National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior
Pacific West Region, Honolulu Office
Ka‘u Coast, Island of Hawai‘i Reconnaissance Survey
DEDICATION
Ka‘ū, hiehie i ka makani.
Ka‘ū, regal in the gales.
An expression of admiration for the district of Ka‘ū, or for a stately or outstanding person of that district (Mary Kawena Pukui, ‘Ōlelo No‘eau, 1983)
In memory of Jimmyleen Keolalani Hanoa (1960-2006). Her life and work as a visionary leader in the Hawaiian community of Ka‘ū, and her roles as mother, friend and facilitator for cultural education programs, live on. We are all better people for having her present in our lives and having had the opportunity of a lifetime, to share her knowledge and aloha. Mahalo, me ke aloha pumehana.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 SUMMARY………………………………………………………………………………. 1 2 BACKGROUND………………………………………………………………………….2 2.1 Background of the Study…………………………………………………………………..……… 2 2.2 Purpose and Scope of the Study Document…………………………….……………………… 2 2.3 Evaluation Criteria…………………………………………...... 3 2.3.1 National Significance……………………………………………………..……………… 3 2.3.2 Suitability………………………………………………………………………………….. 5 2.3.3 Feasibility…………………………………………………………………………………. 5 2.3.4 Management Options…………………………………………………….……………… 5 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA………………………………………………6 3.1 Regional Context………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 3.2 Location and Maps………………………………………………………………………………… 7 3.3 Land Use and Ownership………………………………………………………………….……… 8 3.4 Resources………………………………………………………………….……………………… 10 3.4.1 Geology and Soils……………………………………………………….……………… 10 3.4.2 Vegetation………………………………………………………………...……………... 12 3.4.3 Wildlife………………………………………………………...... ………………13 3.4.4 Marine Resources……………………………………………………….……………… 16 3.4.5 Pools, Ponds and Estuaries…………………………………………………………….18 3.4.6 Cultural and Archeological Resources……………………………………………….. 20 3.4.7 Recreational Resources and Community Use………………………………………. 22 4 PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF RESOURCE SIGNIFICANCE………………. 24 4.1 Natural and Cultural Resources………………………………………………………………… 24 4.1.1 Natural Resources……………………………………………………………………… 24 4.1.2 Cultural Resources……………………………………………………………………... 25 4.2 Educational and Interpretive Value……………………………………………………...………26 4.3 Public Recreation and Enjoyment………………………………………………………………. 26 4.4 Resource Integrity………………………………………………………………………...……… 26 5 PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF SUITABILITY…………………………………..27 6 PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF FEASIBILITY………………………………..... 27 7 OTHER RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY FINDINGS……………………………….28 7.1 Position of the Community………………………………………………………………………. 28 7.2 Position of County Government………………………………………………………………… 29 7.3 Position of State Government…………………………………………………………………… 30 8 RECOMMENDATION………………………………………………………………… 31 9 APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………………. 32 9.1 Selected References………………………………………...... 32 9.2 Glossary of Hawaiian Words…………………………………………….……………………… 36 9.3 Coastal-Marine Species Observed on Site Visit……………………….………………………37 9.4 NPS Preparers and Consultants………………………………………...……………………… 39 9.5 Hawai‘i State Legislature Resolution…………………………………………………………… 40 1 SUMMARY
At the request of Congressman Ed Case, this reconnaissance survey of a 20,365-acre study area along 27 miles of shoreline on the southeast coast of Kā‘u, Island of Hawai‘i, was prepared by the National Park Service Pacific West Region Honolulu Office during the summer of 2006. Its purpose is to provide a preliminary evaluation of the study area’s resources, and a preliminary evaluation of the suitability and feasibility of including the study area in the national park system.
The document offers an overview of the natural and cultural resources of the study area, based on a two-day field visit and limited research and consultations. It provides preliminary evaluations that the study area is of national significance, would be a suitable addition to the national park system, and could be feasibly managed for resource protection and public enjoyment, provided that its protection could be achieved through community-supported approaches that limit acquisition costs and are based on partnership with local entities. The study concludes with a recommendation that a full special resource study under the stipulations of Public Law 105-391 be authorized for the Ka‘ū Coast of Hawaii, so long as it focuses on non-traditional approaches and is conducted in full collaboration with others.
Public park land at Honu‘apo, Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i, acquired and preserved through citizen action
1
2 BACKGROUND
2.1 Background of the Study
In March 2005, Congressman Ed Case asked the National Park Service to conduct a reconnaissance survey of approximately eighty miles of coastline in South Kona and Ka‘ū on the island of Hawai‘i, to evaluate this area’s resources for inclusion in the national park system.
In May 2005, Congressman Case requested that the geographic scope of the study be narrowed to the “coastal segment running southwest from the current Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park boundary at Kapāo‘o Point at least through Honu‘apo Bay, and if possible, include Waikapuna Bay.” In a letter to NPS he highlighted the presence of endangered species, unique resources, and growing development pressure in the proposed study area, and noted that its contiguity with Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park might make it a feasible park expansion.
Concurrently, in May 2005 the Hawai‘i State Legislature approved a resolution directing the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish a South Kona-Ka‘ū Coastal Conservation Task Force “to review and analyze the impact being made on the fragile and historically essential coastal lands and near shore marine areas of South Kona and Ka‘ū.” In a September 2005 letter the state invited NPS to be part of this effort, and NPS agreed to participate. The first meeting of the task force was held in late October of 2005. NPS Pacific Area Director Frank Hays attended and described the proposed NPS Ka‘ū Coast Reconnaissance Study. The group endorsed proceeding with the study.
A team of NPS staff conducted a field visit to the study area in February of 2006 and subsequently prepared this reconnaissance report. The team included Frank Hayes, Pacific Area Director; Dr. Larry Basch, Marine Biologist/Science Advisor; Melia Lane- Kamahele, Cultural Resources Advisor; Sandy Margriter, Geographer and GIS Specialist; and Helen Felsing, Planner.
2.2 Purpose and Scope of the Study Document
When authorized by Congress, the NPS conducts special studies concerning the potential for creating new units of the national park system. Broadly, these studies apply established criteria, evaluate protection and management alternatives, and, when specifically authorized by Congress, provide the basis for making recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior and to Congress.
Though the NPS cannot initiate feasibility studies of potential new units of the national park system without the specific authorization of Congress, Congress does permit the NPS to
2 conduct preliminary resource assessments and gather data on potential study areas or sites. The term "reconnaissance survey" has been used to describe this type of assessment.
A reconnaissance surveys provides a preliminary evaluation of the significance of the resource values present in a study area, and a preliminary evaluation of the suitability and feasibility of including the area in the national park system. A reconnaissance survey does not typically explore or evaluate management alternatives, although it may briefly note management issues and potential management options.
At its conclusion the reconnaissance survey provides a recommendation as to whether, based on its findings, a special resource study should be prepared for the area. This recommendation is provided to Congress for their deliberation.
2.3 Evaluation Criteria
To be eligible for favorable consideration as a unit of the National Park System, a study area must: • possess nationally significant natural or cultural resources • be a suitable addition to the system • be a feasible addition to the system • require direct NPS management instead of protection by some other governmental agency or the private sector.
A reconnaissance survey is a partial and preliminary application of these criteria. The criteria and their use in the reconnaissance survey are described in further detail below.
2.3.1 National Significance A resource will be considered nationally significant if it meets all four of the following standards: • it is an outstanding example of a particular type of resource. • it possesses exceptional value or quality illustrating or interpreting the natural or cultural themes of our nation’s heritage. • it offers superlative opportunities for recreation for public enjoyment, or for scientific study. • it retains a high degree of integrity as a true, accurate, and relatively unspoiled example of the resource
How Natural and Cultural Resources are Evaluated
Natural resource significance may be associated with the following types of sites: • an outstanding site that illustrates the characteristics of a landform or biotic area that is still widespread;
3 • a rare remnant natural landscape or biotic area of a type that was once widespread but is now vanishing due to human settlement and development; • a landform or biotic area that has always been extremely uncommon in the region or nation; • a site that possesses exceptional diversity of ecological components (species, communities, or habitats) or geological features (landforms, observable manifestations of geologic processes); • a site that contains biotic species or communities whose natural distribution at that location makes them unusual (for example, a relatively large population at the limit of its range or an isolated population); • a site that harbors a concentrated population of a rare plant or animal species, particularly one officially recognized as threatened or endangered; • a critical refuge that is necessary for the continued survival of a species; • a site that contains rare or unusually abundant fossil deposits; • an area that has outstanding scenic qualities such as dramatic topographic features, unusual contrasts in landforms or vegetation, spectacular vistas, or other special landscape features; • a site that is an invaluable ecological or geological benchmark due to an extensive and long-term record of research and scientific discovery.
Cultural resource significance may be attributed to districts, sites, structures, or objects that possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting our heritage and that possess a high degree of integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Specific examples include: • a resource that is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to and are identified with, or that outstandingly represent the broad national patterns of United States history and from which an understanding and appreciation of those patterns may be gained; • a resource that is importantly associated with the lives of persons nationally significant in the history of the United States; • a resource that embodies distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type specimen, exceptionally valuable for study of a period, style, or method of construction, or represents a significant, distinctive and exceptional entity whose components may lack individual distinction; • a resource that is composed of integral parts of the environment not sufficiently significant by reason of historical association or artistic merit to warrant individual recognition but collectively composes an entity of exceptional historical or artistic significance, or outstandingly commemorates or illustrates a way of life or culture; • a resource that has yielded or may be likely to yield information of major scientific importance by revealing new cultures, or by shedding light upon periods of occupation over large areas of the United States. Many units of the national park system have been established to recognize their important role in providing recreational opportunities. The potential for public use and enjoyment is an important consideration in evaluating potential new additions to the National Park
4 System. However, recreational values are not evaluated independently from the natural and cultural resources that provide the settings for recreational activities.
The reconnaissance survey makes a preliminary evaluation of the national significance of the resources in the study area.
2.3.2 Suitability To be suitable for inclusion in the System an area must represent a natural or cultural theme or type of recreational resource that is not already adequately represented in the National Park System or is not comparably represented and protected for public enjoyment by another land-managing entity.
Adequacy of representation is determined on a case-by-case basis by comparing the proposed area to other units in the National Park System for differences or similarities in the character, quality, quantity, or combination of resources, and opportunities for public enjoyment.
The reconnaissance survey provides a preliminary evaluation of the study area’s suitability for inclusion in the National Park System.
