HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, Hawaii — Hawaii Volcanoes National Park invites the community to take part in a public meeting to discuss and provide ideas for the protection and potential future use of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s newly acquired Kahuku-Pōhue parcel. Trust to Public Land transferred ownership and stewardship of the parcel to the National Park Service on July 12, 2022.

What You Need To Know

  • Two meetings will be held to get community feedback on the newly acquired 16,451-acre Kahuku-Pōhue parcel

  • The in-person meeting, 1-3 p.m. Aug. 13, takes place at the Ocean View Community Center, 92-8924 Leilani Circle, Ocean View, Ka‘ū

  • The second meeting, 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 17, will be held virtually via Zoom. Or call 346-248-7799, webinar ID: 977 8941 3155

  • Until operating procedures can be set up, the area will remain closed to protect its natural and cultural sites, and endangered and rare wildlife

Two meetings are scheduled in August. An in-person meeting is scheduled for 1-3 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Ocean View Community Center. The second meeting will be held virtually, 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 17 via Zoom.

National park staff, Trust for Public Land and the Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development will be present at both meetings that seek feedback from the community. The focus will be on the area’s natural and cultural resources and discussing suggestions for public use that go hand-in-hand with protecting resources. The park also welcomes additional information about Native Hawaiian or indigenous place names for Kahuku-Pōhue. Community engagement will continue over the next few months beyond the August public meetings.

To better understand the cultural, historical and ecological significance of the Kahuku-Pōhue area, the park, in partnership with TPL and HACBED, met with community members prior to the land transfer.

The national park website explains the area is home to significant Hawaiian cultural sites, including “the largest recorded abrader quarry in Hawaii,” as well as lava tubes, a burial site, trails leading from mountain to sea, fishing shrines, remains of coastal communities and petroglyphs. A portion of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail follows the coastline through the parcel as well.

The coastal area is an important habitat for federally listed endangered species — honuea (Hawaiian hawksbill turtle) and ilioholoikauaua (Hawaiian monk seal). The anchialine pond is home to the rare and endemic opaeula (red shrimp), and native birds frequent the bay.

“Pōhue is an incredibly precious and culturally significant landscape that needs to be protected … the park is working to develop an interim operating plan for Pōhue that explores opportunities for public use compatible with resource protection. We thank the community for your patience and for the manao shared so far,” stated Park Superintendent Rhonda Loh the website.

Public access to the area will be temporarily restricted until operating procedures can be finalized and the protection of cultural and natural resources ensured. Parts of the jeep trail and walking trails to the coastline pass through private land, and there are no restrooms or trash removal system available. Emergency response is limited as well.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii.