Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 11, 1 Nowemapa 2010 — Managing Natural and Cultural Resources [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Managing Natural and Cultural Resources

From mountaintops to coastlines, KS stewardship of 300,000 acres of native ecosystems embodies the principles of mālama 'āina; some of the most vitally important work being exhausting, cold, wet and dirty in virtually inaccessible regions. It includes regularly scoping vast tracts of land to remove foreign weeds and animals, minimize fire risks, and revitalize ecosystems. Such gmeling work of ten takes the combined efforts of many organizations, sharing eommon goals, with benefits to the entire State. These efforts include protection of emeial watersheds, native forests of majestic koa and ancient 'ohi'a, and indigenous species habitat. As important as is protection of natural resources is the care of wahi kupuna, precious cultural sites. Encompassing 59 ahupua a and 'ili on five islands, these places of significance to Kamehameha 'ohana include historic properties, cultural landscapes, ancestral remains, and materials from times past.

Kamehameha Sehools eeologist Nāmaka Wltitehead moniters vegetation in the Ka'u forest. Photo eourtesy of Three Mountain Allieanee.