2.3.3 Feasibility To be feasible as a new unit of the National Park System an area's natural systems and/or historic settings must be of sufficient size and appropriate configuration to ensure long- term protection of the resources and to accommodate public use. It must have potential for efficient administration at a reasonable cost. Important feasibility factors include landownership, acquisition costs, access, threats to the resource, and staff or development requirements.
The reconnaissance survey offers a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of including the study area in the National Park System.
2.3.4 Management Options Other entities such as state or local government or the private sector may be able to protect resources in the study area, even if the resources are deemed significant, feasible and suitable for addition to the National Park System. Management by the National Park Service will not usually be recommended if another arrangement can provide adequate protection and opportunity for public enjoyment.
A reconnaissance survey does not evaluate management options, but it may note significant management issues and potential management alternatives. If Congress authorizes a subsequent study, and that study deems the area significant, suitable and feasible for inclusion in the NPS system, then the study document will fully evaluate management options.
5 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
3.1 Regional Context
The islands in the state of Hawai‘i are largely rural, except for O‘ahu, which includes metropolitan Honolulu with almost a million residents. Of the remaining “neighbor islands,” Hawai‘i is the largest— so large that it is often called the “Big Island.” All the other Kaua‘i inhabited islands of the state O‘ahu could fit within its 4,038 Ni‘ihau square miles. Moloka‘i Over the last five years Hawai‘i Maui has been the fastest-growing island Lana‘i in the state. With an estimated 167,000 residents in 2005, it is the most populous Kaho‘olawe island after O‘ahu. According to the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Hawai‘i Tourism, Hawai‘i island attracts the most new residents from the U.S. Mainland as well as from throughout the state. Experts Ka‘ū predict this growth will continue; resident population is projected to Study Area exceed 217,000 by 2020.
The study area lies on Hawai‘i’s southeastern leeward shore in the sprawling rural district of Ka‘ū. Covering 922.3 square miles—almost a fourth of the island—Ka‘ū is the largest district in Hawai‘i County. In fact, it is larger than any of the other Hawaiian islands.
Almost all of the land of Ka‘ū is undeveloped, and public infrastructure and amenities are minimal. The district includes most of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the Ka‘ū Forest Reserve, and other large tracts of land dedicated to conservation and agriculture. Development is currently limited to a few small towns and rural subdivisions.
Ka‘ū’s population is small—the 2000 census counted only 5,827 residents—and the people are known for their rugged independence. However, Ka‘ū is one of the faster- growing districts on the island. As Hawai‘i real estate prices soared over the last few years, investors bought large tracts. Planning is underway for at least five major new subdivisions. Ka‘ū’s residents express considerable uncertainty about the future of their rural, agricultural heritage.
The projected growth in Ka‘ū is particularly notable given the challenging natural conditions, limited employment, and lack of basic infrastructure in the district. One road, Māmalahoa Highway, crosses the district and connects it to the rest of the island. According to the County’s General Plan, seven local streams frequently flood the road and effectively isolate the district. Ka‘ū is at relatively high risk for earthquake and lava damage, and its entire coastline is subject to tsunamis. Growing subdivisions begun years
6 ago lack basic services such as water and electricity, and most of the roads are substandard. One small hospital and police station serve the district. There is no public sewer system.
The longtime major employer in the area, Ka‘ū Agribusiness, closed its sugar operations in 1996. Agriculture in Ka‘ū today is smaller scale; it includes macadamia nuts, tropical fruits, vegetables, coffee, flowers and hardwood. Commercial activity is limited to convenience stores and a few basic services in each community.
One of the best-known landmarks in Ka‘ū is Ka Lae (“The Point”), notable as the southernmost spot in the United States, and possibly the first landing and settlement site for Polynesian voyagers to the Hawaiian islands. The Ka Lae vicinity was home to Hawaiian royal families; it features extensive and significant archeological complexes and is a revered area today. Ka Lae is approximately six miles south of the southern end of the study area.
Over three-fifths of the 333,000 acre Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is located within Ka‘ū District (see Study Area map). The section of the park featuring Kilauea volcano’s famous lava flows abuts the north end of the study area. Just below the south end of the study area, a recently acquired 116,000-acre portion of the park known as the Kahuku Unit extends down to the Māmalahoa Highway. This newer area remains closed to visitors until thorough planning processes for its management are completed.
Currently the park’s only entrance is at Volcano village, well removed from the study area. Many of the park’s 2.5 million annual visitors (recreational and non-recreational combined) pass through Ka‘ū along Māmalahoa Highway enroute to the park, but they do not tend to linger in the small towns along the way. If the future management plan allows for entrance to the Kahuku Unit from Māmalahoa Highway, however, park visitors will likely have a more widespread impact on these communities than they have in the past.
The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail corridor, designated in 2000, is another potential National Park Service presence within Ka‘ū District. Its conceptual route—175 miles of paths crossing both public and private coastal lands—includes the 27-mile shoreline corridor within the study area. Actual trail development will proceed slowly and carefully via partnerships, preserving ancient and historic trail alignments in locations where there is sufficient support and stewardship from landowners and the local community.
3.2 Location and Maps
The study area encompasses 20,365 acres of coastal land on the eastern side of Ka‘ū district. Bounded above by Māmalahoa Highway and below by the Pacific Ocean, it follows 27 miles of shoreline from Kapāo‘o Point, at the boundary of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, southwest to Kahuku Point south of Waikapuna Bay. The rocky shoreline includes the locally well-known coves and bays of Punalu‘u, Nīnole, Kāwā, Honu‘apo, and Waikapuna.
7 Kaÿü Shoreline Study, Hawaiÿi
Hawaiÿi Volcanoes National Park
Pāhala Hawaiÿi Volcanoes Nïnole Gulch National Park (HAVO)
Kaÿū Forest Reserve
Kapäoÿo Point
Punaluÿu Kamehame Nīnole
y a w h ig H a Kāwā Bay o ah al äm Pacific M Ocean
".11 Honuÿapo Bay Nāÿālehu
".11
HAVO HAVO
Mämalahoa Highway Waikapuna Bay Rivers and Streams, Intermittent Study Area Hawaiÿi Volcanoes National Park 0 1 2 Miles Kahuku Point Study Area Land Use Designation, Ka‘ū Study Area
S t u Hawaiÿi Volcanoes d y A r National Park e a Pāhala B Nïnole Gulch o u Hawaiÿi Volcanoes (Kahuku Unit) n d a r National Park (HAVO) y
Kaÿū Forest Reserve
Kapäoÿo Point
Note Conservation Corridor along Coastline (approximately 250-350 ft wide)
Punaluÿu Kamehame Nīnole
Kāwā Bay
Pacific Ocean ".11 Honuÿapo Bay Nāÿālehu
Study Area Boundary ".11 Hawaiÿi Volcanoes National Park
y
r (HAVO)
a
d
n Rivers and Streams, Intermittent
u
o
B State Land Use Designation, 2005
a
e
r Waikapuna Bay Agriculture
A
y Conservation d
u t 0 1 2 Miles Urban S • Kahuku Point Land Ownership, Ka‘ū Study Area
Hawai‘i Volcanoes
National Park S t u d y Hawai‘i Volcanoes A r e a National Park Pāhala B o u Nïnole Gulch n d a r y
Kaÿū Forest Reserve
Kapäoÿo Point
Punaluÿu Kamehame Pacific Nīnole Ocean
Kāwā Bay
Study Area Boundary Honuapo Bay Ranch Estates
Public Land International Air (IASCO) ".11 Honuÿapo Bay U.S.A. Kau Holding Co Nāÿālehu State of Hawaii LLC Kawala
County of Hawaii Queen Emma-Prince Tower
Non Profit SM Investment Partners Kamehameha Schools Sunrise Oceanfront Farms
y
r
a
d The Nature Conservancy n Waiohinu Dreams
u
o
B
Private Land Owners (in Study Area) a Other e Waikapuna Bay r Edmund C Olson II Trust
A
y
d Private Land Owners (outside Study Area)
u
t Hawaii Outdoor Tours, Inc. S 0 1 2 Miles Includes Large and Small Parcels Kahuku Point •
The study area is widest at its ends and narrow in its central portion. At the north end it extends inland 4.6 miles, from Kapāo‘o Point to Māmalahoa Highway near the town of Pāhala. At its southernmost extent, near Nā‘ālehu, it spans 4.3 miles from the ocean at Kahuku Point to Māmalahoa Highway. Between these two points its mauka (inland) boundary follows Māmalahoa Highway roughly parallel to the coast. (See the Study Area map).
3.3 Land Use and Ownership
Hawai‘i’s State Land Use Commission classifies all of the property in the state into one of four land use designations: Conservation, Agricultural, Rural and Urban. County-level governments establish more detailed designations and zonings, but these must always be compatible with the range of allowable uses under each designation by the state.
Within the reconnaissance study area, most of the land is designated by the state for either Agricultural or Conservation use (see Land Use Designation map). The only notable exception is at Punalu‘u, where over 300 acres around an existing golf course and condominium are designated Urban. Conservation lands in the study area include most of the property in the narrow central portion of the study area between Honu‘apo and Punalu‘u; the makai (seaward) portion of the tracts between Punalu‘u and Kamehame; and a corridor approximately 250 to 350-ft wide along the entire shoreline.
Major landowners in the study area include public, private, and non-profit entities (see Land Ownership map). According to data provided by the County of Hawai‘i, owners of more than 100 tax acres in the study area as of September 8, 2006, are as follows:
No. of Owner Parcels Tax Acres
Kamehameha Schools (nonprofit trust) 10 4502.93 International Air Service Co. Ltd 4 4229.15 State of Hawai‘i 18 2719.52 Kau Holding Co. LLC 1 2013.14 Fujiyama, K. (as Hawai`i Outdoor Tours, HPAC) 5 1951.05 Sunrise Oceanfront Farms LLC 5 1264.40 LLC Kawala 1 1044.25 E.C. Olson Trust 4 551.10 SM Investment Partners 19 323.32 Queen Emma – Prince Tower LLC 1 298.10 Waihinou Dreams LLC 1 234.29 County of Hawai‘i 4 151.69
To date the study area remains largely undeveloped. Residents and visitors use both public and private undeveloped areas for recreation and traditional cultural practices, especially around the coves and bays. Hiking and fishing are common along the
8 shoreline. Ka‘ū is known as a remote, peaceful place where people find relief from the growing traffic and bustle in other parts of the island.
The potential exists, however, for substantial new development in the study area and throughout Ka‘ū. Current regulations allow for subdivision of Agricultural land, and an owner can build a single residence on Conservation land. Several recent planning initiatives by major landowners have raised concern among local residents who want to preserve Ka‘ū’s accessible open space and unspoiled vistas.
In the broad northeast end of the study area between Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Punalu‘u, which comprises over 13,000 acres, one private owner is seeking to subdivide nearly 2000 acres into 90 parcels of 20-31 acres. His land includes the 8-mile long volcanic fissure known as the Great Crack, numerous archeological sites, pockets of endangered plant communities, and two miles of oceanfront. (NPS sought to buy this property in 1998, but the acquisition failed when the parties could not agree on conditions and costs). Nearby, a 300-acre oceanfront parcel is currently on the market. Intentions of another major owner (over 4000 acres) are unknown. Most of the remaining land in this locale belongs to the state of Hawai‘i or to Kamehameha Schools, a non-profit trust devoted to the education and well-being of people of Hawaiian ancestry.
On the urban-designated lands at Punalu‘u, the developer Sea Mountain Five recently publicized plans to renovate an existing golf course and build a 434-acre eco-resort with a 300-room hotel, 1200-1500 single and multifamily homes, and commercial areas. The developer announced it has teamed up with ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, and seeks to build a center for marine conservation, along with a Hawaiian culture center. The County of Hawai‘ has targeted 12 acres in and around Punalu`u Beach Park—which it currently leases from the private owner—as a site to acquire and protect for the public. In the narrower section of the study area that begins at Punalu‘u and extends through Nīnole, Hīlea Iki and Kāwā, one major landowner publicly expresses a willingness to sell two oceanfront parcels totaling over 550 acres for conservation purposes. Another is reportedly seeking to sell a 234-acre oceanfront property. Some local residents are fighting for demolition of a huge single-family residence that was recently built at Kāwā on a 50-acre tract of conservation land. The County of Hawai‘i has identified Kāwā as a top priority site for acquisition and protection, and is currently assessing its market value. At Honu‘apo Bay below Kāwā, where the study area is narrowest, citizen efforts in 2005 resulted in conversion of 225 acres of private land to County-owned public park. At its northeast end the new park is bordered by 100 state-owned acres. At its southwest end, about 63 acres remain in the hands of small private landowners. Above the bay, just outside the study area, a 1653-acre parcel is slated for subdivision.
In the broad lower end of the study area near Na‘alehu, from the southwest side of Honu‘apo Bay to Waikapuna, two projects of over 1000 acres apiece are in the early planning stages. Together they would result in 62 lots ranging in size from 5 to 100 acres. This section also includes a 2000-acre private tract, 220 acres of state land, and 45 acres in small privately-owned parcels.
9 3.4 Resources
This resource review summarizes findings from a land-based coastal survey conducted on two days in February 2006, supplemented by contributions from resource specialists and by a review of existing literature on resources and environments for this general area. Methods included taking field notes, GPS coordinates, and still photographs of landscapes, coastal biota, environments, and cultural areas. Biological observations were limited due to rough ocean conditions and time available at each site. Sea conditions did not allow snorkel surveys, and no specimens were collected for identification. This survey provides limited, qualitative descriptions of the environment and resources.
3.4.1 Geology and Soils
Hawai‘i island is comprised of five volcanoes. The study area is cradled by two: Mauna Loa and Kīlauea.
Mauna Loa, the biggest active volcano in the world, is a broad, flat dome about 60 miles long and 30 miles wide, rising Mauna Loa 13,680 feet above sea level. Mauna Loa’s southeastern flank forms the Study Area Kīlauea scenic backdrop of the study area. The land of the study area from Punalu‘u southward is made up of Mauna Loa’s olivine basalt lavas.
These lavas are categorized by age of flow into three series: Nīnole, Kahuku and Ka‘ū. Examples of each can be viewed from or within the study area. Most of the study area below Punalu‘u—and most of Mauna Loa—consists of lavas from the youngest flows, the Ka‘ū series. Soils overlying them (Histosols order) are made up of organic debris that settles in low-lying areas over time.
Mauna Loa’s second-oldest lava series, Kahuku, is less widespread. Notably in this area of Ka‘ū, it is covered by the geological phenomenon known as “Pāhala ash”—an accumulated mantle 5 to 50 feet thick, made up of ash blown into the area from nearby eruptions over thousands of years. Pāhala ash helped build the soils (Andisols order) that supported the sugar cane industry in Ka‘ū through the 19th and 20th centuries. Within the study area, the Kahuku series occurs at Honu‘apo.
Nīnole, the oldest Mauna Loa lava, forms the deep core of the mountain. Though almost everywhere it is buried beneath younger flows, it remains exposed in the ancient Nīnole Hills directly above Punalu‘u. These unusual geological formations are readily viewed from within the study area.
10 Study area land from Punalu‘u north to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is part of Kīlauea, the world’s most active volcano, which shoulders up to Mauna Loa at the north end of the study area. On a clear day, the steam plume created when Kīlauea’s fresh lava plunges into the sea can be seen from almost anywhere on the study area shoreline. The volcano’s southwest rift zone, marked by a series of cinder and spatter cones, pit craters and open fissures, reaches into the study area. This hot, barren lava landscape known as Ka‘ū Desert is made up of prehistoric historic lavas from the Puna volcanic series, with soils of lava, cinder and rubble.
The desert features the Great Crack, an impressive fissure 8 miles long and 50 to 66 feet wide that extends through private land from the National Park boundary to a terminus just short of the Pacific Ocean. In 1998, the National Park Service sought to buy the private land in the study area that includes the Great Crack, citing its “historic and prehistoric lava flows and related geological features including major lava tube systems of significant biological and cultural value” (U.S. Senate 1998).
Lava tubes permeate the earth around the Great Crack, and although not in a public recreation area, it is known to cavers worldwide. Lava tube caves are a natural result of the volcanic forces that formed this coast; similar tubes of varying sizes occur throughout the whole study area. Such caves served as shelters and burial places in Hawaiian culture. During the survey the team visited Puhi‘ula, a high-ceiling lava tube with openings at both ends, located in the southern portion of the study area. Its makai opening shelters a small hand- made well with shallow water, and a large ‘opihi midden stands just outside the entrance.
The coastal geology of the study area is dominated by basalt bedrock above and below the tide line. Onshore, ‘a‘ā lava— a jagged stony basalt terrain—grades to rough rock outcrops and columnar basalt cliffs; the latter line much of the coast. Puhi‘ula
In the intertidal zone there are widely scattered basalt black sand or cobble beaches, and basalt benches, many with tide pools. The team observed olivine green sand near Puhi‘ula cave, carbonate white sand at Waikapuna, and eroded white coral cobbles, apparently washed in by storm waves, under coastal strand vegetation up to 100 m inland.
11 Subtidal bathymetry and substrate composition are presumed similar to the adjacent intertidal areas.
The entire study area is subject to volcanic eruptions, seismic activity, tsunami, and other Lava Hazard Zones coastal geohazards. More earthquakes occur in Island of Hawai‘i this vicinity than anywhere in the state. 1 = Highest Risk Hawai‘i’s largest recorded earthquake was centered in this portion of Ka‘ū in 1868, destroying most structures, and killing 79 people in landslides and an ensuing tsunami. A 1975 earthquake generated a local tsunami.
Today both Mauna Loa’s and Kīlauea’s flanks above the study area are positioned over faults, and are slipping or slumping slowly toward the sea. Lava hazard risk is highest (category 1) over Kilauea’s fault, and ranges from 3 to 6 elsewhere in the study area. Source: State of Hawai‘i 2006
3.4.2 Vegetation
The native coastal vegetation of the inhabited Hawaiian islands has been seriously degraded or replaced over much of its extent. On Hawai‘i island, some of the best remaining examples of the original lowland vegetation occur in both small and large segments throughout Ka‘ū. The Ka‘ū shoreline is a naturally stressful environment to which native plants are well adapted. Here where the ‘ehu kai (sea spray), wave splash and depauperate soil conditions prevail, natives have an edge over alien invading plants.
Generally the native plant communities appear as a narrow strand of vegetation, mostly a flattened growth of various shrubs, vines, grass-like plants, scattered trees and herbs. The finest examples of these are in the vicinity of Waikapuna, at the southern end of the study area. Here over forty diverse species of native vegetation extend one to two kilometers inland. The varied habitats—pāhoehoe (smooth, ropy lava) and ‘a‘ā flats, drifted sand, anchialine pond shores, protected beaches, and spray-battered bluffs—each support different native plant communities.
Other native coastal species and additional habitats occur along the whole length of the district’s coast. Where they are located away from disturbance by people, vehicles, and browsing ungulates, these native plant communities are quite lush and diverse. (Vegetation data from Warshauer, 2006)
Fourteen species of coastal strand plants were seen in this survey. These included six trees, seven ground cover or shrub forms and the invasive aquatic water hyacinth. Native plants included naupaka kahakai, ‘ilima ku kahakai and pōhuehue. Inland of the coastal
12 strand, plant communities in all the sites visited by the study team appeared heavily dominated by invasive or alien species, particularly koa haole.
Coastal strand vegetation at Kāwā 3.4.3 Wildlife
Rare and endangered native animals known in the study area include the hawksbill turtle, green sea turtle, Hawaiian monk seal, Hawaiian hoary bat, native bees, orange-black damselfly and other anchialine pond fauna. Native birds frequent the shore and cliffs or pass over the area on their way to the sea from upland nesting colonies.
During the reconnaissance survey we observed green sea turtles at Kamehame and Kāwā, humpback whales offshore from Punalu‘u, and spinner dolphins at Kamehame, Kāwā and Punalu‘u. These sightings are considered common by residents. A rarer recent sighting of the Hawaiian monk seal has been reported at Honu‘apo (Replogle, 2006), and seven known nesting sites for the endangered hawksbill sea turtle are located within the study area. These occurrences suggest a healthy environment with adequate resources to support large marine animals.
Non-native feral ungulates also inhabit the area. During the survey, cattle were sighted in the forest near Kamehame. In recent years NPS staff have reported goats in the in the north end of the study area, both on the lava flows and in the coastal kipuka (clearings
13 and vegetated areas in the lava beds). At Kamehame problems with pigs rooting in the naupaka led to installation of a fence behind the turtle nesting site.
