 2016 April 2018 Koaʻekea:Waipiʻo Valley PONC Parcel Progression Under the Stewardship of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani 0 40 8020 Meters µ Introduction – Character and Status of the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout PONC property The Waipiʻo Valley Lookout PONC property is unique in that it is a property purchased as a Public, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation property yet has the perception of being like a public park due to it’s grass areas and proximity to the lookout parking lot, the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout Pavilion’s below & the Waipiʻo Valley Resource Ranger kiosk directly next to the primary gate. Other PONC properties such as the Kawā property in Kaʻū and Kohanʻiki property in Kona have a beach park character with minimal vegetation growth, while the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout PONC property has a County recreational park character continuous vegetative growth. With the perception of the character of this property, the community has expressed that the property should be accessible and usable by the public for general access & private events. However, due to the excessive vegetative growth on uneven terrain, steep drop- offs, and muddy conditions in areas that are still grassing out, the property is still in a condition that is not completely safe and free from unnecessary liability risks for unsupervised access. This was agreed upon in discussions with former Parks & Recreation Director Charmaine Kamaka & Assistant Director Ryan Chong in 2017, and that until the property is a County approved state that unsupervised public access shouldn’t be allowed. Furthermore, since there are no rules & guidelines for public access and use of PONC properties, there is no explicit description of how & when the public can utilize the property unsupervised manner and no process for how the public can request usage for small to medium size private events, such as birthday parties, family gatherings, etc. Until such time that the property is deemed as reasonably safe and rules & guidelines are developed through the Parks & Recreation Department public input process, the property is not fully a public open space and even signage that describes what the property is cannot be installed (some of which is already made). This reality and the perception that it should be a public open space at the current time has caused some undue public frustration and criticism of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani. Community workdays in the 2016 PONC Stewardship were attended well by the Waipiʻo Valley and Kukuihaele community, as they participated and witnessed the transformation of the property into a usable site. However, after not being allowed usage, the sense of place of the community in this space was understandably weekend, and participation in community workdays was not expected to be as significant, and our focus shifted more towards educational groups hostings of schools, universities, hula halau, and community groups. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani has continued to maintain the property and make progress towards the goal of a safe, public open space with thriving natural resources of native plants, and hopes that the creation of the public access & usage rules & guidelines creation coincides soon after the mitigation of safety hazards. We have made progress towards mitigating safety hazards, specifically the tapering of two steep drop offs into safer slopes in preparation for interior fencing in our 2018 PONC stewardship period. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani believes that once the site is fully safe for public access and clear & defined means for public usage are established through Parks & Recreation rules & guidelines that a fully awakened sense of the properties future will become a reality. In the meantime, Pōhāhā I Ka Lani will continue to improve the site and conduct cultural education activities on the site to enhance safety, enliven the ʻāina, honor & share the cultural history of Koaʻekea, Waipiʻo, & Kukuihaele, and invite learners from schools, universities, and the community to join in the journey. 2017 Stewardship Summary 2017 PONC stewardship funds were received on May 22, 2017, 5 months after the anticipated start date of January 2017. The current stewardship period ended on August 31, 2018, for a total stewardship period of 15 months, with extensions due to delays in award of the 2018 Stewardship grant period. Continuation of stewardship at the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout PONC parcel (aka Thomas or Rice Property) by Pōhāhā I Ka Lani has resulted in the ongoing maintenance, improvement, and cultivation of the property for the Hawaiʻi Island community for “outdoor recreation and education”1 potential on the property. The first year of stewardship in 2016 was a resounding transformation of the 1 Hawaii County Charter, 10-15 Cultural Background of Koaʻekea, the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout As an organization whose founder has genealogical and deep cultural ties to Waipiʻo Valley, the stewardship of Koaʻekea (Waipiʻo Valley PONC Lookout parcel) is a significant kuleana and blessing. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani refers to the parcel as Koaʻekea, the traditional cultural place name. It is of significant importance to Waipiʻo Valley, the surrounding Kukuihaele & Honokaʻa communities, and for the entire Hawaiʻi County public. Koaʻekea is considered a traditional Hawaiian land section known as ʻili, which is a smaller land section within the larger ahupuaʻa, or land division from mountain to sea. Aptly named for the Koaʻekea bird (indigenous white- tailed tropic bird, Phaethon lepturus dorotheae) that frequents the area, Koaʻekea is also famous for being the ʻili that aliʻi kaulana (famous chief) ʻUmi-a-Līloa entered into Waipiʻo Valley when returning as a man to eventually conquer the valley from his cruel brother Hākau1. Koaʻekea signifies an entry point into he manawa pono (a pono time) for Waipiʻo Valley in that time. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani believes that the revitalization of this ʻāina of Koaʻekea will be the beginning of a new manawa pono for Waipiʻo Valley. property, and so far in 2017, Pōhāhā I Ka Lani has been able to continue that momentum since the commencement of our 2017 stewardship on May 9th, 2017. Although the property is only approximately 1.8 acres, the property has required a tremendous amount of work to transform it towards something that is: 1) safe for general public access, minimizing concerns for liability risk to the County of Hawaiʻi and Pōhāhā I Ka Lani on the property and along the roadways adjacent to the border; 2) an open space cultivated to be a wahi pana of the community for present usage & historic cultural understanding; and 3) a place of living beauty that stands as a functional kia hoʻomanaʻo (monument) to the importance of natural resource preservation. The 2017 Stewardship period significantly advanced the progress of the property towards a safe public open space while educating and involving in stewardship participants from K-12 & university students, hula halau, and the Hawaiʻi Island community. The 2017 stewardship period was highlight by: a) the felling & disposal or chipping of 5 large mango and 4 large Norfolk Pine trees; b) clearing of tall trees along Waipiʻo Valley access road; c) removal of 8 trailer (5 ft x 10 ft) loads of trash from the site; d) hosting of dozens of organizations/groups and hundreds of participants; e) excavation of steep slopes into safe, tapered slope; f) maintenance of property. Designated Property Zones The PONC parcel was mapped via the Hawaiʻi County Property Tax Map website and Google Earth and marked with “zones” based on land features for reference and planning to more easily develop and implement a community based Site Re-vegetation Plan and Educational Plan. Designated Zones & Descriptions v Zone 1 – Large open area fronting lookout parking lot. Ø Slightly sloping area with established grass. 10% dirt/mud. v Zone 2 – Flat Area below Resource Ranger Kiosk Ø Predominantly Guinea Grass, with standing Albizia stump and approx. 2-to-1 slop up to Zone 1. v Zone 3 – Dirt Flats of Former House Platform Ø 90% dirt/mud with grass slowly establishing. Area where Ficus excavated last year. v Zone 4 – Large Slope above Zone 3 Ø Extends to top property boundary with varying slope. 90% dirt/mud. 10-20ft sheer drop towards Zone 5. v Zone 5 – Land strip below Zone 3 & 4 Ø Extension of Zone 1 with same elevation. 60% dirt/mud. Steep dirt slope downwards to Zone 6 v Zone 6 – Land strip below Zone 5 Ø Narrow area between fence line, with steep dirt/mud slope upwards to Zone 5. v Zone 7 – Generally unusable portion of property outside of fenceline. Ø 60-100ft steep slope downwards towards ditch & access road. Aerial Mapping, December 2016 Tree canopy cover not reflective of current state of property, as trees in Zone 4 have been largely removed and bamboo thinned significantly. 2017 Stewardship Goal Our goal for 2017 focuses on implementation of the previously proposed Native Re-Vegetation Plan and place-based Educational Plan, while continuing maintenance of the property and management of invasive species. Summary of Progress in 2017 PONC Stewardship In 2017, the Waipiʻo Valley PONC Lookout parcel is has continued its transformation, of stewardship work, continuing towards these aims, encompassing primarily maintenance of property, large tree removal, re-vegetation, group hosting, and educational workshops. Additional funding through a Hawaii Tourism Authority Living Hawaiian Culture Kūkulu Ola grant was acquired to support the educational workshop costs of honorariums and travel. With the delayed execution of the stewardship contract and the entrance into a Lā Nina season, Pōhāhā I Ka Lani aims to accomplish as much as possible in 2017. A grant amendment was submitted and approved in October 2017 to allow for more contracted services to improve the property for safety & functionality via tree work & chipping, large green waste removal, site work, automatic gate installation, and installation of water tanks. 2017 Stewardship Statistics (as of October 2017) v Over 50 Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer stewardship workdays Ø Pōhāhā I Ka Lani members volunteer work v 1,000 hours plus of estimated Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer hours for coordination, planning, site work, and group hosting. Ø Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer hours included: § Maintain site, including: • Twice (2x) monthly maintenance of grass areas, with riding mower grass cutting and string trimmer edge of grass areas, including front fence line and outer fence line, around garden areas, steps, and other areas as needed. • Clear fallen debris such as palm fronds, fallen banana trees, etc. • Maintain fenceline with blade and string trimmer • Install weed mat in areas needed for long term suppression of vegetation. • Fell large Norfolk trees that posed hazard to neighbors. § Maintain or repair equipment • Repair & maintenance expenses in budget are primarily repair