Trust for Public Land in Hawai'i - 2022

Hawai‘i

A letter from the TPL Hawai‘i team

Trust for Public Land has long believed that everyone needs nature— but we know that access to parks and public land is not shared equally. That is why, with your generous support, we are leading a nationwide movement to close this outdoor equity gap. Together, we are creating nature-rich places in the communities that need them most, improving people’s health, nurturing their joy, and strengthening their connection to the outdoors and one another.

Thanks to your generous support in Hawai‘i over the last year, together we:

• Purchased and permanently conserved 16,451 acres surrounding Pōhue Bay, adding the land to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park’s Kahuku Unit, saving irreplaceable cultural sites, marine and wildlife habitat, and a pristine segment of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail for generations to come.

• Alongside the Ka‘ū community, made substantial progress towards protecting 1,841 acres at Kiolaka‘a that features rare native dryland forest, a coastal freshwater spring, anchialine ponds, the eastern shoreline of popular Ka‘alu‘alu Bay, mauka pasturelands that perpetuate Ka‘ū’s paniolo traditions, and portions of the ancient Kamakalepo settlement and Lua Nunu cave system—used to defend Ka‘ū during the wars with Kamehameha.

• Made tremendous progress in our trust building and engagement of the diverse community around ‘A‘ala Park in Honolulu’s Downtown/Chinatown neighborhood, connecting with hundreds of residents and more than forty businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to create a shared vision for the future of the park.

We hope you are inspired by the accomplishments described in the following pages. With your help, we will continue protecting land, creating parks, and connecting people to ‘āina here in Hawai‘i and across the country.

Mahalo ā nui, Trust for Public Land Hawai‘i

Our Aloha ‘Āina program

PŌHUE BAY PROTECTED

FOREVER

Pōhue Bay is the only white sand beach for many tens of miles in the rugged district of Ka‘ū on Hawai‘i Island. Its calm shores and anchialine ponds are a beloved community resource. Generations of local residents have come here to surf, fish, dive, and reconnect with ‘āina and culture. TPL and the National Park Service worked together to purchase and conserve 16,451 acres of this cherished landscape, now part of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

The land is full of well-preserved and significant Native Hawaiian cultural sites, including the largest recorded abrader quarry in Hawai‘i (soap-bar sized sanders), ancient lava tube burials, mauka-makai (inland) trails, fishing shrines, the remains of once thriving coastal villages, and ancient petroglyphs. A pristine section of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail hugs the coastline, complementing TPL and the Ka‘ū community’s longstanding efforts to preserve as much of the ancient trail, ala loa, as possible. These invaluable cultural resources are now forever protected for future generations.

HAWAI‘I BY THE NUMBERS

places

live within a 10-minute walk of these special places

The National Park Service will develop a management plan in partnership with the Ka‘ū community to steward the natural and cultural resources as well as provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and traditional cultural practices.

• Maunawili: Partner with the Kailua community to protect 1,084 acres in Maunawili Valley of O‘ahu, home to a vast cultural landscape, fertile agricultural lands and terrace systems, freshwater springs and seven streams flowing to Kawainui fishpond and wetland, hiking trails, and the setting that inspired Queen Lili‘uokalani to compose the song “Aloha ‘Oe.”

• Kāne‘ohe: Partner with local community to protect nearly 1,000 acres in Kāne‘ohe, one of the largest Hawaiian agricultural complexes on O‘ahu replete with freshwater springs and streams, famed mountains and waterfalls, native plant and animal species, historic Luluku banana patches, and cultural and religious sites all critical for a healthy, thriving Kāne‘ohe community and ecosystem.

In the year ahead, your support will help us…

Protecting lands on the island of Maui

Nā Wai ‘Ehā

Today, nearly two-thirds of Maui’s forests and their watersheds have been lost. The Nā Wai ‘Ehā, or the “Four Great Waters,” watershed is located over the ‘Īao aquifer which is the principal source of Maui’s drinking water and was once the largest contiguous lo‘i kalo (taro) growing region in Hawai‘i. The watershed is threatened by over-pumping, residential development, and decreasing yields.

TPL is working with the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Maui County, and the community to permanently protect 11,021 forested acres of Nā Wai ‘Ehā. The lands include streams (the Four Great Waters of Waikapū, Wailuku, Waiehu, and Waihe‘e) and tributaries, native forest, priority watershed, habitat for native species, and significant cultural sites.

Kaupō

Kaupō Ranch is a large, undeveloped landscape located at the southern edge of Haleakalā National Park. The privately-owned property is a key access point for the popular Kaupō Gap Trail that traverses the national park’s crater and allows visitors to hike 10,000 feet in elevation in a single day. TPL is working with the National Park Service and ranch owners to explore conservation solutions and public access to the stunning views of Kaupō Gap, a distinctive landscape feature in the Kahikinui Mountain Range.

