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| Hawai`i Islands Land Trust executive director Dale Bonar, Edmund C. Olson and The Nature Conservancy Hawai`i executive director Suzanne Case during a ceremony yesterday thanking Olson for placing conservation easements on his land. |
THE KAMA`OA ROAD DISPUTE was put to rest this week when the County Council decided not to reconsider the proposal to sell off the 1.5-mile remnant on the west end of Kama`oa Road to private landowners. Ka`u’s County Council member Brittany Smart opposed selling off the road, saying it could set a precedent for selling off remnant roads elsewhere to private parties who could gate and block them from public access to beaches and to hunting, gathering and hiking trails. She said the county will work on removing the gate that for decades has blocked public access to the portion of Kama`oa Road on the Kona side of South Point Road.
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS LAND TRUST, a recently formed collaboration of land trusts from around the state, announced yesterday the completion of a preservation agreement with Edmund C. Olson to protect 1,276 acres on O`ahu and 907 acres in the Honu`apo ahupua`a above the cane haul road between Pahala and Na`alehu. The land is being used for pasture by the Galimba and Andrade families. A small section of the land is native forest and will remain pristine, while the rest of the land will be conserved for agriculture. Cultural sites on the property will also be protected. Within the next few months, Olson and the Land Trust are expected to complete the preservation of more than 8,000 acres of conservation and agricultural land owned by the Olson Trust in Ka`u. The Nature Conservancy is also working on the project.
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| Bana Grass is one of the plants being considered for growing biofuel crops between Pahala and Na`alehu. |
THE HAWAI`I AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER on O`ahu is studying options for growing biofuel plants for Ka`u and is expected to provide various sugar cane and Bana grass varieties for test plots on lands above Pahala within the next two months. Stephanie Whalen, director of the organization, said there is an opportunity to integrate ranching, forestry and biofuel production. Livestock can be rotated through freshly harvested croplands and allowed to graze in woodlands in a manner that will allow the biofuels feedstocks and trees to grow. Aina Koa Pono, which is leasing some 8,000 acres from the Olson Trust, plans to meet with ranchers who have month-to-month tenancy on the property to come up with an integrated plan for continued ranching, said spokesman Alexander Causey.
AINA KOA PONO is also working on plans to build a biofuels processing plant on the edge of Pahala, where it will use a microwave process to produce fuels for the Hawai`i Electric Light Company power plant in Kona.
THE KA`U FEDERAL CREDIT UNION is once again offering free income tax preparation services through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to the community. VITA promotes tax understanding, awareness and provides worthwhile benefits. Taxpayers may call KFCU at 929-7334, ext. 205 to make an appointment with a VITA volunteer. Appointment times are: Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.; Fridays 1 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.; and Saturdays 8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. from Feb. 2 through April 15.
HUNDREDS OF KEIKI ARE CONVENING at `O Ka`u Kakou’s annual Keiki Fishing Tournament at Punalu`u Beach this morning. The competition offers many prizes in various categories. It’s a family day, as keiki must be accompanies by adults.
HUNDREDS OF KEIKI ARE CONVENING at `O Ka`u Kakou’s annual Keiki Fishing Tournament at Punalu`u Beach this morning. The competition offers many prizes in various categories. It’s a family day, as keiki must be accompanies by adults.
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| Tierra Negra and Muriel Anderson will offer a free concert this Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. |
TIERRA NEGRA & MURIEL ANDERSON present their New World Flamenco music this Sunday at 4 p.m. at Kilauea Military Camp Theater and again on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Pahala Plantation House. Daniel Ho, the Grammy-winning composer and music producer, recommends their music to everyone. Anderson is one of the world’s foremost fingerstyle guitarists. She is the first woman to win the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championships. The concert at Pahala Plantation House at 7 p.m. on Wednesday is free and open to everyone.