parts. • Volunteer labor provided by Pōhāhā I Ka Lani to repair equipment such as mower, string trimmers, chainsaws, and trailer. § Acquire supplies to maintain property • Volunteer coordination efforts to purchase supplies and equipment for stewardship activities, group hostings, and workshops. § Assure safety of acquired equipment and supplies • Equipment and supplies housed at Pōhāhā I Ka Lani address, with safety ensured and spread of invasive species prevented. § Inventory and assess current native plants § Plant propagated plants based on Revegetation Plan • Plantings down with educational group hostings and also solely by Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer staff. § Assess and inventory invasive species remaining on property. • Work planned for volunteer stewardship activities such as installation of weedmat or cutting with blade. § Sponsor community workdays to reduce invasive species • Community workdays were reduced and efforts focused on educational group hostings described below due to the inability of the immediate Waipiʻo Valley & Kukuihaele community to utilize it and therefore feel a sense of ownership connected with usage due to a lack of County of Hawaiʻi rules & guidelines for PONC properties such as the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout. § Contact community schools and organizations for participation in stewardship activities and educational learning, including: • Ancient and modern history of Waipiʻo Valley and the Kukuihaele area. • Cultural myths and legends of Waipiʻo Valley and the Kukuihaele area. • History of the Waipiʻo Lookout PONC property, including previous owners, community effort & intentions to purchase, and the history of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani’s stewardship of the site starting in January 2016. § Implement Educational Plan including ongoing classes, workshops and weekend camps • Research conducted for sharing with groups, including moʻolelo and histories. § Plan and coordinate gatherings and events. • Communication with groups and participants prior to hostings and workshops. § Advertise gatherings and events via social media, pre and/or post. v 36 educational & stewardship group hostings Ø Pōhāhā I Ka Lani member volunteer hosting of educational & stewardship group, including educational workshops v 295 youth participants Ø Participants 18 or younger v 449 adult participants Ø Participants 18 or older v 744 total participants. Ø Youth + Adult participants v 3 educational workshops held Ø Poi Board Making Workshop utilizing lumber from land Ø Moʻolelo and Cultural Art Workshop Ø Hoʻoponopono Workshop v 21 organizations & more participated in education and stewardship hostings & workshops: Ø KUPU Hawaiʻi § summer conservation teams, four teams of 5 youth interns + group leader Ø Hui Mālama I Ke Ala ʻŪlili Ø Hawaiian Cultural Center of Hāmākua Ø Hālau Mohala ʻIlima Ø Kū-a-Kanaka Ø Pacific Heritage Academy (Salt Lake City, Utah) Ø Honokaʻa High School Summer Bridge Program Ø Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy High School Ø Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy Middle School Ø Guy “Hanohano” & Maile Naehu of Keawanui Loko Iʻa (Fishpond), Molokaʻi Ø Ke Ala ʻIke Kūpuna Ø Kohala Center, High School Agricultural Internship Program Ø InPeace, Keiki Steps Program Ø Ke Kula ʻO ʻEhunuikaimalino Public Charter School Ø University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Geography Department Ø Hilo Baptist Collegiate Ministries Ø YMCA Atherton, Oʻahu Ø University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, STEMS2 Masters in Education Program Ø Halau Māunuunu Ø Ono Ka ʻAi Pono – Waimea Middle School Intersession Program Ø Hawaiʻi Pacific University Tropical Ecology & Sustainability Class Ø Kohala community members Ø New & visiting island residents Ø Japanese visitors Progress on Objectives/Outcomes Descriptions of progress on objectives and indication of organizational volunteer, contracted services, and/or volunteer participants for work described. 1. Maintain Property Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer, volunteer participant, and group hosting workdays reclaimed overgrowth of property after two-month delay between contracts (March & April). Reclaimation of overgrowth, primarily aggressive and tall Guinea Grass, consumed much of the first few months of work, including 4 different groups participating in stewardship. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer work of grass maintenance occurred throughout granting period. Contracted services were procured for tree work, chipping, machine work to clear logs, and excavation. Maintenance of property has included: • GRASS MAITENANCE (Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer) o Mowing & string trimming of grass monthly, as property fronts the Waipiʻo Valley Lookout parking lot and is highly visible, so aesthetic appearance is crucial. Grass maintenance areas include: Jesse Potter of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteering to cut grass throughout the 15 month stewardship period. § Zone 1 • Section of parcel fronting Lookout parking & turnaround cleared and maintained from the beginning of the stewardship. • ʻUlu and Maiʻa stands have grown significantly and are thriving with regular maintenance and mulching with woodchips produced in 2016 PONC stewardship. • Defecation area removed (See TREE WORK section) § Zone 2 • Small flat area facing the County lookout bathrooms cleared and now maintained after reclaiming area due to large vegetation overgrowth during layover phase. • Area has begun to be weed matted from fence line