Hawksbill Turtles
The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a federally listed endangered species and is the rarest sea turtle in the Pacific Ocean. Researchers estimate there are fewer than 80 nesting hawksbill turtles in the Hawaiian Islands. Of these, 67 individuals nest on Hawaii island, where they establish over 90% of the hawksbill nests in the state.
Remarkably, 40 individuals— over half of the known nesting population statewide—nest within the study area. The study area coastline features seven of the 13 known nesting sites on the island of Hawai‘i. Hawksbill sea turtle emergence
NPS monitors turtle nesting annually at Kamehame, in the north end of the study area, as well as at other locations. From aerial views it appears that Waikapuna, at the south end of the study area, also meets the criteria of a nesting beach, but NPS has been unable to monitor it due to restricted access.
It is important to note that in addition to the nesting sites in the study area that are currently known and monitored by NPS or others, other nesting sites may well exist along this shoreline. Hawksbill turtles are solitary creatures that can nest in small pockets of sand and shoreline vegetation, and individuals will nest at multiple beaches during a single season.
The shoreline of the study area should be considered a critical nesting coastline for hawksbill turtles.
Green Sea Turtles
The threatened green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) feeds on marine plants in shallow waters along the study area coast. During the survey the study team observed green sea turtles feeding at Kamehame and Kāwā.
Punalu‘u is an especially well-known green sea turtle site within the study area. The turtles feed on red seaweed—a favorite food that flourishes on the coral-encrusted rocks in the shallow waters of the bay—and they routinely bask on the black sand beach despite the presence of beachgoers. National Marine Fisheries researchers have studied the threatened turtles at Punalu‘u since 1982 with groups of Hawai‘i island students.
14
Hawaiian Hoary Bat
The endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bat (Lasirus cinereus semotus) is frequently seen flying in the study area. This endemic species weighs only 5 to 8 ounces. Little formal data is available on its range and population in Ka‘ū. At least one study area site, at Punalu‘u, is documented habitat for this tiny nocturnal animal.
Birds
Native bird resources on the coastline vary according to habitat. Rocky cliffs, beach areas, and adjacent vegetation host indigenous shorebirds and seabirds. Common shorebird species in this habitat are Pacific golden plovers (Pluvialis fulva), wandering tattlers (Heteroscelus incamus), and ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres) (Swift 2005). Sanderlings (Calidris alba) may also occur. Red-tailed Tropicbird Seabirds have not been documented, but based on inventories of adjacent, similar coastline and knowledge of potential breeding and roosting habitat, wedge- tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacifica) and black noddies (Anous minutus) could use or visit these coastal areas. In recent years, wedge-tailed shearwaters have attempted to recolonize coastal areas in the main Hawaiian Islands. However, these burrow nesters are limited by introduced mammalian predators, so successful Kolea breeding probably does not occur with regularity along the Ka‘ū coastline.
Localized wetlands such as ponds will attract migratory waterfowl, including northern pintails (Anas acuta)and northern shovelers (Anas clypeata), and may include less common migrants such as American wigeons (Anas americana). The indigenous black- crowned night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) also is expected to use these wetlands. The endangered, endemic Hawaiian coot (Fulica alai) has been recorded from Punalu‘u (Banko 1987), and therefore may use these habitats at least occasionally.
Studies at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park suggest that the reconnaissance study area lies in the nighttime flight path of band-rumped storm-petrels who leave their nesting colonies in the evening to return to sea. The endemic ‘io or Hawaiian hawk (Buteo solitarius) can be expected to be seen over coastal areas in Ka‘ū. Residents report that the
15 native noio fly in and out of refuges in the rocky coastal cliffs, and during the survey a red-tailed tropic bird was observed at Honu‘apo.
Damselflies
The Ka‘ū region supports what is probably one of the largest populations of the rare orange- black Hawaiian damselfly (Megalagrion xanthomelas) in the state. This candidate endangered species thrives in the aquatic habitat of the extensive spring complex that stretches from Nīnole Springs to the estuary at Honu‘apo.
Systematic surveys have located damselfly populations at Kāwā, Hīlea, Nīnole and Honu‘apo. The highest densities occur at the back Native Hawaiian damselfly (photo by I.A. Cooper) of estuarine marshes, at the mouth of Hīlea and Nīnole Streams, and at Kāwā Springs. Rocky sediments from upslope erosion have filled in a considerable amount of the terminal wetlands at Nīnole Stream and the sedimentation appears to have reduced the local populations of orange-black damselflies at this location. (All damselfly data from Foote, 2006).
3.4.4 Marine Resources
Marine organisms found in the study area are those adapted to the intense wind, sun and rough seas that prevail on the Ka‘ū coast. The rugged shoreline offers an array of habitats for these hardy creatures. It features long stretches of volcanic cliffs of varying heights, with numerous rock outcrops, islets, and exposed sea arches. Offshore bathymetry is steep in most places, dropping quickly off to deep water. Onshore the cliffs grade into a low-lying coastal plain. In several places headlands or points enclose small coves or bays and the coastal plain broadens. These flatter areas sustain tidepools, ponds, and wetlands. Several streams feed the coast, and lava tubes discharge freshwater into the nearshore zone all along the shoreline.
Coastal habitat types observed in the survey included sand and cobble beaches, intertidal benches and pools, basalt benches and cliffs, spring-fed ponds, wetlands, and coastal strand vegetation communities over a range of exposure and disturbance conditions. On the unusually calm day of the survey, the study team also observed oceanographic fronts and convection cells—features that provide a refuge or nursery for young planktonic life stages of many nearshore marine organisms—in the waters of Honu‘apo Bay.
16 These varied habitats probably support a higher biological diversity than is indicated by the list of species noted during the site visit. Observations were limited by sea conditions, time constraints, and inability to access certain areas. As a result only about 70 species were recorded across all taxonomic groups. (See Appendix 9.3.)
Seven taxa of algae were observed and identified in the field. Ahnfeltiopsis coccinea was the dominant macroalga at all areas observed. Crustose coralline red algae were particularly dominant at Kāwā and Honu‘apo. Sargassum echinocarpum was common in the Honu‘apo area. During the survey we saw no alien algae, and no widespread algal overgrowth of the benthos or overdominance of algal cover. It appears that algal and benthic invertebrate and cover are in equilibrium. This condition is most possible when there is minimal nutrient input from land, and when the populations of herbivores, both fish and invertebrates, have not been unduly impacted or overexploited.
Algae, intertidal bench and pools at Kamehame
All corals we observed during the survey have the encrusting, mound, or robust branched morphologies characteristic of corals living on high energy exposed outer coasts. The range of species is greatest in protected embayments. Coral growth in these areas reflects good water quality made possible by lack of coastal development and consequent low levels of land runoff and sedimentation.
17 The study team identified 28 species of non-coral macro-invertebrates on the day of the survey. As is typical in areas with rocky intertidal reefs, the majority of these were mollusks, including cone shells, cowries, tube snails, and a nudibranch or sea slug. Next in number were echinoderms, particularly sea urchins (3 species), sea cucumbers (minimum 2 species), and sea stars (2 species). Crustaceans included shrimps, barnacles, and several species of hermit crabs. ‘Opihi (Cellana spp.), shingle urchins (Colobocentrotus atratus) and ‘a‘āma crabs (Grapsus tenuicrustatus) were abundant at places in the intertidal zone, particularly in the vicinity of Kāwā and just to the east of Punalu‘u. The team also saw sponges and a polychaete worm.
From shore and at wading depth the study team observed 10 species of marine fishes typical in shallow waters throughout the Hawaiian archipelago. Underwater reconnaissance would undoubtedly reveal much greater species richness.
Probably because of limited access and challenging sea conditions, little previous coastal- marine work has been done in the study area, except for turtle monitoring. The Atlas of Natural Hazards in the Hawaiian Coastal Zone includes relevant data on the study area, but study team literature searches and contacts with biologists in the state’s Division of Aquatic Resources at Hilo and Kona revealed no other substantive marine research on this portion of the Ka‘ū coast. In 2005, NOAA-Fisheries Coral Reef Ecosystem Division conducted ship-based marine benthic, bathymetric and oceanographic surveys offshore; the resulting data are not yet available (Brainard 2006). The study team found no existing benthic habitat maps for the area.
The area of the reconnaissance survey appears to be rich in marine resources and in need of further scientific study.
3.4.5 Pools, Ponds and Estuaries
The study area features noteworthy coastal ponds, pools and estuaries. One of the best- known is the freshwater wetland by Punalu‘u’s black sand beach, set back from the shore behind a small palm grove. Harboring an active population of domestic ducks and large numbers of introduced tilapia, it is a favored spot for local residents to fish by hook and line.
Below Punalu‘u is the second-largest spring complex on Hawai‘i island. Stretching from Nīnole Springs through Kāwā to Honu‘apo, it consists of a series of wetlands fed by basal springs and intermittent streams that support a broad range of native fauna. At Kāwā, the springs feed fresh water through a short stream reach to a flat-bottomed pond by the shore with low basalt rocks across its seaward end. Under calm conditions such as the day of the site visit, it holds low salinity water on the bottom with an overlying freshwater lens, while on more typical days of wind and waves the waters mix and salinity is higher. Farther west at Honu‘apo, the freshwater springs feed a shallow estuary with direct opening to the sea and ongoing rapid tidal exchange.
18 At Waikapuna at the southern end of the study area, an array of intertidal pools and channels in basalt rock span the breadth of the embayment. The pools vary in area, shape, and depth. Under high wave conditions they are constantly inundated, but on calmer days they remain protected by offshore intertidal benches and boulders.
The pool complex at Waikapuna contains the highest marine species diversity of any other area observed during this reconnaissance trip, including numerous individuals, especially juveniles or recruits, of several marine invertebrates and fishes. This suggests that it may be a significant refuge or nursery area for nearshore marine fauna on the south coast of Hawai’i Island.
