Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 35, Number 1, 1 January 2018 — PAPAHĀNAUMOKUĀKEA EXPANSION AND OHA CO-TRUSTEESHIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

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PAPAHĀNAUMOKUĀKEA EXPANSION AND OHA CO-TRUSTEESHIP

In August 2016, President Barack Obama expanded Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) to 582,578 square miles, making it one of the largest protected areas in the world. Further, OHA, the State and two federal departments formalized an agreement adding OHA as a fourth co-trustee of PMNM. "The Northwestern Hawaiian lslands are home to one of the most diverse and threatened ecosystems on the planet and a sacred plaee for the Native Hawaiian community," said Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the lnterior under the Obama administration. "By including OHA as a co-trustee for Papahānaumokuākea, we are highlighting not only the protection of natural treasures like the pristine coral reefs and deep sea marine habitats, but also the significant cultural and historic resources of the area that will be preserved for current and future generations."

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