Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 1, 1 January 2013 — Galbraith Estate land deal preserves ag land [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Galbraith Estate land deal preserves ag land

OHA nets 500 acres surrounding historic Kūkaniloko birthstones

By Harold Nedd n a significant step, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs provided a major boost to statewide efforts to protect and strengthen agriculture in Hawai'i. OHA contributed $3 million to help the state acquire more than 1,700 acres of agricultural land from the Estate of George Galbraith in Central O'ahu. The acquisition makes OHA the new owner of an estimated 500 of those acres, whieh all surround the Kūkaniloko Birthstones State Monument, a cultural and historical site near Wahiawā where famous Hawaiian chiefs were born. For OHA, the acquisition is part of a broader effort to protect and preserve Hawaiian culture by creating a comfortable buffer around Kūka-

niloko, the sacred birthplace of the highest-ranking ali'i. "OHA's involvement in the Galbraith acquisition helps ensure that future uses of the area around Kūkaniloko are consistent with our cultural values," said OHA Chief Executive Officer Kamana'o Crabbe, who along with OHA Chairperson Colette Machado accompanied Gov. Neil Abercrombie at a press conferenee on Dec. 11 to announee the acquisition. The other 1,200 acres from the acquisition went to the state Department of Agriculture at a time when

it's focused on reducing Hawai'i's incredible dependence on imported food. Hawai'i imports more than 85 percent of its food, whieh state agricultural officials say would run out in two weeks if shipments were interrupted by a natural disaster. "The purchase and protection of the Galbraith land for agricultural uses is game-changing for Hawai'i," Abercrombie said. "This will allow us to reduce our reliance on food imports and increase our food security." The Trust for Puhlie Land, a nonprofit land conservation organization, led the effort to acquire

the 1,700 acres from the Galbraith Estate. The total price tag was $25 million. The nonprofit brought together OHA and four other partners - the State of Hawai'i, U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i, City and County of Honolulu Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund as well as D.R. Hor-ton-Schuler Division - to raise the money for the acquisition. In addition to $3 million from OHA, the Trust for Puhlie Land received $13 million from the state, $4.5 million from the Army, $4 million from the City and County, and $500,000 from D.R. Horton. It then transferred the land from the Galbraith Estate to OHA and the state Department of Agriculture to help protect for farming. The land has been threatened by development since the 1990s. "Thanks to the partnership of many individuals and organizations, this gateway to the North Shore will remain undeveloped for future generations," said Lea Hong, state director of the Trust for Puhlie Land, whieh has helped conserve more than 42,000 acres throughout Hawai'i since 1979. ■

LAND & WATER

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More Ihan 1 ,700 acres of former pineapple land owned by the Galbraith Estate has been preserved for agricultural use. - Courtesy photo: Christina Aiu

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the Galbraith Estate land purchase in his office on Dec. 1 1 surrounded by representatives of the Trust for Puhlie Land, OHA, U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i and others. - Courtesy photo: Office ofthe Governor