Intertidal pool complex at Waikapuna
Anchialine (“near the sea”) pools of varying types occur throughout the study area. These are rare and localized brackish waters along coastal lava flows that exhibit tidal fluctuations without a surface connection to the ocean. They include open pools near the shore as well as undisturbed pools in collapsed lava tubes, cracks and caves. Endemic and native shrimp species live in the pools and travel between them through underground cracks. The orange-black damselfly, a candidate endangered species, breeds in the anchialine pools, and native insects perch on the nearby vegetation. Anchialine species throughout the state are severely threatened by alien insects, by habitat loss due to coastal development, and by other human impacts. (Foote, 2003)
19 3.4.6 Cultural and Archeological Resources
Ka‘ū has been inhabited for more than 1500 years and includes some of the earliest settlement areas following migrations from Kahikinui (Kirch, 1985). Formal archeological surveys have been conducted in the Ka‘ū area over many years, starting with work in the 1950’s at Ka Lae. The renowned Hawaiian historian Mary Kawena Pukui, a native of Ka‘ū, documented more than 30 ‘olelo no’eau (proverbs and sayings) about the Ka‘ū area (Pukui, 1983). There are more than 80 documented references to archeological reports and information about the Ka‘ū district, from Miloli‘i extending eastward across Ka‘ū to the boundary of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Unpublished literature and field notes offer additional information.
Archeological complexes reflecting Hawaiian settlement in the study area portion of Ka‘ū can be seen at Honu‘apo, Hion’a‘ā, Hōkūkano, Kāwā, and Punalu‘u. Well-known features readily visible along the shoreline include the Puhi‘ula cave; three luakini heiau at Punalu‘u, Nīnole and Kāwā, respectively; and the ‘alā stone trails along the coast, especially between Punalu‘u and Honu‘apo.
Heiau at Kāwā
20
Archeological feature types represented in Ka‘ū include kauhale (dwelling complexes), heiau (religious structures), shrines, walls, fishing hālau and canoe sheds, ramps, burial sites, wahi pana (legendary places), petroglyphs, water collection sites, salt collection sites, caves and trails. These extend from the shoreline into the uplands and are reflective of former and traditional use of the whole ahupu’a‘ā (land division, usually spanning from sea to mountain) by the community in accordance with appropriate protocol and season.
Early Hawaiians settling in Ka‘ū cultivated small-scale food crops and found sustenance in the fish-filled coastal waters, freshwater springs, and forests. When the Protestant missionary William Ellis arrived in Ka‘ū in 1823, he estimated the population at 5,000 to 6,000—roughly the equivalent of Ka‘ū’s population today. In the centuries since, a Western economy supplanted the traditional Hawaiian subsistence lifestyle, and large- scale agriculture and ranching extensively modified the landscape in the upper portion of the study area. Remnants of the plantation era’s heyday, when Hawai‘i shipped sugar by barge to the U.S. mainland, can be seen in the wharf ruins at Honu‘apo. Ka‘ū’s current population reflects a mix of the original Hawaiian families with successive waves of immigrant plantation workers, plus more recent arrivals from the U.S. mainland and elsewhere in Hawai‘i.
Despite these changes, many of Ka‘ū’s people still live a life deeply connected to the land and sea. Like their ancestors, they fish, pick ‘opihi, gather salt, grow foods, and collect native plants for medicine, food and crafts. Hawaiians of Punalu‘u conduct cultural and environmental education classes, fight to keep the surrounding land from being developed, and work to protect the revered honu (turtles) in the bay. At Kāwā, public use of the shoreline is unofficially overseen by a Hawaiian who lives on adjacent private property—not as the legal owner of record, but instead based on historic family ties to the land.
The ‘ohana (families) of the communities in Ka‘ū are living cultural resources connected to the study area. Their intimate knowledge and understanding of its resources will be a critical part of any future management of Ka‘ū lands for the public trust. The study area is a living landscape and an integral part of the Ka‘ū community.
Legendary ‘ili‘ili hānau of Kōloa (birth pebbles) Natural salt pan
21 3.4.7 Recreational Resources and Community Use
Designated public recreation sites in this 27-mile stretch of the Ka‘ū coast are modest and are minimally managed. They include a golf course at Punalu‘u, county beach parks at Punalu‘u and Honu‘apo, and a state-owned wayside lookout on Māmalahoa Highway (Highway 11) just west of Honu‘apo. These areas are popular with residents and visitors eager to sightsee, hike, camp, fish, picnic, study nature and visit cultural sites. Hikers and cavers also regularly trek to the Great Crack located on private land in the Ka‘ū Desert portion of the study area.
When conditions are favorable, people also swim, surf, bodyboard, snorkel, dive, pick ‘opihi, and fish from boats and from the shoreline. For much of the year, however, rough seas and dangerous currents limit the options for ocean activities. Small vessels from Punalu‘u and Hilo or Puna fish offshore along the coast during calm periods, as occurred during this site visit. Remote areas such as Kamehame are accessed for fishing as evidenced by ‘opihi shell piles and the occasional fishing platform.
Viewsheds in the study area can be spectacular. Near Honu‘apo, Māmalahoa Highway crosses a cliff directly above the ocean. Here the wayside lookout offers a panoramic view, from the steam spume of lava flowing into the sea at Hawai‘i Volcanos National Park at the far northeast horizon, to the southernmost point in the United States, Ka Lae, just beyond the lower end of the study area. East of the lookout Highway 11 traces the mauka edge of the study area, aiming gradually away from the shoreline across largely undeveloped land. It gives sightseers a good appreciation of the rural qualities of Ka‘ū District but offers only sporadic views of the shoreline. Vegetation directly makai of the road is dominantly non-native and often obstructs views of the ocean.
The most awe-inspiring views in the study area are found from the shoreline itself, looking laterally along miles of undeveloped coast and mauka to grand Mauna Loa. Officially, public vehicular access from the highway to the shore is limited to the beach park access roads at Punalu‘u and Honu‘apo. However, two rough roads through private property lead to Kāwā Bay and are regularly used by island residents. In addition, private landowners in the study area grant permission and lend gate keys to trusted local residents who want to reach the coast for fishing, ‘opihi-picking or other traditional uses. Residents also cross from the highway to the shoreline on foot. People in the community count on continued access to this coast; they express a strong belief in their rights to access and their responsibilities for stewardship, even where property is privately held.
Conditions at Punalu‘u Beach Park provide a quick case study of the recreation resources and the recreation management issues found in the study area. Located in the crescent of Punalu‘u Bay, this public recreation resource offers ready access to the shoreline and serves as a launching point for further exploration in either direction along the adjacent rocky, dramatic coast. The park area provides a partially sheltered place to play, socialize, and enjoy nature. When water conditions are favorable, park users can swim and snorkel, or scuba dive at depths from 5 to 60 feet in the bay. Ocean companions
22 include whales, dolphins, turtles, moray eels and colorful fish and corals. But the surf is often dangerous, with vicious currents.
Punalu‘u’s small black sand beach, shaded palm grove, casual parking areas, and freshwater fishpond receive ongoing heavy usage by residents. Visitors arrive by rental car and spill out of tour busses; a recent 30-day study conducted by Ka‘ū Preservation, a local community group, recorded an average of 1,000 beachgoers per day. Amidst this activity, the threatened green sea turtles that thrive in Punalu‘u bay regularly climb onto the beach to bask. Local residents know the turtles are threatened and give them a wide berth. Visitors, lacking understanding of the situation, often approach the turtles. Signs requesting otherwise are posted near the beach, but these are often overlooked or ignored.
Turtles and humans vie for open space on the black sand beach of Punalu‘u
Trails along the rocky shoreline lure hikers away from the beach and into a rugged lava terrain, where the impressive Kāne‘ele‘ele Heiau offers an intriguing introduction to the archeological sites that dot the landscape. In the absence of interpretation or active management, some visitors feel free to climb on the heaiu, or to decorate the dark rocks with stark white coral graffiti.
Local residents use the trails for access to fishing sites, or to pick ‘opihi below the nearby coastal cliffs. During the reconnaissance survey the team observed two men leaving by a side trail, carrying bags of ‘opihi estimated at 30 pounds, clearly in excess of personal consumption limits permitted by state law. Since the park offers easy access to the
23 shoreline and remains open around the clock, but lacks on-site management or enforcement, opportunities abound for such activity.
The recreation resources and management issues at Punalu‘u vary in detail and degree, but not in substance, from those faced at the other accessible locations along the coast such as Kāwā and Honu‘apo. If subdivisions currently proposed in the study area are developed, and if shoreline use by residents and tourists continues to grow as anticipated, resource protection and recreation management will quickly become critical issues throughout the study area.
4 PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF RESOURCE SIGNIFICANCE
Sections 4.1 through 4.4 below address the four basic questions considered by NPS to evaluate the significance of resources within a study area. Based on these considerations the study team believes the Ka‘ū study area to be of national significance, provided that no future development mars the integrity of its viewsheds or its resources.
4.1 Natural and Cultural Resources
4.1.1 Natural Resources The shoreline portion of the study area presents 27 miles of outstanding coastal-marine natural resources in relatively pristine condition. They include the following: • Nesting sites for 40 of the fewer than 80 hawksbill sea turtles known to nest in the Hawaiian Islands. The hawksbill is a federally listed endangered species and the rarest sea turtle in the Pacific Ocean. Over 90% of hawksbill nests in the state occur on the island of Hawai‘i, and 7 of the 13 known nesting sites on the island are located within the study area. • One of the largest known populations of the rare orange-black Hawaiian damselfly, a candidate endangered species • Habitat for the endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bat • Feeding sites for the threatened green sea turtle • Shoreline havens for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal • Habitat for indigenous shorebirds and seabirds such as the Pacific golden plover, wandering tattler, ruddy turnstone, sanderling, wedge-tailed shearwater, and black noddy. • Localized wetlands attractive to the indigenous black-crowned night-heron, the endangered endemic Hawaiian coot, and migratory waterfowl such as northern pintails, northern shovelers, and American wigeon. • Coastal hunting ground for the endemic Hawaiian hawk or `io, and probable nighttime flight path to sea for band-rumped storm-petrels • Over forty species of native coastal strand vegetation • Rare anchialine ponds that host endemic and native shrimp species and insects
24 • An unusually large complex of basal springs, intermittent streams, and wetlands that provide habitat for a broad range of native Hawaiian fauna • A wide array of coastal-marine habitats including pāhoehoe and ‘a‘ā flats, drifted sand, anchialine pond shores, protected beaches, spray-battered bluffs, islets, rock outcrops, exposed sea arches, intertidal benches, underwater springs discharging into the nearshore zone, coves and bays bracketed by headlands, some shallow areas protected by reefs and boulders, and miles of offshore bathymetry featuring a quick drop to deep water • Fronts and convection cells in the ocean water which serve as “retaining walls” for planktonic forms of nearshore marine organisms • Intertidal pool complexes that provide nursery habitat for marine invertebrates and fish • Living corals reflective of very good water quality, and probably indicative of low land runoff and sedimentation • Limited algal cover, implying healthy populations of benthic invertebrates, low nutrient runoff and fish populations that have not been overexploited
The study area features spectacular scenic vistas. Cradled between the green slopes of Mauna Loa and Kīlauea volcanoes and the endless expanse of the Pacific Ocean, its crescent-shaped shoreline offers a uniquely unspoiled view, marked at one end by steaming flow of lava into the sea, and at the other end by the southernmost point in the United States.
Notable geological forms in the study area include Ka‘ū Desert, the Great Crack, the Pāhala ash layer, caves, and the ancient Nīnole Hills and Valleys; uncommon basal springs, anchialine ponds, freshwater ponds and wetlands; black and olivine sands, shoreline cliffs and benches, and basalt rock tidepools; and other diverse geological features resulting from volcanic and erosional processes.
4.1.2 Cultural Resources
Collectively, the cultural resources and the living cultural practices in the study area commemorate the way of life in old Hawai‘i, both before and after Western contact. Ka‘ū has been inhabited for more than 1500 years and includes some of the earliest settlement areas following migrations from Kahikinui.
Experience of the cultural landscape is possible via ancient and historic trails along the shoreline.Visible features represent the traditional Hawaiian culture, agriculture, fishing, and the plantation impacts and developing economy of the 19th century. Living practices include ‘opihi-picking, salt gathering, fishing, and surfing. Notable sites include the ruins of a formal royal center at Punalu‘u, with remains of the huge luakini overlooking the bay; vestiges of a coral-marked ala loa; and other heiau, habitation sites and petroglyphs in the surrounding area.
Numerous features of cultural importance exist throughout the study area. Some are sensitive and unsuitable for public viewing, while others may be ideally suited for
25 interpretation. Description and discussion of specific sites is not within the scope of this reconnaissance survey.
4.2 Educational and Interpretive Value
The study area’s coastal corridor and viewshed are of exceptional interpretive and educational value. A foot journey through this unique remnant of old Hawai‘i affords a visual and physical experience of the inextricable link between landscape and culture for the native people of Hawai‘i, our nation’s only island state. In doing so, it enriches understanding of our country’s complex natural and cultural heritage. The linear nature of the study area allows for interpretive nodes at access points, separated by long stretches of coastline without visually intrusive signage or infrastructure.
It is important to note, however, that this high degree of interpretive value exists only if the shoreline is protected, lateral coastal access is assured, the integrity of the mauka viewshed is maintained, and public access is actively and effectively managed to preserve the quality of remoteness that defines the Ka‘ū district.
4.3 Public Recreation and Enjoyment
Remote yet accessible, the study area offers superb opportunities for public enjoyment. Remarkable marine life, native flora, geological features and cultural resources converge along the entire shoreline, as well as around the popular coves and bays where public access currently exists. They afford options for active and passive recreation, nature study, and cultural experience. A hike through the coastal corridor unfolds spectacular sweeping vistas of wild ocean and rugged shoreline against the majestic backdrop of Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes, with little or no human development in the line of sight at most locations. Increasing visitor use and the vigorous stewardship efforts of the local community testify to the unique appeal of this portion of the Ka‘ū coast.
The native vegetation, geologic and hydrologic features, and archeological sites and complexes in the study area offer untapped opportunities for scientific study. Marine resources have been protected by the limited access that has existed to date, as well as by the frequently rough and turbulent ocean conditions. With ongoing protection and managed access, the study area will offer excellent opportunities for scientific study.
4.4 Resource Integrity
Ka‘ū is considered to be one of Hawai‘i`s last “unspoiled” coastlines. Since the Ka‘ū district is sparsely populated, and its coastal lands lack infrastructure or development, much of the remote rocky shore of the study area remains relatively undisturbed. Native flora and fauna thrive in the nearshore waters and in a coastal corridor up to a half-mile wide that includes an array of pools, ponds and estuaries. Above this corridor, non-native
26 woods and pasturelands provide a buffer that preserves the integrity of the coastal viewshed and resources.
Native Hawaiian cultural sites, trails and complexes occur throughout the study area. The stark lava landscape, the ancient Nīnole Hills, the barren Ka‘ū Desert and the dramatic Great Crack illustrate the violent geologic forces that formed the island. Altogether, these resources create an environment that offers an unparalleled opportunity to step backward in time. Given the rampant pace of coastal development throughout the state of Hawai‘i, the integrity of the Ka‘ū study area is remarkable.
Continued resource integrity depends upon successful protection of both the coastal- marine corridor and the mauka portion of the study area.
5 PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF SUITABILITY
The significant cultural features, geological forms and coastal-marine natural resources of the study area are each represented to some extent within other national parks in Hawai‘i. However, in no other location do these features coexist in such a long and uninterrupted coastal landscape with continuous scenic, interpretive, and recreational integrity. The coastline in the study area is rich in resources found only in Hawai‘i. Compared to existing coastal managed areas within the state it is uniquely wild, yet accessible. We know of no comparable area protected for the public trust. Therefore, the area would be a suitable addition to the National Park System.
6 PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF FEASIBILITY
The question of feasibility asks, in part, whether a study area is of a size and configuration that would allow for sustainable resource protection and visitor enjoyment under NPS management. With a lower boundary along the ocean, an upper boundary along Highway 11, an eastern boundary partly abutting Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and no existing through roads to other destinations, the Ka‘ū coast study area could be readily delineated as park and NPS could manage access with relative ease.
Landownership, acquisition costs, and resource threats are additional factors which can affect feasibility. In addition to nearly 2,900 acres of publicly owned land, the study area includes a number of potentially high-value privately owned tracts of land. NPS may need to acquire some or all of these privately owned tracts in order to establish a traditional park unit. For at least four of these tracts, spread throughout the study area, owners have begun active planning for subdivision and development. Two notable shoreline parcels in the study area were recently placed on the market.
The study area consists of approx. 20,000 acres according to County records. Nearly 17,000 acres are designated as Agricultural, with the remainder as Conservation (> 2,300 ac.) or Urban (> 400 ac.). Recent sales activity in the County of Hawaii indicates that real
27 estate values are increasing. Land values can vary greatly depending on zoning and use designations, size, location, owner investments in planning, permits, and infrustructure. Without benefit of an appraisal or cost estimate, which are beyond the scope of this study, it is difficult to predict the acquisition costs for lands within the study area. Based on sales of similarly zoned properties within the County, however, it is not unreasonable to assume that land acquisition costs could be in the tens of million of dollars.
The National Park Service manages a wide variety of types of parks, including national historic sites, recreation areas, preserves, reserves, monuments and seashores. In some cases, the enabling legislation for an NPS designated unit can successfully provide for continued private land ownership, sharing of management costs and responsibilities via agency or community partnerships, and ongoing community uses. Another potential avenue might be acquisition and management of a smaller portion of the study area; this would reduce costs, and could be considered. Scrutiny of these options is beyond the scope of this reconnaissance survey. A feasibility study (Special Resource Study), if conducted, would examine and compare these alternatives in depth.
In summary, the study area is largely intact as a resource. The area includes significant resources that could be managed sustainably, but acquisition costs would most likely be high. Under existing conditions, development pressures in the area may rapidly impact the notable coastal-marine resources and unspoiled viewshed that together make the study area nationally significant.
Protection of the coastline should be a focus of continued public dialogue. Ideally, short- term measures will be implemented locally to prevent resource degradation while long- term alternatives are discussed. If community, county and state interest is sufficient, an NPS feasibility study should be conducted to consider partnership approaches and alternative NPS designations that could protect the Ka’ū coastline’s unique resources for future generations.
7 OTHER RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY FINDINGS
7.1 Position of the Community
To date, NPS information about the position of the community is based largely on the record of the South Kona-Ka‘ū Task Force. The group, which meets monthly, includes some of the area’s largest landowners, a diverse array of community residents, and representatives of both county and state governments. NPS also participates.
At the June 1, 2006 meeting of the Task Force, NPS Pacific Area Director Frank Hays asked members if they felt that NPS should proceed with a full-scale feasibility study if the results of the reconnaissance survey appear to justify doing so. Opinions varied among the task force participants. They decided to consider the issue for a month, and to make a recommendation for or against a feasibility study at the July meeting.
28 When the Task Force revisited the question at its meeting of July 6, 2006, sentiments remained mixed. Of the 13 task force participants present, 8 supported pursuing a feasibility study if NPS deemed it appropriate, while 5 opposed it. Those opposed included several major private landowners, who expressed concern that NPS involvement may lead to conversion of private lands to federal ownership. It is not known if these landowners would support other land protection measures such as the purchase of conservation easements, limited development schemes, or other approaches involving private land trusts, the State of Hawaii, the county, or other entities.
Native Hawaiian representatives on the Task Force initially expressed strong reservations about National Park Service management of lands in the study area. However, at the July 2006 Task Force meeting, the remaining Native Hawaiian representative expressed support for conducting a Special Resource Study to evaluate alternatives to preserve the area.
7.2 Position of County Government
Hawai‘i County government is represented on the South Kona-Ka‘ū Task Force by Planning Director Chris Yuen. At the group’s initial meeting he expressed his view, based on experience, that the best preservation strategies address both public and private lands, combining public and private acquisition with tools such as conservation easements, land exchanges, and land use controls and regulations.
Concurrent with and separate from the work of the Task Force, over the last year the Hawai‘i County Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Commission conducted public meetings throughout the island to identify priority sites for protection and acquisition. In their report submitted to the Mayor in April 2006, the Commission identified two locations in the study area—Kāwā and Punalu‘u—among the top five priority sites to acquire or otherwise protect from development.
The Commission also identified the entire Ka‘ū Coast as a “partnership acquisition” target for “preservation, protection and recreational use.” Other sites within the reconnaissance study area cited by the Commission are the coastal lands from Honu‘apo to Nīnole, as well as the private lands that encompass the Great Crack just below the existing boundary of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Taken together, the locations identified by the Commission comprise the bulk of the reconnaissance study area.
After taking the Commission’s recommendations into consideration, Hawai‘i County Mayor Harry Kim prepared a final set of recommendations for submittal to the County Council. He elevated Kāwā and Punalu‘u—both popular sites in the study area that are threatened by development—to the island’s first and second priority sites for acquisition.
In 2005, Hawai‘i County created an Open Space Fund with a stated upper limit of $5 million, but appropriations for the fund have been modest. Citizens will vote on a ballot measure in November 2006 to remove the cap on the Open Space Fund and to annually set aside 2 percent of Hawai‘i County property taxes for land acquisition. Based on
29 property tax revenues in 2005, if the measure had been in effect that year, it would have generated almost $2.7 million for acquisition of public open space.
7.3 Position of State Government
Hawai‘i’s Director of the Division of State Parks, Dan Quinn, represents state government on the Task Force. At its first meeting he shared a letter from Representative Ed Case to Peter Young, Chair of the state’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, asking the Task Force to support the request for NPS to conduct this reconnaissance survey of the Ka‘ū coast. The Task Force agreed that State Parks should write a letter urging NPS to move forward with the reconnaissance study.
Quinn told the Task Force that the state parks system is working to protect native Hawaiian access and gathering rights. He suggested the Task Force could study whether the land is being effectively managed by another entity, and noted that “if so, there is no need to have it designated part of the National Parks system.” Quinn stated that his preference was “to have a ground-up approach rather than to have the federal government come in.” At the group’s July 2006 meeting, State Parks Director Quinn voted in favor of conducting a feasibility study if NPS concludes it is appropriate based on this reconnaissance survey.
30 8 Recommendation
The Ka‘ū Coast is an important resource to Hawaii and the nation, and it merits protection. Based upon the significance of the resources in the study area, and the current integrity and intact condition of these resources, a preliminary finding of national significance and suitability can be concluded. A preliminary finding of feasibility is offered, but is conditional: to be feasible, any management approaches considered must focus on partnerships and strategies that do not rely upon a large scale fee title purchase by the federal government.
If a special resource study is conducted, it must be done within a framework of collaboration and coordination among county, state and private interests and with the cooperation of private citizens and property owners within the study area. Management alternatives considered must focus on a range of creative approaches, designations, and partnership arrangements.
It is therefore recommended to Congress that a full special resource study under the stipulations of Public Law 105-391 be authorized for the Ka‘ū Coast of Hawaii, so long as non-traditional approaches are the focus of the study, and it is conducted in full collaboration with others.
31 9 APPENDICES
9.1 Selected References
Banko, W.E. History Of Endemic Hawaiian Birds, Part 1, Species Accounts, Freshwater birds: Hawaiian Coot, ‘Alai-‘ke’oke’o. CPSU/UH Avian History Report 12C. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu. 1987.
Brainard, Rusty. Division Chief and Oceanographer, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Personal communication, March 2006.
County of Hawai`i. County of Hawai`i General Plan, February 2005. Downloaded from http://www.hawaii-county.com/la/gp/2005/main.html on June 12, 2006.
County of Hawai‘i. County of Hawai‘i Data Book Section 5: Geography and Environment. From http://www.hawaii-county.com/databook_current/section05.htm on June 18, 2006. Last updated November 2005.
County of Hawai‘i Planning Department, prepared by Duncan Associates with Helber Hastert and Fee. Infrastructure and Public Facilities Needs Assessment: Growth Analysis. From www.hawaii-county.com/planning/ipfna/hawaii%20co_growth%20memo5.pdf on June 16, 2006. January 2006.
County of Hawai‘i, Director of Planning. Hawai‘i Land Use Regulatory System. Downloaded from www.hawaii-county.com/planning/Land_Use_Regulatory_System.pdf on June 18, 2006. March 2006.
Cox, J. Halley and Stasack, Edward. Hawaiian Petroglyphs, Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication No. 60, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, 1970.
C.H. Fletcher III, E.E. Grossman, B.M. Richmond, and A.E. Gibbs (2002). Atlas of Natural Hazards in the Hawaiian Coastal Zone, US DOI USGS, Geologic Investigations Series I-2761.
Di Salvo, Carol, Richard Orr and David Foote. “Dragonflies and damselflies: Invertebrate indicators of ecological health,” in NPS Natural Resource Year in Review - 2003. From http://www2.nature.nps.gov/YearInReview/yir2003/PDF/YIR2003_07.pdf on June 6, 2006. 2003.
Foote, David. Ecologist, USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai‘i. Personal communications, May 2006.
32 Handy, E.S. and Pukui, Mary Kawena. The Polynesian Family System in Ka‘ū, Charles E. Tuttle Company, Rutland, VT. 1972.
Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Research and Economic Analysis Division. County Population Facts. Downloaded from on June 16, 2006. March 2006.
Hazlett, Richard W. and Donald W. Hyndman. 1996. Roadside Geology of Hawai‘i. Mountain Press Publishing, Missoula, MT.
Juvik, Sonia P. and James O. (eds)., Paradise, Thomas R. (cartographer). Atlas of Hawai`i, 3rd ed., University of Hawai`i Press, Honolulu. 1998.
Ka‘u Preservation. Ka‘u Preservation: Protecting Hawai`i’s Largest Wilderness Area. http://kaupreservation.org
Kirch, P. Feathered Gods and Fishhooks: An Introduction to Hawaiian Archeology and Prehistory, University of Hawai‘i Press, 1985.
McNarie, Alan D. The Future of the Ka‘u Coast (series), Hawai‘i Island Journal, 2006. Part 1: “Parallel Worlds at Kawa Bay” (January 1-15, 2006). Part 2: “Saving Ka‘u’s Crown Jewel” (January 16-31, 2006). Part 3: “The Town of Punalu‘u? Proposed development could threaten turtle haven” (February 1-15, 2006). Part 4: “Just Give Me that Countryside” (February 10, 2006).
Macdonald, Gordon A., Abbott, Agatin T. and Peterson, Frank L. Volcanoes in the Sea: The Geology of Hawai‘i, University of Hawai‘i Press, second edition, 1983.
Motooka, Philip; Castro, Luisa; Nelson, Duane; Nagai, Guy; and Ching, Lincoln. Weeds of Hawai‘i’s Pastures and Natural Areas: An Identification and Management Guide, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2003.
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Gaviota Coast Draft Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment, NPS Pacific Great Basin Support Office. April 2003. Also available at www.nps.gov/pwro/gaviota
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Criteria for Parklands, from http://inside.nps.gov/waso/custompages.cfm?prg=50&id=663&lv=2&pgid=318 on April 18, 2006. NPS Washington Area Support Office, Park Planning and Special Studies Division. 2005.
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Comprehensive Management Plan (draft for internal review). NPS Pacific West Regional Office, Oakland, CA. May 2006.
33 Nielsen, Frank M., Franko’s Map of Hawai‘i the Big Island, Franko’s Maps. California. 2002.
Pukui, Mary Kawena. ‘Olelo No’eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings, Bishop Museum Press. Honolulu, 1983.
Pukui, Mary Kawena, Samuel H. Elbert and Esther T. Mookini, Place Names of Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press. Honolulu, 1974.
Pukui, Mary Kawena, and Samuel H. Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary: Hawaiian-English, English-Hawiian, Revised and Enlarged Edition, University of Hawai`i Press. Honolulu, 1986.
Replogle, John. Field Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy, Hawai‘i Island. Personal communications, February 2006.
Stanbro, Joshua. Project Manager, Hawai‘i Field Office, The Trust for Public Land. Personal communications, 2006.
State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, “Status Report on Suitability Study for Wilderness Park from Honomalino, South Kona to Manuka, Ka‘ū, Island of Hawai‘i” as Proposed in Senate Resolution 65, September 1987.
State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State Recreational Functional Plan: Technical Reference Document, December 1990.
State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Honolulu. 2003.
State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Division, Archeological Reports Inventory, 2006.
State of Hawai‘i, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Meeting Notes of the South Kona-Ka‘ū Coastal Conservation Task Force. Division of State Parks. Honolulu. Monthly, October-November 2005, January-July 2006.
Stearns, Harold A. Geology of the State of Hawai‘i, Pacific Books, Palo Alto, CA. 1966.
Swift, Roberta. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Shoreline Bird Survey, National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Program, September 2005.
Swift, Roberta and Burt-Toland, Evana. Seabird Radar Surveys and Colony Searches at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Program, October 2005.
34 The Ka‘u Calendar (website). Saving Ka‘u’s Coast: Why Hawai‘i’s Longest Uninhabited coast Must be Preserved. http://www.kaucoast.org
The Ka‘u Calendar (newspaper). Pahala, HI. “Task Force Calls for Quiet Period” Vol. 4, No. 8. June 2006 “Change to Fold into Honu‘apo Hillside.” Vol. 4, No. 3. January 2006a. “Punalu‘u Developers Invite Public to a Jan. 7 Meeting,” Vol. 4, No. 3. January 2006b. “Punalu‘u Development Could Double Population,” Vol. 4, No. 4. February 2006. “Kawa, Pohue, Punalu‘u Top County Preserve List,” Vol. 4, No. 7. May 2006a. “Ka‘u Coast, Ninole, Ka Lae, Great Crack and Forest Chosen for Partnership Protection,” Vol. 4, No. 7. May 2006b “Land Preservation Fund Goes to Voters,” Vol. 4, No. 10. August 2006a. “County Assesses Value of Kawa,” Vol. 4, No. 10, August 2006b. “2005 Review Details Price Increases in Ka‘u Real Estate,” Vol 4, No. 5. March 2006.
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. GCT-T1-R. Population Estimates: 2005 population estimates Hawai‘i County. From http://factfinder.census.gov on June 12, 2006. 2005.
U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior. Inventory of Anchialine Pools in Hawai`i’s National Parks. USGS FS 2005-3129. November 2005.
U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, Hawai‘i Volcano Observatory: Are We Breaking Away—The Great Crack. Downloaded from http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/volcanowatch/1998/98_07_16.html on September 17, 2006. July 1998.
U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior. Volcanic and Seismic Hazards of the Island of Hawai‘i, Online Edition: http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/hazards July 1997.
U.S. Senate, 105th Congress, 2nd Session, Calendar No. 522. Report from the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, to accompany S. 2129, the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park Adjustment Act of 1998. From http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi- bin/cpquery/T?&report=sr313&dbname=105& on September 17, 2006. September 1998.
Warshauer, Rick. U.S. Geological Survey, Hawai`i Cooperative Studies Unit. Personal communication, March 2006.
