Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 6, 1 Iune 2022 — What is the Trust for Public Land? A Conversation with Lea Hong, TPL associate vice president and Hawai'i state director [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What is the Trust for Public Land? A Conversation with Lea Hong, TPL associate vice president and Hawai'i state director

By Kelli Soileau

The Trust for Puhlie Land is a national nonprofit organization working to protect land as parks and open space. They are not a government agency, although they sometimes work with agencies to protect land. The Trust for Public Land was formed in 1972 - what needs were the founders trying to address? Hong: Since 1972, Trustfor Public Land ( TPL ) has worked nationwide to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. We focus our work in eommunities whereparks andpublic lands are needed most. How long has TPL operated in Hawai'i and what was its first project? Hong: In 1979, TPL completed its firstproject in Hawai'i, growing Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park by almost 270 acres. Since then, our work has expanded to nearly every Hawaiian island, helping communities on Maui, Kaua'i, Hawai'i Island, Moloka'i and O'ahu. In the nearly 50 years that we've heen working in Hawai'i, we've protected and conserved more than 59,000 acres and 47 special, culturally significant places. What is the role of Trust for Puhlie Land relative to that of government agencies such as the State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) or the National Park Service? Hong: We're committed to creating parks and protecting land for people to ensure healthy, livable eommunities for generations to eome. Through community engagement and programs that reconnect people to the land, we hope to improve the wellbeing ofNative Hawaiians and the broader community here in Hawai'i. TPL does not own or manage land. We are truly a partnership organization - so to that end we're proud to work with government agencies, partner organizations and nonprofits who steward protected lands in partnership with loeal communities. How does TPL determine whieh projects/land purchases to pursue? Hong: Our commitment to improving communities drives every decision we make. Our decision-making process on how and where to build newparks and protect threatened lands is determined by collaboration with community groups and puhlie officials, innova-

tive data collection and sharing, and cultivating strong philanthropic and political relationships to foster investment. What are some of TPL's current projects? Hong: The goalfor our Parksfor People Program is to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to connect with the outdoors within a 10-minute walk of their home, and we have a pilot project at 'A'ala Park. Our Sustainable Hawai'i Program supports self-sujficiency, abundantfood production, and protection ofour water resources by working to help Hawai'i develop eapaeity to feed and nourish its people, provide ample elean drinking water now and in thefuture, and enhanee the nearshore water quality of our oeean. To do this, we purchase agricultural, watershed, and coastal lands in partnership with public and nonprofit partners eommitted to loeal food production, conservation, and/or water quality, and we secure conservation easements over productive agricultural land or conservation land that prevents future development and encourages improved management. Through thisprogram we are currently working on projects in Maui, including coastal land near Ma'alaea Bay and the Nā Wai 'Ehā watershed lands. What is TPL's Aloha Āina Program? Hong: The Aloha Āina Program reconnects people to their ancestors, culture, history and eaeh other. Established through a start-up grant from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in the mid-2000s, the program is especially for Native Hawaiian communities trying to protect lands that perpetuate Hawaiian culture and, in many cases, return ownership and stewardship to Native Hawaiian led organizations. Thanks to OHA's initial and visionary investment, TrustforPublicLand has partnered with many Native Hawaiian eommunities to protect and return unique and sacred places across the state to community stewardship. ■ Partnerships often begin with a sitnple eall or email. If you're interested in working with The Trust for Publie Land, email hawaii@tpl.org. For more information visit www.tpl.org/our-work/hawaii. The Trust for Public Land "TPL," should not be eonfused with "PLT" whieh refers to the Public Land Trust, whieh is completely different. The PLT was a hot topic during the past legislative session (see article about the PLT on page 7).