inwards, as it is almost entirely vigorous guinea grass. • Area has a hula garden of native plants and ti leaf fronting the Waipiʻo Valley access road towards the bathrooms direction. § Zone 3 • The former house platform (Zone 3) has been cleared of most invasive overgrowth is easily walkable. o NOTE: Pōhāhā I Ka Lani does not use synthetic chemical herbicides such as Round Up. • OVERGROWTH MAINTENANCE o Hand removal and blade cutting of tall guinea grass & other vegetation in Zones 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6, including: § Tall guinea grass outside fence line along Waipiʻo Valley access road § White shrimp plant and other weeds in the top area of Zone 4 below bamboo stand. o NOTE: Pōhāhā I Ka Lani does not use synthetic chemical herbicides such as Round Up. • NATIVE GARDEN MAINTENANCE o Weeding and replanting of native gardens throughout property, primarily in Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4. o Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer staff along with hosted groups and hired general labor conducted native garden maintenance. o As the native gardens have expanded in Zones 1, 2, 3, and 4, it has taken more and more manpower to maintain the native gardens for aesthetics and health. o NOTE: Pōhāhā I Ka Lani does not use synthetic chemical herbicides such as Round Up. • TREE WORK o Large tree work continued, including: § Felling of 4 large Norfolk Pine near Honokaʻa- side fenceline and within reach of neighboring house, property and powerlines. (Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer & contracted services) • Norfolk pines were previously protected from direct winds by removed large Ficus trees. • Removal eliminated any chance of tree failure (fall over) affecting neighboring property. § Clearing & chipping of multiple banyan, avocado, and guava along Waipiʻo Valley Access Road (Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer & contracted services) Jesse Potter of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteering to fell large trees. • Trees were hanging directly over Waipiʻo Valley Access Road and were also previously protected from direct winds by removed Albizia, Banyan, & Ficus trees. • Removal eliminated any chance of tree failure (fall over) affecting vehicle & foot traffic on the road, through damage or impediment of travel. • Multiple avocado trees were observed to have signs of future failure, including trunk rot and root lifting. § Managing &Thinning Large Bamboo Stand • Tree services contractor cut the dead and/or broken bamboo, along with thinning the stand for easy and safe access. • Bamboo was chipped on site. • Two different times the bamboo was managed and thinned due to continually breaking bamboo, which was exposed to the wind after large mango, banyan, and chocolate albizia were removed during 2016 PONC Stewardship. § Defecated Areca Palm & Moneytree Cleared • The Areca Palm and Moneytree stand near the Waipiʻo Valley parking lot and Resource Ranger Kiosk regularly provided a place for the public to hide and defecate inconspicuously, only to be later discovered by Pōhāhā I Ka Lani in our stewardship activities. Human feces was found multiple times, so the tree services contractor was hired to cut and chip the Areca Palm and Moneytree stand. • TRASH REMOVAL o The property contained remnants of the vast amount of trash and abandoned vehicles strewn across the property found in Year 1, with unfinished trash removal from continuing. Trash removal included: § One dozen (12) 31 gallon trash cans of miscellaneous trash picked up by hand and removed. (Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer & volunteer participants), with regular finding of trash when working on the area fronting Waipiʻo Valley § A total of eight (8) 5ft x 10ft trailer load of trash and abandoned vehicle parts were removed in the 2017 stewardship term. • Trash was loaded onto trailer by Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer and contracted services (green waste hauling contractor and hired general labor) and hauled to transfer station by personal vehicle of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani organizational volunteer and rented trucks. • Small backhoe was rented in 2018 to removed abandoned vehicle parts from the large drop off area prior to the planned excavation of the drop off. Small backhoe was used to excavate and extricate the abandoned vehicle parts including engine, transmission, axles, body parts, and other miscellaneous trash in the area. o NOTE: Partial of abandoned vehicle and multiple cans of trash remaining on property to be cleared either in 2017 or 2018. • FELLED TREE CLEAN UP o Large logs of felled trees remained on the property after Year 1 and further felling of trees during 2017. § Large logs & other green waste unable to be chipped were hauled from property (Contracted services) § Some large logs have been stacked along 10-20ft drop-off to eliminate liability risk of unpermitted public wandering through front parts of the property (Contracted services) • EXCAVATION OF STEEP DROP OFFS FOR TAPERED SLOPE o The two large drop offs facing Waipiʻo Valley which were observed as a dangerous situation by former Parks & Recreation Director Charmane Kamaka, Assistant Director Ryan Chong, and staff Reid Sewake & Nori Ishii during a site visit on July 25, 2017. The drop offs were a large part of the reason the 2017 Waipiʻo Valley Kalo Festival was not approved for usage of the PONC property (along with poor timeliness of the application, muddy conditions, parking, and size of event). o Due to delay in award of 2018 PONC stewardship grant, anticipated on January 1, 2018, and multiple extensions of of the 2017 stewardship grant funds until August 31, 2018, the decision was made to utilize 2017 PONC stewardship funds to conduct the mitigation of steep drop offs via excavation into safer grade of slopes. o Steep drop offs were made into safer grade of slopes, with interior fencing still planned to be installed during the 2018 PONC stewardship award term. The interior fencing will further mitigate any risk of the slopes being accessed by the public and incurring injury. o NOTE!!!: During the excavation of the slopes, a significant amount of trash was discovered buried in the soil, resulting in three (3) 5ft x 10ft trailer loads of trash hauled to the transfer station. 2. Review and implement Native Revegetation Plan (which includes propagating and planting native species and reducing invasive species) In the 1st year of stewardship, 2016, community surveys were done to getting general guidelines for a Native Revegetation Plan, including removal of invasive species and establishment of Native, indigenous, and beneficial plant species to reestablish a modern Native Hawaiian ecosystem. Invasive species were largely removed through continued community workdays and organizational workdays. The primary invasive species that currently remain is Guinea Grass, the White Shrimp Plant, and Castor Bean, along with some other minor weeds. Some large tree work remained, including multiple Royal Palms, Norfolk, and Cook Island pines, along with dangerous Banyan and Avocado overhanging the Waipiʻo Valley Access Road. Also, large Chocolate Albizia stumps remain standing or felled. Guinea grass continues to need to be maintained and removed when time permits, with weed mat as an interim method to reduce its vigor. Initial plantings occurred in the 1st year, and continuation of the Revegetation Plan occurred in 2017. Although, now that much of the invasive tree canopy has been cleared, a Native canopy & shade mixture of ʻulu, niu, and maiʻa is needing to grow to maturity in order to really sustain some of the more shade preferable Native & beneficial plants. Further planting for revegetation will continue through Pōhāhā I Ka Lani member volunteer and volunteer participants with group hostings. • REMOVAL OF INVASIVE SPECIES & MAINTENANCE OF ESTABLISHED PLANTINGS o Thinning & chipping of large bamboo stand for access, safety, and aesthetics (Contracted services) § Large bamboo stand (60ft width x 25ft length x 50ft height) had large sections of dead material, a large pile of bamboo debris from fenceline clearing, and many leaning shoots after being previously protected by Mango, Ficus, and other trees. § Clearing was done so as to remove dead bamboo, leaning shoots, and bamboo debris for safety and walkability of the area. o Maintenance of established gardens and plantings of Native & beneficial plants (Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer & volunteer participants) § Gardens established in Year 1 (2016) of stewardship were maintained through weeding, mulching, and replanting if needed. • ʻUlu (breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis) – Maʻafala variety [Donated by Amy Greenwell Botanical Gardens] o Zone 1 • Maiʻa (banana, Musa paradisiaca) – Huamoa variety [Donated by Amy Greenwell Botanical Gardens] o Zone 1, 3, and • Loulu (Native fan palm) – [Donated by Amy Greenwell Botanical Gardens] • Kalo (Colocasia esculenta) – various indigenous varieties • Uala (Ipomea batatas) – Currently unknown variety [Donated by community member] • ʻŌlena (Curcuma domestica) – Blue rhizome variety [Donated by community member] • Kō (sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum) – various varieties of indigenous Kō • Pili (pili grass, Heteropogon contortus) – a few small plantings for educationa and possible future use. • Hibiscus (Malvaceae sp.) – various varieties of Native & indigenous hibiscus • NEW PLANTINGS o Establishment of new plantings of Native & beneficial plants across property (Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer & volunteer participants) § ʻUlu (breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis) – Maʻafala, Otea, and Fiti • Zone 3 and 4 § Niu (coconut, Cocos nucifera) - dwarf varieties for low growth and production. • Zone 3 § Maiʻa (banana, Musa paradisiaca) - Various indigenous varieties, including ʻEleʻele, Popoulu, Iholena, Feti, Hapai, and others. • Zone 3 & 4 § Kalo (Colocasia esculenta) – various indigenous varieties • Replantings in Zone 1, 3, and 4. § Mamaki (Pipterus albidus) • Replantings in Zone 3 & 4 § Various native plants in hula garden outside Zone 2 near Waipiʻo Valley access road: • Hala ʻula, • ʻukiʻuki, • laʻamea, • lama, • pōhinahina, • nanu, • koʻokoʻolau, • palapalai • palaʻā 3. Review and implement Educational Plan including offering regular classes, workshops and weekend camps Educational Aspects from Community Planning Survey’s of 2016 Pōhāhā I Ka Lani PONC Stewardship • Community Meeting & Gathering place primarily for community associations, families, educational fairs, cultural workshops, and farmers market o Community gatherings to “foster community, inclusiveness, ʻohana.” • Gardens for community market, education, plant source for community, food for schools & community. • Educational workshops of Waipiʻo knowledge sharing, cultural traditions and knowledge, farming techniques & knowledge, music, etc. o Community cultural & spiritual events. • Visitor education of history, culture, sacredness, protocol, and safety. To meet these aspects from the 2016 stewardship community surveys, educational and stewardship group hostings occurred in 2017. As described above, hundreds of individuals and over a dozen organizations participated in the stewardship and education at Koaʻekea. Cultural education describing the cultural significance of Koaʻekea, Waipiʻo Valley, and the surrounding area was shared with participants. Mele (song) and oli (chant) were regularly done as protocol, setting the context before any stewardship work was done. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteer and educational/stewardship group hostings in the project facilitated the Waipiʻo Valley community and the broader Hawaiʻi County community in the process of clearing and maintaining the parcel. Participants were sheltered with temporary tents for lunch time gathering area, and for daylong shelter for any kūpuna and keiki. Meals on these group hostings were provided for. Group hostings are intended to continue, with planting of areas to be done as areas are cleared, especially after tree work is complete, continuing the implementation of the Revegetation Plan. Educational workshops that were supported by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority grant for Koaʻekea included a poi board making workshop with Ke Ala Ike Kūpuna, a cultural art & moʻolelo (storytelling) workshop with Guy “Hanohano” & Maile Naehu, and a hoʻoponopono workshop with Kāhuna Mahealani. These were open invite & RSVP workshops were individuals came to participate directly in these ʻike Hawaiʻi workshops, learning hands-on and in a culturally & historically rich setting at the Koaʻekea. 4. Plan and host community gatherings & events See list of organizations/groups, number of participants, and workshops above in 2017 PONC Stewardship Progress Summary. Budget & Expenditures Summary PONC Funds Budget Expenditures Item Amount Budgeted Amount Expended Equipment $26,500 $15,544.70 Supplies $27,500 $31,175.20 Contracted Services $29,500 $27,523.16 Equipment Rental (Day) $4,000 $10,759.79 Mileage Reimbursement $1,000 $1,920.54 Repair & Maintenance $1,500 $1,446.13 Contracted Services, Financial Services $3,000 $4,000.00 Insurance $1,500 $2,399.54 Bank Charges $0 $101.15 Total $94,500.00 $94,870.21 v Summary of Expenses by Budget Categories per Proposal: Ø Equipment: § Generator – large and small generator for use during educational workshops and overnight camps. § Chainsaw – Large chainsaw for large diameter (4ft plus diameter) tree disassembly § Laptop Computer & iPad – for media storage, creation, etc. and on-site documentation & presentations § Projector & screen – for educational workshop presentations § Portable PA System – Personal and tripod mountable GoPro camera with accessories. § Outdoor kitchen equipment – water filtration unit for drinking water on site during overnight stewardship & education camps. § On-site Water Tank System – did not purchase due to need for site clearing of vegetation and mulch before placement of water tank. § Storage Shed – 10 ft x 20 ft canopy tent systems for storage of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani equipment and usage for overnight stewardship & education camps. Ø Supplies § Personal Protection Equipment – Gloves, Safety Glasses, Ear Plugs/Muffs, Chainsaw Chaps, helmet, etc. § Hand Tools: • Various Landscaping Hand Tools: Machetes, Rakes, Picks, Pull saws, Waterhozes and nozzle. • Tools for Educational Workshops: ¨ Poi board workshop – hand tools, blades, etc. • Weedeater Attachments: string trimmer, pole saw, blower, blade, and hedger. § Misc. Power Equipment Supplies: Chainsaw bars & chains, gas can, 2-cycle engine oil, trimmer line, tree felling supplies, etc. § Misc. Electrical Supplies – power cords, splitters, etc. § Misc. Supplies - • Supplies for Educational Workshops: ¨ Moʻolelo workshop – art supplies, office supplies, tarps for weather protection, etc. • Cooking supplies – small cooking equipment for on-site food preparation camping groups and workshops, including pots, pans, knives, etc. • Paper goods & other food supplies - for group hostings and educational workshops, including plates, napkins, forks, spoons, cups, plastic bags, aluminum foil, etc. • Printing & Copying, Office supplies, etc. § Signage Materials: None purchased. § Food – Food and refreshments for volunteers during stewardship activities and educational workshops. § Computer & Projector supplies – connectors, cases, bags, accessories. § Fuel, Vehicle – Travel to and from site by Pōhāhā I Ka Lani staff for: community, educational group, and organizational workdays; and site surveying & planning. Based on mileage calculated and MPG of vehicles used. (Fuel for vehicles ended after the mileage reimbursement was approved via a grant amendment.) § Fuel, Power Equipment – gasoline for chainsaws, weed eaters, and generators for educational workshops. § Plants – Native Maia and kalo varieties, Ti leaf varieties, hibiscus varieties, Mamaki, Hala ʻula, ʻukiʻuki, laʻamea, lama, pōhinahina, nanu, koʻokoʻolau, palapalai, and palaʻā Ø Contracted Services § Tree Services – felling, pruning, and chipping of large trees, bushes, and bamboo stand on property. § Site Clearing & Greenwaste Hauling – services for movement and removal of green waste with skid steer and large trailer. § Gate Installation Services – completion of a 20ft automatic, solar powered rolling gate at the main entrance and the construction of the to be installed § General Labor – General labor for site maintenance such as weeding, establishment, and maintenance of gardens & other areas on site, maintenance of fence lines, clearing § Excavation Services – expert excavation services for the tapering of the two steep drop offs into safe slopes the public. § Financial, Bookkeeping Services – $250/month for bookkeeping of expenses. • Services went beyond the initial planned period due to delays in 2018 PONC stewardship award and extensions of 2017 PONC Stewardship to prevent overgrowth of vegetation on property. Ø Equipment Rental § Vehicle: Rental of trucks for heavy hauling of equipment to site such as lawnmower and small backhoe. § Equipment; Rental of: a) small backhoe for movement of mulch, fallen tree branches & trunks, and rocks around property; b) large excavator (Case CX210) for use by hired excavator operator to taper steep drop-offs. Ø Mileage Reimbursement § Mileage reimbursement for the usage of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani staff’s personal Toyota Tacoma at $0.535/mile due to no organizational vehicle. Mileage 126 miles per round trip for hauling of equipment and supplies from Kurtistown to Waipiʻo Lookout. Authorized via grant amendment. Ø Insurance § Liability Insurance covering the County of Hawaii for PONC Stewardship Grant. § Equipment Insurance to: a) cover Pōhāhā I Ka Lani & the County of Hawaiʻi for the rental of the large excavator used for the tapering of the dangerous drop offs; b) cover the equipment used in stewardships activities and educational workshops. Ø Bank Charges – monthly bank charges of $5.95 for dedicated checking account at American Savings Bank for PONC funds. Pōhāhā I Ka Lani hereby submits the above report as a true reporting of the progress and accounting of the awarded PONC Stewardship Grant. Name of Authorized Official: Jesse Keone Potter Title of Authorized Official: President, Pōhāhā I Ka Lani Signature: __________________________________________________________________ Date: ______________________ October 2, 2018 2017 PONC Stewardship Progress Pictures Koaʻekea 2017 January 2017 Hale Building Workshop. We flew over Francis Sinenci, Peter Kalawaiʻa Moore and his son to help lead a hale building workshop. Part of the workshop, participants learned how to build an ʻolokea which is shown in the picture below. In addition to the olokea, participants learned how to do an opening chant and dance speaking of hale building, learned the different parts of a hale and what its function is. Participants also learned how to do the roof section of a hale. January 2017 Plantings We planted native Hawaiian bananas along the fence in addition to 2 ulu trees. Invasive trees were chipped and wood chips were placed around plantings. January 2017: Kalo, Mamaki, Laʻamia, Koʻokoʻolau, Paʻu o Hiʻiaka,Kokiʻo, Planted January Clean Up Days: Weeding taro patches, chipping invasive trees and utilizing wood chips in gardens. January 2017: Lots of Native Hawaiian Bananas Planted at Koaʻekea Trees that were cut were chipped to be utilized in gardens at Koaʻekea. After the Ficus and other invasive trees removed, it was easier to see how closely growing the mango trees were. The trees seemed to be weak and rotting in lower parts of the trees. Which raised some concerns. Also the next door neighbor had concerns of the Norfolk trees being too large and growing too close to their home. Gardens growing well. The security guards in the front harvested two bunches of bananas so far from the property and shared the bananas with people who wanted to taste native Hawaiian bananas January 2017 Mālama ʻĀina Day: Reggae Singers Mishka, Buckman Coe, Caleb Hart along with families from Oʻahu, and Hāmākua joined us to plant a few more gardens at Koaʻekea. Lots more trash were removed at the January 2017 Mālama ʻĀina Day. It seemed before we could plant anything, while digging the area, we needed to remove layers of rubbish. Wauke also planted in the area. A doctor from Straub Hospital and a teacher from Mālama Honua Charter School flew in to help us plant kalo at the January 2017 Mālama ʻĀina Day. Singer Buckman Coe seen in picture below gathering rubbish off of the property. A very large blade was needed to cut this massive tree that had uprooted itself. The tree had uprooted itself many years ago and fell on a old Toyota truck. The tree was cut and moved so we were able to haul out the truck and clean up the area in addition to allowing the fence to be placed in the back of the tree. February 2017: Teaching participants how to farm organically utilizing wood chips and bamboo leaves for mulch. February 2017: Mālama ʻĀina Below: Picture of how the mango trees were topped. As you can see they were growing very tall and skinny at tops. Tops of the trees were chipped. Bottoms were eventually utilized to teach people how to make their own poi boards. February 2017: Jesse Potter of Pōhāhā I Ka Lani volunteered his time to cut a large amount of the trees in the area. One of our little helpers February 2017: Some of the schools groups we hosted: HPA Hālau Hula Mōhala Ilima helped at Koaʻekea by tending to the gardens before heading to our farm in Waipiʻo Valley to hear moʻolelo of Hiʻilawe. Jesse volunteering his time to cut the mango trees. The trees were very skinny and the tops were chipped. Picture above shows the area after the mango trees were cut. Olokea (s) made and used to help protect baby ulu trees that were planted at Koaʻekea while the mango trees were being cut. We do our best to cut the grass in front of the fence line as we would often see people utilizing the area to use the bathroom after coming out of the valley. People also throw their trash in the area. Lots of wood chips and fallen logs still needing chipping or handling. Gardens growing well. View of property after mango trees cut. Gardens doing well. We were not allowed on the property to mālama Koaʻekea while the transition of stewardship for 2016 – 2017 began. When were finally given the approval to on to the ʻāina to mālama, the area was really over grown. Our family spent a few weekends dedicated to weed out garden beds, weed eating the property, and cutting the grass. The picture below shows how bad the property looked after letting the property sit. Please refer to the prior pictures to show the major transition of the property. May 2017: We spent countless hours weeding out garden beds after we were not allowed on the property for a couple months. May 2017: Continued to weed out garden beds and weed eat grass. June 2017: Lots of help from the youth to mālama ʻāina Weeded out and mulched this garden. June 2017: Gardens getting back to normal and we are ready to start hosting groups again. Youth from Honokaʻa School often comes to help us at Koaʻekea. June 2017: Honokaʻa School students often comes to help out. June 2017 The tall grass was cut down to small pieces and eventually mowed. Please refer to above pages to see how tall the grass was in the section. June 2017: Mālama ʻĀina Day: 40+ youth from Hāmākua, 40 youth from Utah, 2 Kupu teams, and community members showed up to help mālama this area. Hand clearing the tall grass and removing the stumps. Clumps of grass were placed under weed mats. Lots of help to mālama Koaʻekea.The youth made lines and passed buckets of wood chips for the garden beds. By the end of the day, most of the tall grass/clumps were dug out. The love for Koaʻekea continues….. Below: We were able to remove the tall grass and clumps. Hāmākua Youth coming to learn and help at Koaʻekea through the Kohala Center High School Agricultural Internship Program July 2017: 2 Kupu Teams camped over and helped to mālama Koaʻekea. Youth weeded and planted ti leaves, nanu, and other native flowers to make the area along the road a little more beautiful. Wood chips were utilized for garden beds. July 2017: Climbing up pine trees to cut down into sections. One of our constant helpers. Our older daughter Laʻa who helps with weeding, shoveling mulch, carrying buckets of mulch to garden beds, and helping with planting. Another one of our constant helpers, our younger daughter Kila who works side by side with her older sister. Cleaning out the lower section. One more vehicle found buried along this hill side. Placed wood chips to make this section ready for planting after grass clumps removed. Cleaning out this section and removing lots of trash. There is pieces of a car under this section. An example of an old Toyota truck that we found in the back of the property. It is our personal truck that hauls loads of rubbish off of the property this year, and almost a dozen loads in 2016. The larger chocolate albizia and other trees that could not fit into the chipper was hauled in this area of the property in hopes that we could have dirt cover it as there is a large drop off from the section above. Multiple loads of large logs were also hauled off of the property. One more pine tree coming down. The family who lives next to the Koaʻekea property was relieved with the pine trees coming down as their home was next to these large trees. Jesse continues to volunteer his time to cut these trees. This picture shows how close the family’s home was to the Pine trees. Luckily Jesse was able to cut the tree to fall away from the home. Our friend Chris also helped with this. Jesse volunteering his time, up in the pine tree preparing it to be cut. Jesse and Chris working on the last pine tree that was growing right next to the neighbor’s home. Job of cutting down the pine trees completed. One of the pine trees grew up against a palm tree. Chris showing the girls how to harvest heart of palm. As usual, working until day becomes night. Poi Board Workshop at Koa’ekea. Grandchildren and greatgrandchild of Mr. John Thomas (former resident of area) attended this workshop in addition to Waipi’o families such as Kaholoa’a, Pauahi, and Chong family members. Laupāhoehoe teachers, Kohala doctor, employees from Nā Ala Hele, Volcano National Parks, 4 teachers from Keiki Steps, a Kona charter school teacher also attended this workshop and by the end of the weekend, families went home with their own poi boards. (August 2017) Grandchildren and greatgrandchild of Mr. John Thomas (former resident of area) Above: After first day of workshop. Below: Kaholoaa family with one of their poi boards. Empowering families A few families finished their poi boards on the first day. Picture below is of the families who finished their poi boards on the second day. When the gardens are well, our people are well. Multiplying kalo varieties to share with schools and families. September: We flew down Guy Hanohano Naehu and Maile Naehu from Molokai to do a workshop on Art, Moʻolelo, and Music. Families learned the moʻolelo of Nanaue, the half man, half shark from Waipiʻo Valley and they were taught how to draw the mouth of a shark. Families got to listen to different songs including a song written for Waipiʻo and in return families created their own songs/poetry and performed it at our hōʻike. Beauty all around. HPA students continues to come out and help mālama ʻāina at Koaʻekea. UHH students continues to help at Koaʻekea Thinning out the bamboo area. Removal of Buried Trash 2018 We thought we were done with removal of the trash but am still surprised to find layers and layers of trash that was dumped in the area. We are still needing to spend a few more days walking through the back parts of the property to pick up broken glass bottles and metal pieces. Poi Pounder Workshop 2018 Native and Beneficial Plants and Trees Replaced Invasive Plants and Trees. Growing Organically.