Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 2009 — The Trust for Public Land expands Native Lands Program [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Trust for Public Land expands Native Lands Program

By Kāwika Burgess Special tu Ka Wai ūla The Trust for Puhlie Land (TPL) recently expanded its Native Lands Program in Hawai'i through a grant provided by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and matching funding provided by the Iames and Abigail Campbell Family Foundation, the Sidney E. Frank Foundation, and a member of TPL's Hawaiian Islands Advisory Council. With this support, TPL was able to hire a full-time Native Lands Program Coordinator to protect lands important to Hawaiian conununities. TPL's Hawaiian Islands Program had previously developed a strategic plan in 2007. One of the goals of this strategic plan was to expand its Native Lands Program in Hawai'i in order to recognize the inherent eonnee-

tion between people and the land in Hawai'i. TPL's Native Lands Program works, at the request of Hawaiian organizations and communities, to preserve and promote the land-based culture of Hawai'i's native people. By protecting sites of traditional value, ensuring access to the land, and often placing property directly under native stewardship, TPL helps native eommunities preserve their spiritual, eultural and traditional eeonomie relationship to the land. TPL's Tribal and Native Lands Program was established in 1999 to expand partnerships with tribes and native peoples. Working with private landowners, coimnunities, government agencies and native organizations, TPL has helped protect more than 2 million acres nationwide, including 190,000 acres of native and tribal lands working with over 55

tribes and native organizations. In Hawai'i, TPL has protected more than 36,000 acres. In 2006, TPL worked with OHA and other eommunity partners to protect Wao Kele o Puna on Hawai'i Island and Waimea Valley on O'ahu. TPL's Hawaiian Islands Program focuses on three areas: shorehne preservation, places of cultural signiheanee, and agricultural lands. On O'ahu, TPL is working to protect 2,100 acres of prime agriculture land owned by the Galbraith Estate, whieh surrounds Kūkaniloko (the birthing stones), one of the island's most important cultural sites. Other projects include protecting the 3,500acre Honouliuli Preserve along the Wai'anae mountain range, and assisting the nonprofit organic MA'O Farms in acquiring an ll-acre farm inWai'anae. On the island of Hawai'i, TPL is

working with the county to acquire 550 acres of undeveloped coastline at Kāwā in Ka'ū, including many important cultural sites and nesting areas for the critically endangered Hawaiian Hawksbill Turtle. Also on Hawai'i Island, TPL is working with the state Parks Division and loeal Hawaiian organizations to protect a 17-acre shoreline parcel that sits in the middle of the Lapakahi State Historical Park, and has numerous cultural and historical sites including ko'a shrines, house and eanoe hālau foundations, and segments of the Ala Kahakai Nahonal Historic Trail. The Trust For Puhlie Land is a nahonal nonprofit land-conser-vation organization founded in 1972 to conserve land for people. In Hawai'i, TPL works side by side with land trusts, community groups and puhlie agencies to protect lands important to the people of Hawai'i. Kāwika Burgess is TPL's Native Lands Program Coordinator. For more information, contact him at 524-8562. ^

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Still not registered? Look out for the Kau Inoa registration team in your neighborhood! In Ianuary and February, Kau Inoa will be coming out to some different venues - Sam's Club and Wal-Mart are on the list, to name two. Check kauinoa.org for the registration team's schedule as dates and times are eonfirmed or eall 594-1912 or email hla@oha.org. If there is a plaee where you'd to see a registration table, make a suggestion to the team! Web: kauinoa.org | Email: hla@oha.org