Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 7, 1 July 2007 — Wao Kele hearing [ARTICLE]

Wao Kele hearing

As part of the historic transaction last year that allowed OHA to acquire the 25,856acre Wao Kele O Puna rainforest on Hawai'i Island, OHA and the state's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) entered into a 10-year management agreement for the

lands. During that time, OHA and DLNR will share responsibility for managing the forest, with eaeh side providing expertise and working with Native Hawaiians and others in the surrounding community. As part of DLNR's stewardship, the land will be designated as a "Forest Reserve" to protect the cultural and natural resources on the property. This was the same designation that existed before the state exchanged the land in the 1990s with the Campbell Estate, part of the attempted and failed development of geothermal energy on the property. A puhlie hearing will be held as part of this designation process at the DLNR's Division of Forestry and Wildlife Office in Hilo on July 12 at 6 p.m. The office is located at 19 East Kawili Street in Hilo. Members of the puhlie are encouraged to attend this important meeting on the management of Wao Kele o Puna, the largest remaining lowland native rainforest in the state. For further assistance or inquiries, contact Marigold Zoll of DLNR at (808) 587-4166.