Ka‘ū News Briefs, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022

Green Sand Beach is the subject of a story in San Francisco Gate this weekend, describing
desecration of the place and surrounding lands and trails going there. Photo by Peter Anderson

OVERTOURISM TO GREEN SAND BEACH AND THE TRAILS THAT GO THERE is the focus of an extensive story by Natasha Bourlin, published by San Francisco Gate this weekend. The story's lead says, "There are only four green sand beaches on Earth, and Hawai'i has one of them. Located at Hawai'i Island’s South Point in the district of Ka‘ū, Papakolea Beach has rare olivine sands, created by a volcanic cinder cone. But the beauty of the area masks the issues around it....Visitors and residents have severely scarred the land by illegally creating their own roads. A significant amount of damage has been caused by the resulting web of dirt paths, with ruts as deep as 8 feet, to get to the beach and other surrounding areas of Ka Lae."
 

  The story quotes Nohea Keawa, describing her as a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner and lifelong resident of the district. She told SFGate that “People are free to do as they wish and our cultural sites have been desecrated. Roads are created where they are not supposed to be, and when big rains occur, water floods and follows these roads that lead to sites, thus contributing to erosion at a faster pace.
    “Loose dirt flows into the ocean, covering the reef, and then the fish population starts to decline because the coral starts to die. We all know that coral needs sunlight to live,” Kaawa told SFGate. “The traffic in the area has also decimated ohai, a native shrub with orange and red blossoms that now only grows wild in a few places along the coast. … There are families that carry ‘ohai’ in their name, so you know the plant was important to this area. We as Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) are connected to our native environment; plants are 'ohana.”

A planning map for South Point and Green Sands Beach from
 Department of Hawaiian Homelands.See entire management plan at
https://dhhl.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/DHHL-
South-Point-Final-Plan_101916_to-DHHL_low-res.pdf 

    The article also quotes Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' 2016 South Point resourcesmanagement plan: "This sacred and treasured place for the people of Ka‘ū has been desecrated and exploited by off-road enthusiasts, thoughtless actions of visitors, and sports fishermen despite the presence of iwi kupuna [ancestral bones and burials] and sacred sites. The people of Ka‘ū are pleading to ‘let the land heal’ so that what is left of this fragile ecosystem can be shared with future generations.”
   SFGate notes that illegal commercial vehicular enterprises are operating rides to Green Sand Beach. The story quotes Cedric Duarte, spokesperson for Department of Hawaiian Homelands, which owns the property in trust for Native Hawaiians. He told SFGate, “Any off-roading is illegal unless they are using the county dirt road down to Kaulana Boat Ramp.”
    The story points out that the DHHL plan describes the shuttle service and its impacts: “The land has been exploited by individuals providing illegal shuttle services who care only about economic gain even at the expense of the land and resources.”

    SFGate quotes the DHHL spokesman on lack of enforcement to stop the illegal traffic to Green Sands. He said the Resource Management Plan for South Point has yet to be allotted funding, "Many of the visitor-related issues could be resolved if the plan was implemented — it includes adding sanitary amenities, parking fees, providing training and assistance to people seeking to start legal enterprises, as well as hiring an area manager to monitor closely — but it requires funding and resources."
    The DHHL spokesman told SFGate: “It’s very difficult for legislators to give us resources for

Nohea Kaawa. Photo from
 Hawai'i Wildlife Fund

something like this when they know we need resources for homes. In the list of things that need to be done, this one needs to be elevated.”

    Ka'awa is quoted by SFGate on her view of the DHHL Management Plan: “The true issue will not get solved by creating a management plan that will take DHHL 20 years to implement, the real issue is that humans need management. Humans need to learn to exist in a space with proper protocols and respect for our cultural landscapes. Ka‘ū needs onsite enforcement to ensure that there will be consequences if people don’t act right. If there's no enforcement, what good does creating rules serve?”

    See the entire article, including interviews with tour operators and a family who recently moved to Ka‘ū and gives its own management ideas. See many photos at https://www.sfgate.com/hawaii/article/hawaii-green-sand-beach-damage-17430318.php

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

Marian Tusji, former CEO of Lanakila, and the head
 of Behavioral Health at DOH, has a long career of
assisting people with disadvantage and disabilities.
Photo from Department of Health

A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER TO FOCUS ON ASIAN AMERICANS, NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS in Hawai'i has received almost $3.5 
million in federal funding. It will be operated through the state Department of Health with partners, including Papa Ola Lokahi and San Jose University. The funds will arrive over the next five years. Called The AANHPI Center of Excellence, it "will promote culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health information and practices; establish a steering committee with participants from across the country to identify emerging issues; and provide training, technical assistance, and consultation to practitioners, educators and community organizations," says a statement from Department of Health.
    Deputy Department of Health Director, in charge of of Behavioral Health for DOH is Marian Tsuji. She said, "Truly responsive behavioral health services must address stigma and provide resources that address cultural trauma and culturally-informed treatment. We are honored to lead this national Center of Excellence to bring together cultural practitioners, behavioral health experts, and other stakeholders to ensure that we are meeting systemic behavioral health needs of our diverse communities."
    Krystal Ka'ai, a Kamehameha School graduate and Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, called the program key in "efforts to eliminate health disparities affecting AA and NHPI communities. This new center will 

Krystal Ka'ai is a Kamehameha Schools graduate
and leads The White House initiative on AANHPIs
Photo by Sydney Walsh/AsAmNews

provide access to culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health services that are essential as our communities continue to grapple with the effects of the pandemic and anti-Asian violence."

    The DOH statement says that AANHPIs are the fastest-growing ethnic minority group in the country, yet are the least likely group to receive care for mental illness. "More than 76 percent of AANHPI individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness and 93 percent of those with substance use disorder do not receive treatment."
    The DOH statement says "the AANHPI Center of Excellence will develop infographics and other materials that address behavioral health, including those that provide data disaggregated by race and ethnicity; provide guidance on best practices for improving engagement and retention of AANHPI behavioral health professionals; and serve as an accessible and trusted clearinghouse for evidence-based behavioral health resources and products.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

LEGALLY, FARM WORKERS MUST RECEIVE TRAINING, in order to enter a field within 30 days of the last pesticide applications if they apply or handle pesticides. They must be trained annually to comply with the  federal Worker Protection Standard. That's according to a message from Andrea Kawabata and University of Hawai'i Cooperative Extensive Service, which works with many Ka‘ū food, coffee and macadamia farmers. One of the chemicals covered by the requirement is Preaxor Xemium, used to fight off coffee leaf rust in Ka‘ū Coffee farms.
    To cover the requirement, Worker Protection Standard Webinars in English and Spanish are planned.

Required training in the use of pesticides for coffee leaf rust (above) and
 other agricultural pests in Ka'u and other regions is offered this Tuesday in
 Spanish and Oct. 6 in English. Photo from the manufacturer of
Preaxor Ximium, used to manage coffee leaf rust

The Spanish webinar will be this Tuesday, Sept. 13 from 8 am. to 9:15 a.m. Register at https://www.hawaiicoffeeed.com/wpsspanish.html The English Webinar will be Thursday, Oct. 5 from 4 p.m to 5:15 p.m. Register at https://www.hawaiicoffeeed.com/wps.html.
    The message from Kawabata says, "Many, if not all farms regardless of organic or non-organic farming methods, use pesticides if applying a product to kill a beetle, bug, fungus, mite, rat, or weed.
    "Learn how to keep yourself and your workers safe with the proper use, storage, handling, application, and disposal of pesticides.
    "This class is open to all employers, owners, managers, and agricultural employees on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses. The class will cover the current Worker Protection Standard.

    "This training can also be used to satisfy Section 18 WPS requirements for the use of Priaxor Xemium on coffee for the management of coffee leaf rust."

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

HOKULELE BASKETBALL INTERMEDIATE BOYS TEAM from Ka‘ū won third place in the recent statewide PAL Basketball Tournament, sponsored by Hawai'i Police Activities League. The winners for Boys Intermediate was the team called Ikehu, followed by Lights Out Maui.
    The Endless Summers HI-PAL Basketball Tournament was held August 27-28 in Hilo. The tournament consisted of four divisions to include Varsity Girls, Intermediate Girls, Elementary Girls, and Intermediate Boys. The tournament was organized by Hilo Community Police Officer Darren Abalos who coordinated with retired Police Major Randy Apele. Abalos said, “Due to the past COVID restrictions prohibiting children and families from participating in sporting events, I was happy to assist in coordinating this event with Mr. Apele to get the children back into sports.” Apele stated, “The participants were eager to play in the tournament and enjoyed being able to get back into playing basketball against other teams in friendly competition.”

    HI-PAL is a program created by the Hawaiʻi Police Department in which police officers interact with youth in various activities and act as mentors. "This positive connection with the youth helps encourage teamwork, citizenship, responsibility, and builds trust amongst youth," said a statement from HI-PAL.
Other winners were Kona Stingrays taking the Varsity Girls Division, followed by Honolulu Lightning and Hoopstars. The Intermediate Girls Division champ is Maui Sparks, followed by West Side Kaua'i and Kaua'i Ballers. The Elementary Girls Division champ is Swish, followed by West Side Kaua'i and Kona Stingrays.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at wwwkaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

See September issue of The Kaʻū Calendar
at www.kaucalendar.com, and in the
mail - Volcano, Kaʻū to South Kona.