Kaupō

Nā Wai ‘Ehā

Connecting everyone to a quality park

RENEWING ʻAʻALA PARK

For over a century, ‘A‘ala Park has served as a hub for Honolulu’s Downtown/Chinatown, the site of baseball games, ethnic festivals, and political rallies. Its varied uses reflect the area’s diversity, with over half of residents speaking a first language other than English. But today, residents avoid this spacious, almost sevenacre park because of its rundown amenities and unsafe conditions. ‘A‘ala Park’s decline has contributed to declines in health and community cohesion, including epidemics of diabetes and crime.

With the launch of our Parks for People program in Hawai‘i, TPL is empowering residents to forge a shared vision for renewing the park, while demonstrating an inclusive approach for park improvements across Hawai‘i. True to our commitment to equity, health, and justice, we chose ‘A‘ala Park as our pilot project because the nearby community has the highest need.

Last summer, TPL embarked on a year-long community engagement effort. We surveyed and observed park users and local residents, and hosted focus groups with stakeholders. Additionally, we partnered with businesses and community groups on a variety of

THE LAND AND PEOPLE LAB

TPL’s Land and People Lab generates data to quantify our projects’ benefits and spark a national movement for parks and public land. In Hawai‘i, the Lab helped illustrate the need for renewing ‘A‘ala Park:

• 31% of Honolulu residents do not have a park close-to-home.

• 18,000 residents live within a 10-minute walk of ‘A‘ala park, of whom 53% belong to low-income households and 55% speak a language other than English.

on-site activities, such as dog trainings, skateboarding lessons, a dragon boat festival, an immigration resource fair, vaccination clinics, and graffiti cleanups to galvanize park usage and participation in the visioning process.

Altogether, hundreds of residents contributed ideas. Clear themes emerged, like the need for improved safety and cleanliness, and the need for more services and activities for youth. Most of all, residents want to celebrate their neighborhood’s rich history through public art and events. In the words of one local resident, “There could be Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino festivals to celebrate all the different ethnic groups in the neighborhood.”

In the year ahead, your support will help contribute to our ongoing work at ‘A‘ala Park …

TPL and its partners will host park activations, such as sports, cultural, and art events, and more. We will also launch community engagement workshops with residents and convene meetings with community stakeholders to develop a concept design for the park renovation.

Caring for Hawai‘i’s special places

STEWARDING ALAKOKO FISHPOND

Mālama Hulē‘ia and TPL held a ceremony to honor the protection of Alakoko Fishpond, the largest remaining fishpond on Kaua‘i. Community members harvested the traditional plant ahu‘awa (a type of sedge/reed plant) from the loko i‘a (fishpond), processed it, and made cordage as an offering while sharing their vision for Alakoko’s future. Each person’s small piece of cordage was braided into a longer, thicker piece of cordage, symbolizing the many threads, connections, and contributions of all of the project partners. The purchase and permanent protection of the property was made possible through a charitable gift from the Chan Zuckerberg Kaua‘i Community Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation. Following the conservation of the fishpond, we raised an additional $196,000 for the long-term stewardship of Alakoko as an outdoor classroom where students can learn the science, history, and culture of traditional Hawaiian aquaculture.

A DAY ON THE LAND

Trust for Public Land celebrated our annual “A Day on the Land” outing with volunteers from almost a dozen local companies, who gathered to care for the ‘āina at Hāwea heiau complex and the Keawāwa wetland. With gracious guidance from our host Livable Hawai‘i Kai Hui, volunteers removed invasive plants, planted natives in the dryland forest, and helped with other wetland restoration and maintenance work. The property, once a place of worship, fishing, and farming, now serves as a place to celebrate and perpetuate Hawaiian cultural practices while protecting the habitat of the endangered alae ‘ula (Hawaiian Mudhen). Mahalo to our participants including AES, Alexander & Baldwin,

Capitol Consultants, Central Pacific Bank, Dentons US LLP, G70, Hawai‘i Gas, Howard Hughes/Ward Village Foundation, James Campbell Company LLC, Macy’s, and Makai Ocean Engineering.

TPL HAWAI‘I BOARD

We are so grateful for our volunteer leaders who advise, guide, and inspire our work across Hawai‘i Nei!

Dr. Noa Emmett Aluli, Moloka‘i General Hospital

Stanford Carr, Stanford Carr Development

Mahina Paishon-Duarte, The Waiwai Collective

Kā‘eo Duarte , Kamehameha Schools

Bob Hines , Mediator, formerly Hawai‘i State Energy Office

Chris Hochuli, Merrill Lynch

Steve Kelly, James Campbell Company

Troy Keolanui, OK Farms

Ala‘amoe Keolanui, OK Farms

Mark Linscott , Kāhi Mōhala

Earlynne Maile , Young Brothers

Kurt Matsumoto, Pūlama Lāna‘i

Mino McLean, Island Sotheby’s International Realty

John Meier, Conservationist

Catherine Ngo, Central Pacific Bank

Blake Oshiro, Capitol Consultants of Hawai‘i

Jeff Overton , G70

Mike B. Pietsch , Title Guaranty

Brad Punu , Anatha

Kirstin Punu , AES

Race Randle , Lendlease Americas

Tom Reeve , Conservationist

Ka‘iulani Sodaro, Howard Hughes/Ward Village

Jan Sullivan, Oceanit

Mahalo

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