35 9.2 Glossary of Hawaiian Words
‘a‘ā Jagged, irregular, stony lava that is difficult to walk on a‘a‘ma A large and edible black crab often seen on shoreline rocks ahupua‘a Land division usually extending from the uplands to the sea, encompassing a range of resources needed for sustenance ‘alā Dense waterworn volcanic stone alaloa The main trail or travelway around an island aloha pumehana Warm aloha, affection (Pukui) ‘aumakua Family or personal gods, deified ancestors who might assume the shape of living creatures ‘ehu kai Sea foam or sea spray koa haole An woody shrub that grows to 20 ft. tall and forms dense stands; it is considered a weed in Hawai‘i. heiau A Hawaiian place of worship, ranging from a simple terrace to a large and complex stone platform; pre-dates Christianity in Hawaii honu General name for turtle and tortoise ‘ili‘ili hānau The birth pebbles of Kōloa (at Punalu‘u); they were believed to come in male and female forms, and reproduce themselves ‘ilima ku kahakai A creeping, low-growing coastal form of the ‘ilima, a native Hawaiian flowering shrub related to hibiscus. ‘io An endemic and endangered Hawaiian hawk that lives only on the island of Hawai‘i and is regarded by some as an ‘aumaku,or . kauhale Hawaiian houses or house. Originally houses were grouped, with each for a specific purpose: sleeping, cooking, storing of canoes, gathering of women, gatherings of men, etc. kīpuka A clear opening or vegetated oasis in a lava bed, in contrast to the surrounding lava flow. luakini heiau A large heiau where ruling chiefs prayed and made human sacrifices. mahalo Thankfulness, thanks, to thank. makai Toward the sea or by the sea. mauka Inland, upland, towards the mountain, shoreward (if at sea). naupaka kahakai A succulent shrub with white berries and flowers that grows on beaches in Hawai`i and elsewhere in the Pacific noio Hawaiian noddy tern ‘ohana Family, relative, kin group; related. ‘ōlelo no‘eau A traditional saying ‘opihi Limpets pāhoehoe Ropy, smooth, or billowy lava pōhuehue The beach morning-glory, a strong vine used by Hawaiians to drive fish into nets, and for medicinal concoctions wahi pana Legendary place
36
9.3 Coastal-Marine Species Observed on Site Visit
Algae (7+) Codium edule velvety-green seaweed limu wāwae‘iole Ulva sp sea lettuce, green seaweed limu pālahalaha, līpahapaha Sargassum echinocarpum common long, brown limu kala seaweeds Turbinaria ornata spiny-leaf seaweed limu Ahnfeltiopsis coccinea a coarse, red seaweed limu ‘aki‘aki Enteromorpha prolifera long, filamentous edible limu ‘ele‘ele green seaweeds Crustose corallines Other
Coastal Strand Vegetation (14+) Scaevola taccada beach naupaka naupaka kahakai cf. Schiedea globosa cf. Myoporum sandwicense bastard sandalwood tree naio cf. Sesuvium a coastal herb somewhat ‘ākulikuli portulacastrum like wild portulaca cf. Eichhornia crassipes water hyacinth cf. Lipochaeta integrifolia shrub or herb in the daisy nehe family Sida fallax native shrubs related to ‘īlima kū kahakai hibiscus Ipomoea pes-caprae beach morning-glory pōhuehue brasiliensis Tournefortia argentea tree heliotrope Thespesia populnea hibiscus-like tree used for milo medicine, dye, oil, green, wood Cocos nucifera coconut palm niu Pandanus tectorius screwpine lau hala Morinda citrifolia Indian mulberry noni Terminalia catappa tropical almond kamani haole Other
Invertebrates (35+) cf. Hamigera sp. orange sponge Palythoa caesia zoanthid soft coral, rubber limu make o Hāna coral Pocillopora damicornis lace coral ‘āko’ako’a, ko’a, puna kea
37 Porites edouxi antler coral Porites evermanni mound coral, lobe coral, pōhaku puna Evermann’s coral Porites lobata mound coral, lobe coral pōhaku puna Montipora verrucosa coral Montipora cf. flabellata blue rice coral Loimia medusa spaghetti worm kauna'oa Littoraria pintado periwinkle snail pipipi kōlea Nerita picea snail pipipi Cellana sp. limpet o‘pihi Cellana sandwicensis yellow-foot limpet ‘opihi ‘ālinalina Serpulorbis variabilis tube snail kauna’oa Purpura aperta snail Turbo sandwicensis Hawaiian turban snail ‘alilea, pūpū mahina Cypraea spp, cowry snail Conus sp. cone snail pūpū ‘alā Conus ebraeus Hebrew cone snail pūpū ‘alā Drupa morum snail makaloa Drupa ricina snail makaloa Hexabranchus sanguineus Spanish Dancer sea slug Isognomon californicum black purse shell nahawele, papaua Alpheus deuteropus coral shrimp Calcinus sp. hermit crab unauna Grapsus tenuicrustatus rock crab ‘a‘ama Ocypode pallidula ghost crab ‘ohiki Panulirus penicillatus spiny lobster ula (molt) Asteropsis carinifera sea star, Sheriff-badge star pe‘a, pe‘ape‘a, hōkū kai (beachcast) Linckia multifora pink sea star, spotted pe‘a, pe‘ape‘a, hōkū kai (beachcast) Linckia Diadema paucispinum long-spined black urchin wana hālula Colobocentrotus atratus shield, shingle, or helmet hā‘uke‘uke kau pali sea urchin Echinometra sp. rock-boring sea urchin ‘ina kea Actinopyga mauritiana speckled sea cucumber loli Holothuria atra black sea cucumber loli Other
Fish (10) Bathygobius cocosensis tidepool goby, Cocos frill ‘o‘opu ‘ōhune (juvenile) goby Stegastes fasciolatus Pacific Gregory, yellow (juvenile) blue damsel Chaetodon sp. (juvenile) butterfly fish kīkākapu
38 Abudefduf vaigiensis Indo-Pacific sargent mamo Acanthurus triostegus convict tang manini Abudefduf abdominalis Hawaiian sargent mamo, mamamo, mamo pahole Mugil cephalis (juvenile) mullet ‘ama‘ama Gymnothorax sp. moray eel puhi Lutjanus kasmira blue-striped snapper ta‘ape Zanclus cornutus moorish idol kihikihi
Birds (1) Phaethon rubricauda red-tailed tropicbird koa‘e‘ula
Large Marine Vertebrates (4) Chelonia mydas green sea turtle honu Stenella longirostris spinner dolphin nai‘a Megaptera novaeangliae humpback whale koholā
9.4 NPS Preparers and Consultants
Frank Hays, Pacific Area Director, Pacific West Region, Honolulu Dr. Larry Basch, Marine Biologist/Science Advisor, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Tom Fake, Landscape Architect, Pacific West Region, Honolulu Melia Lane-Kamahele, Cultural Advisor, Pacific West Region, Honolulu Helen Felsing, Planner, Pacific West Region, Oakland-Honolulu Sandy Margriter, Geographer/GIS Specialist, Pacific West Region, Honolulu Dr. Darcy Hu, Ecologist/Science Advisor, Pacific West Region, Honolulu Howard Hoshide, Wildlife Biologist, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Larry Katahira, Natural Resources Program Manager (Retired), Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
39 9.5 Hawai‘i State Legislature Resolution
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 5 TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005 H.C.R. NO. H.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D. 1
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES' DIVISION OF STATE PARKS TO ESTABLISH A SOUTH KONA-KA'U COASTAL CONSERVATION TASK FORCE.
WHEREAS, the Legislature is concerned about the intrusion of urban activities and development into, until now, the pristine coastal wilderness areas in south Kona and Ka'u on the island of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, this increasing intrusion into what was once pristine land and ocean areas is having a destructive impact on natural resources, native plants, and land and aquatic animals and their habitats such as nesting areas for endangered green and hawksbill sea turtles; and
WHEREAS, valuable native Hawaiian resources, including heiau, slides, and other archaeological evidence of ancient Hawaiian habitation of the area, including the area believed to be the original landfall for native Hawaiians coming from the South Pacific, are endangered; and
WHEREAS, the 2003 Legislature created the South Kona Wilderness Area to address these issues; and
WHEREAS, a large portion of the Ka'u district is in zone 1 or 2 of the lava flow hazard zone maps prepared by the United States Geological Survey, displaying the most dangerous zones facing lava flow hazards; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that it is imperative that these remaining treasures be protected and preserved; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature also notes that two studies were performed in 1987 and 2001, and the studies contain relevant
40 information that is a should be used as a basis for any future review for the South Kona and Ka'u area; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty- third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of State Parks is requested to establish a South Kona-Ka'u Coastal Conservation Task Force (task force) to review and analyze the impact being made on the fragile and historically essential coastal lands and near shore marine areas of South Kona and Ka'u; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in identifying issues and solutions, the task force:
(1) Identify those coastal lands and near shore marine areas that should be targeted for protection because of their ecological, cultural, recreational, or agricultural importance; (2) Identify mechanisms and funding sources to protect and manage the identified areas; (3) Propose future uses and limitations in the identified areas that permit minimal man-made structures, manage activities that may degrade or deplete resources, and avoid the hazards from potential volcanic activities and lava flows; (4) Propose measures for the protection of marine animals, including but not limited to monk seals, green sea turtles, and hawksbill sea turtles, and their nesting and habitation areas; and (5) Seek funding from the private sector, through grants and contributions, to support the activities of the Partnership; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall elect a chair from among its members by a majority vote; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of State Parks establish the task force's membership from representatives from, but not limited to, the following agencies, organizations, and community members:
(1) Landowners in south Kona and Ka'u with ten or more acres; (2) Small landowners in south Kona and Ka'u with acreage under ten acres; (3) Farmers in south Kona and Ka'u;
41 (4) Community members with no affiliation to landowners with ten or more acres; (5) Department of Land and Natural Resources; (6) National Park Service; (7) University of Hawaii Environmental Center; (8) Department of Agriculture; (9) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; (10) County of Hawaii; (11) Private sector conservation organizations; and (12) Individuals or entities experienced in cultural resource protection; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state departments and agencies shall assist the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that federal and county government agencies are requested to assist the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to consider engaging the services of a disinterested third-party, facilitator to assist the task force with its activities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature not less than 20 days prior to the 2006 legislative session on task force activities and progress, including areas identified for protection and strategies to achieve protection; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall cease to exist on the last day of the Regular Session of 2007; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Mayor of Hawaii County, and the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources who, in turn, is requested to distribute this Concurrent Resolution to interested parties to secure their participation in the task force.
42
National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior
Pacific West Region, Honolulu Office
National Park Service, PWR-Honolulu 300 Ala Moana Boulevard Box 50165, Room 6-226 Honolulu, HI 96850-0053
www.nps.gov
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA