| Cliffs and bays along the trail toward Honu'apo. Photo from Ala Kahakai Trail Association |
| Stone paved trail leading to the shoreline. Photo from Ala Kahakai Trail Association |
The joint statement notes that Kaunāmano’s protection conserved 3.3 miles of coastline and marine resources including a tidepool complex, coves, and sea caves. The nearshore area is home to migrating humpback whales, dolphins, endangered monk seals and Hawksbill turtles, threatened green sea turtles, and an abundance of fish, limu, and shellfish. "The Ka‘ū community can now forever rely on these diverse marine resources for subsistence fishing, gathering, and cultural practice."
The statement notes that The Trust for Public Land facilitated the acquisition and the community united in the effort to raise the $6.71 million in public funds to buy and protect the land and convey it to Ala Kahakai Trail Association for community and cultural stewardship.
| Sheltered cove at Kaunāmano. Photo from Ala Kahakai Trail Association |
Kaunāmano means “where the multitudes are placed/settled” telling of the large ancient villages that thrived there. The statement says, "Protecting Kaunāmano preserves a vast cultural landscape with hundreds of cultural sites including its two villages at Pāʻula and Paukū, house sites, heiau (temples), iwi kūpuna (burials), petroglyphs, and extensive lava tube networks including the famous cave of Puhi‘ula with its rock-lined anchialine pool teeming with ʻōpaeʻula (native shrimp)."
The joint statement says Alakaha Kai Trail Association "is a Hawai'i island-based, Native Hawaiian non-profit whose mission is to support and guide a community-managed trail that honors those who came before and perpetuates traditions for those who follow – with protocols and respect for Hawai‘i’s past, present and future. ATA will work with the County to develop a community management plan for Kaunāmano and steward the land in close partnership with the Ka‘ū community, descendants, and nonprofits."
| Aerial view of Pa'ula village and Kalaekimo (Kimo Point). Photo by Shalan Crysdale |
Keoni Fox, a Kaunāmano descendant and Director of Ala Kahakai Trail Association, said, “My mother, Luana Keanu was born in Na‘alehu and raised in Kaunāmano by her grandparents. With the closure of Ka‘ū Agribusiness at the turn of the century, these coastal lands were sold to developers. Soon after, applications were submitted for large luxury style subdivisions. As a descendant of Kaunāmano, my family has worked desperately to protect our iwi kūpuna and kuleana lands for the past twenty years. Today our ‘ohana and kūpuna can finally be at peace, knowing these lands will never be developed.
“ATA looks forward to working closely with Ka‘ū families and the larger community to honor the legacy of our kūpuna, to mālama these lands that have been passed down to us and to preserve them for the next generation.”
| Pa'ula village looking toward Honu'apo. Photo from Ala Kahakai Trail Association |
Nohealani Ka‘awa, a Kaunāmano descendant who serves on the Stewardship Committee of Ala Kahakai Trail Association, said, “This vision was set by many of our Ka‘ū kūpuna that today, make up the soil of this ʻāina. Aunty Keolalani Hanoa, my ʻohana and late mentor, once said, ‘One day we going own all of Ka‘ū.’ It was her vision to protect the entire Ka‘ū coast. She meant ‘own’ in that it is protected from development, allows for subsistence fishing and gathering, keeps it in the hands of our community to continue our traditional lifeways as kanaka ʻōiwi o Ka‘ū. The time to implement community based management is now, otherwise our sacred spaces will continue to be mismanaged and desecrated. It’s time to holomua kākou to figure out how we can ‘auamo our kuleana to Kaunāmano together as one community, one ‘ohana.”
The statement notes that Kaunāmano’s coastline and the Māniania Pali will provide protected habitat for native coastal plants and native seabirds like noio (black noddies) and koa‘e kea (white tailed tropic birds) that nest along the cliffs.
| View south to Kaunāmano from Hwy 11 scenic outlook. Photo from Ala Kahakai Trial Association |
The joint statement notes: "The Ka‘ū community has been working for decades to protect their beloved 80 mile coast to honor their kūpuna and empower future generations to perpetuate their culture and rural, subsistence lifestyle. The protection of Kaunāmano is one among several successful Ka‘ū conservation projects over the years, including Honu‘apo Fishpond and Kāwā Bay owned by the County of Hawai‘i; Waikapuna conserved in 2019, and Kāwala, Manākaʻa Fishing Village, and Honu‘apo Ranch Lands which are owned by Kuahiwi Ranch and are now protected by privately funded conservation easements. All seven projects have conserved 6,199 acres, precious cultural landscapes, pasture land, and connect over 8.5 miles of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail."
Megan Lamson, of Ka ‘Ohana o Honu‘apo, said "board members are thrilled to learn of the successful acquisition of Kaunāmano, which is a neighbor to Honuʻapo. This is another addition to the greater vision of protecting the entire Ka‘ū coastline from development. Big mahalo to the staff at The Trust for Public Land for helping to make this vision a reality.”
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
| Nēnē killed this morning by a moving vehicle on Chain of Craters Road, the third in two weeks. NPS photo |
BREEDING AND NESTING SEASON IS OFF TO A DEADLY START FOR THE HAWAI'I STATE BIRD. October marks the beginning of nēnē breeding and nesting season, but three of these native geese in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park were fatally struck by vehicles on Chain of Craters Road in the last two weeks. This tragedy happened despite signs warning motorists to slow down and watch for geese. The latest death occurred this morning, a male goose whose mate was killed last week on the same stretch of road near the Mau Loa o Maunaulu trailhead.
The park also urges visitors to steer clear of a nēnē pair that is frequenting the former Jaggar Museum parking lot at the new Uēkahuna eruption viewing area. Park staff have observed nēnē feeding on piles of rice, crackers and other food left behind in the parking lot and surrounding area. Although the food is removed, to further protect the birds, park management could decide to close the parking lot if the nēne continue to congregate near vehicles.
Nēnē are the largest native land animals in Hawai‘i and the world’s rarest goose. They are present in the park and other locations in Hawai‘i year-round, but the October through May breeding/nesting season is crucial for their survival. It’s also when nēnē are most vulnerable to being run over by drivers. The geese are focused on eating, and often forage from dawn to dusk as they get ready to nest. They blend in with their surroundings, and in low-light periods, they are especially hard for motorists to spot.
Nēnē crossing signs posted throughout the park call attention to roadside areas frequented by nēnē. These include sections of Highway 11, Crater Rim Drive, and Chain of Craters Road. Speed humps are installed in problem areas. Motorists are urged to use extra caution in nēnē crossing areas, and to obey posted speed limits.
By 1952, only 30 nēnē remained statewide. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and conservation partners began efforts to recover the species in the 1970s through a captive breeding and reintroduction program. The Nēnē Recovery Program continues today, and around 165 birds thrive in the park from sea level to around 8,000 feet. Nearly 3,500 nēnē exist statewide.
| Nene with the lava lake in the background. NPS photo by Janice Wei |
Visit https://www.nps.gov/havo/learn/nature/nene.htm for more information. To report nēnē on the road in the park, call 808-985-6170. Outside the park, call 808-974-4221.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.
| Yellow-faced bee. Photo from DLNR |
Martha Williams, FWS's Principal Deputy Director said, “The Competitive State Wildlife Grants provide a proactive, collaborative and innovative mechanism for addressing significant threats to our nation’s cherished wildlife and their habitats. Stemming the crisis of species extinction is a central component of the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative.”
Williams said that “One of the initiative’s goals is to enhance wildlife habitat and improve biodiversity to keep species from reaching the point where they are too far gone to save. In addition, these grants provide support for State Wildlife Action Plans that underpin important efforts to conserve imperiled species and their habitats.”
| See more on the Snail Extinction Prevention Program at https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/ecosystems/sepp/ |
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com.



Read the entire Kaʻū Calendar and back issues at
www.kaucalendar.com. Find it in the mail from Volcano
through Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, Ocean View to Miloli'i.
Pick it up from newsstands.













KAʻŪ COFFEE MILL & VISITOR CENTER. Buy online at kaucoffeemill.com and in person at 96-2694 Wood Valley Road, daily, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

PUNALUʻU BAKESHOP online at bakeshophawaii.com and in-person 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week in x.
ALIʻI HAWAIʻI HULA HANDS COFFEE. Order by calling 928-0608 or emailing alihhhcoffee@yahoo.com.
AIKANE PLANTATION COFFEE COMPANY. Order online at aikaneplantation.com. Call 808-927-2252
MIRANDA'S FARMS KAʻŪ COFFEE. Order online at mirandafarms.com or, in person at 73-7136 Mamalahoa Hwy. See latest print edition at kaucalendar.com..
KUAHIWI RANCH STORE, in person. Shop weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 11 am to 3 p.m. at 95-5520 Hwy 11. Locally processed grass-fed beef, live meat chickens, and feed for cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, and pigs. Call 929-7333 of 938-1625, email kaohi@kuahiwiranch.com.
DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS, NEED SOMEONE TO TALK TO? Call Department of Health's expanded Hawai‘i C.A.R.E.S. program at 1-800-753-6879 – the same number previously used by Crisis Line of Hawai‘i. Individuals in crisis can also text ALOHA to 741741, available 24/7.
LEARN SELF-CARE THROUGH Big Island Substance Abuse Council's Practice Self-Care Series. For additional series that feature refreshing wellness tips, follow the Behavioral Health & Homelessness Statewide Unified Response Group at facebook.com/bhhsurg

WOMEN'S COLLECTIVE OFFERS HEALTH PROGRAMS. Piko focuses on reproductive health; increasing access, respect, cultural competence, education, and choice. Pilina aims to grow membership and establish a culture of collaborative decision-making. Follow @kau_womens_health_collective. Contact rootsmedieshawaii@gmail.com. Call 808-450-0498.
YOGA WITH EMILY Catey Weiss, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Advanced registration required; $5 per class. volcanoartcenter.org/events, 967-8222.
CHOOSE ALOHA FOR HOME is available to families, to provide a healthy way to grow together using neuroscience and positive psychology. Program uses a series of self-guided videos, activities, and "dinner table discussion topics." Sign up at chooselovemovement.org/choose-love-home.
EDUCATION
Register for Boys & Girls Club Mobile Outreach and Tutoring Programs at rb.gy/o1o2hy. For keiki grades 1-6. Contact Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island Administrative Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (808) 961-5536 or email mobiletutoring@bgcbi.org or info@bgcbi.org.
ʻOhana Help Desk offers online How-To Guides for Chromebooks and iPads at rb.gy/8er9wm. ʻOhana Help Desk also available by phone, weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Invite Park Rangers to Virtually Visit Classes, through connecting with teachers and home-schoolers with distance learning programs and virtual huakaʻi (field trips). Contact havo_education@nps.gov.
Public Libraries are open for WiFi, pick-up, and other services. Nāʻālehu open Monday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pāhala open Tuesday, noon to 7 p.m., Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., limited entry into library with Wiki Visits. Schedule a Library Take Out time at picktime.com/hspls. Open for library card account help and reference assistance from the front door. WiFi available to anyone with a library card, from each library parking lot. See librarieshawaii.org.
Free Book Exchanges, at laundromats in Ocean View and Nāʻālehu, provided by Friends of the Kaʻū Libraries. Open to all. Keep the books, pass them on to other readers, or return them. Selection of books replenished weekly at both sites.
Read Report on Public Input about Disaster Recovery from damage during the 2018 Kīlauea eruption.
View the Civic Engagement and Comment Analysis Report at rb.gy/awu65k.
Learn About Hawaiʻi's History & Culture through Papakilo Database, papakilodatabase.com.
Virtual Workshops on Hawaiʻi's Legislative Processes through Public Access Room. Sign up by contacting (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. Ask questions and discuss all things legislative in a non-partisan environment. Attend Coffee Hour with PAR: Fridays at 3 p.m. on Zoom, meeting ID 990 4865 9652 or click zoom.us/j/99048659652. PAR staff will be available to answer questions and to discuss the legislative process. Anyone wanting to listen in without taking part in discussions is welcome. Learn more at lrb.hawaii.gov/public-access-room.
Online Directory at shopbigisland.com, co-sponsored by County of Hawai‘i, has a signup sheet for local businesses to fill in the blanks. The only requirement is a physical address on this island.

COMMUNITY
Food Assistance: Apply for The Volcano School of Arts & Sciences COVID-19 Family Relief Funds. Funded by Volcano Community Association, and members of the VSAS Friends and Governing Boards, who have donated, the fund supplies KTA or Dimple Cheek Gift Cards, or gift cards to other locally owned business, to VSAS families in need. Contact Kim Miller at 985-8537, kmiller@volcanoschool.net. Contributions to the fund can be sent in by check to: VSAS, PO Box 845, Volcano, HI 96785 – write Relief Fund in the memo. See volcanoschool.net
ENROLL CHILDREN, from first through eighth grade, in Kula ʻAmakihi, a program from Volcano School of the Arts & Sciences. It started Aug. 3. Call 808-985- 9800 or visit www.volcanoschool.net.
WALK THROUGH A GUIDED NATURE TRAIL & Sculpture Garden, Mondays, 9:30 a.m. at Volcano Art Center Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village. No reservations for five or fewer – limited to ten people. Free; donations appreciated. Email programs@volcanoartcenter.org. Garden is open to walk through at one's own pace, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. www.volcanoartcenter.org. Call 967-8222.
KAʻŪ ART GALLERY is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. in Nāʻālehu. It features and sells works by local artists and offers other gift items.Vendor applications are being accepted for its Holiday Arts & Crafts Sale on Saturday, Nov. 13. Kaʻū Art Gallery's website has 24/7 access online and is frequently updated to show current inventory items. "We are always looking to collaborate with local artists in our community," said assistant Alexandra Kaupu. Artists with an interest in being featured at Kaʻū Art Gallery and Gift Shop, contact gallery owner and director Corrine Kaupu at kauartgallery@hawaiiantel.biz.
GOLF & MEMBERSHIPS for Discovery Harbour Golf Course and its Clubhouse: The Club offers Social Memberships, with future use of the clubhouse and current use of the pickleball courts as well as walking and running on specified areas of the golf course before 8 a.m. and after 3 p.m. to enjoy the panoramiocean views. Golf memberships range from unlimited play for the avid golfer to casual play options. Membership is required to play and practice golf on the course. All golf memberships include Social Membership amenities. Membership fees are designed to help underwrite programs and improvements to the facilities.Call 808-731-5122 or stop by the Clubhouse during business hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at 94-1581 Kaulua Circle. Email clubatdiscoveryharbour@gmail.com. See The Club at Discovery Harbour Facebook page.
ALOHA FRIDAY MARKETPLACE, hosted by Kaʻū Main Street, is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., grounds of The Old Shirakawa Estate in Waiʻohinu. It features: Made in Hawai'i Products, Organic Produce, Creative Crafts, ARt, Flower and Plants, Food, Ka`u Coffee, Gluen Free Low Carb Goodies, Wellness Services and Products, Clothing, Hand Crafted Treats, Music and more. Vendor and customer inquiries: AlohaFridayMarket@gmail.com.
VOLCANO FARMERS MARKET, Cooper Center, Volcano Village on Sundays. 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., with much local produce, baked goods, food to go, island beef and Hawai‘i Coffee. Cooper Center's EBT Machine, used at the Farmer's Market, is out of service until further notice. EBT is used for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. Call 808-967-7800.
OCEAN VIEW COMMUNITY MARKET, open Saturdays and Thursdays, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., on the corner of Kona Drive and Highway 11, where Thai Grindz is located. Managed by Mark Council. Masks mandatory. 100-person limit, social distancing required. Gate unlocked for vendors at 5:30 a.m., $15 dollars, no reservations needed. Parking in upper lot only. Vendors must provide own sanitizer. Food vendor permits required. Carpooling encouraged.O KAʻŪ KĀKOU MARKET, in Nāʻālehu, open Wednesday, and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. Limit of 50 customers per hour, 20 vendor booths, with 20 feet of space between vendors. Masks and hand sanitizing required, social distancing enforced. Contact Sue Barnett, OKK Market Manager, at 808-345-9374 (voice or text) or kaufarmer@aol.com for more and to apply to vend. See facebook.com/OKauKakouMarket.
OCEAN VIEW SWAP MEET is open at Ocean View makai shopping center, near Mālama Market. Hours for patrons are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vendor set-up time is 5 a.m. Masks required.
BUY LOCAL GIFTS ONLINE, IN-PERSON
VOLCANO ART CENTER ONLINE, in person. Shop at Niʻaulani Campus in Volcano Village, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Virtual Shopping Appointments offered via Skype or FaceTime. Book at volcanoartcenter.org/shop for $5. Shop online gallery 24/7. Orders shipped or free local pickup available. See the VAC Virtual Classroom, which features over 90 videos. See volcanoartcenter.org/events, call 967-8222.
