Blog

From Shelley:

Two weeks ago I attended a Food Sovereignty Conference in Waimanalo.  I was a little bummed because I was on the planning committee, working on behind the scenes stuff, but in retrospect I can’t complain!  Went to some awesome workshops and met some incredible people.

The first day was devoted to the Youth Delegation to learn more about the concept of Food Sovereignty and about the leadership qualities it will take to turn Hawai`i’s food dependency around.

The next day was open to the general public and after an opening plenary we embarked on huaka`i (field trips) to various farms and other food systems in the area.  The sites were UH SOFT Garden, Mala Laulima, Olomana Gardens, Aina Aloha o na Limahana and an on-site Aquaponics demonstration.  That was a HOT day, I got burnt.  I went to Mala Laulima, an organic garden behind Waimanalo Elementary School.

The last and final day was full of workshops to attend.  I attended `Ai Pono, Local Pollinators, and Native Limu.  It was awesome.  `Ai Pono was Uncle Herbert Hoe and his daughter Aunty Tammy.  They are working hard to incorporate fresh and traditional foods into school lunches!  This past year they only served at Hakipu’u Learning Center (a charter school run by their family), but next year they are expanding to 7 schools!  Exciting! They said the kids get mountain apple in their fruit salad–so lucky! They use `ulu from their yard, and are able to buy produce from nearby farmer’s (they’re from Waiahole).  Aunty’s message: “It CAN be done!” So inspiring.

The session on Local Pollinators was so awesome!  They brought different kinds of honey for us to try–so ‘ono, as well as a display bee colony.  Did you know that Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop was the first one to introduce honeybees to Hawai`i?  We learned all about how different kinds of bees pollinate different kinds of plants.  Here’s one of the coolest images they used.  The top is a cucumber that had been “visited” (supposed to be by a bee, but this might have been hand pollinated) only a few times, next to one that was “visited” many times.  Night and day!

the power of pollination!

Bees are so important!  I learned of a new deleterious effect of pesticides and herbicides–they can kill bees!  The presenters were saying that bee folks think that this is a contributing factor to the decline in wild bee populations.  Another reason to go organic! The other cool thing I learned was that we have native honeybees!

The bummer thing is that the other day I saw this article about how they are being considered for federal protection because they’ve become extremely rare. They are endemic, not found anywhere else in the world! The article said that they may be getting pushed out by honeybees, but the presenters said that studies in Brazil said that honeybees are not known to be invasive, but instead pollinated enough plants so that native bees continued to have habitat and food.  Not sure which one is the case in Hawai`’i.

The last workshop I went to was on Native Limu–wow, so much knowledge!  Uncle Henry Chang-Wo shared about how he can look at the limu on the shoreline to tell what kind of fish are present in the area–because certain fish only eat certain limu.  Wow!  He also shared about how some kinds of limu can only grow in areas where there is fresh, clean water outflow–if you see that one on the shore you know that the watershed of the area is somewhat still intact. He explained that limu was to Hawaiians what herbs and spices are to other cultures.  I could go on and on, but really, if you ever get a chance to meet Uncle Henry, be ready to learn!

Mahalo to all the presenters, hosts, and participants–see you all next year!

From Marti:

On Sunday June 27th starting at about 2:00 pm, fishers and ‘ohana will be gathering in Waiawa to discuss issues surrounding the management of Ka‘ena Point on O‘ahu. (Click to see map)

Located at the most northwest point of O‘ahu, Ka‘ena is one of the last relatively wild shorelines left on the island. It is a beloved fishing spot for many families, a spiritual pathway into the afterlife, and a refuge for endangered birds.

Its extreme weather and remote location helped to limit development, though it has suffered its share of urban burdens, including train tracks, military training, and most recently mud-bogging and uncontrolled bonfires.

As you may already know, Ka‘ena has been the focus of many regulatory attempts over the years.  Most of these past efforts have met with failure due to lack of community support. Here is a link to the long list of abandoned management schemes at Ka‘ena.

With a brand of tenacity unique to state government, once again, the community faces a new management plan developed by staff at the Department of Land and Natural Resources with only selected input from community members.  The state needs a new management plan because Ka‘ena will likely be highlighted as one of O‘ahu’s wilderness camping areas under DLNR’s new “Recreational Renaissance.”   Recreational Renaissance is just a nifty name for another scheme to raise money from the use of state land in a wide range of not-always-compatible ways, including the collection various permit and entry fees to state parks.  A draft of the state’s plan for Ka‘ena will be open for general public comment at a hearing in late July.

In anticipation of this meeting and in response to many complaints about state management, shoreline fishers from around O‘ahu are gathering at a farm in Waiawa on June 27th to talk about the many issues facing this community.  The recent trend in harassment of fishers by DLNR enforcement officers and HPD has led many to forego fishing the way their families have for generations.  This is related to current state regulations that limit the longstanding practice of over-night fishing and current proposals to impose new permitting requirements on shoreline fishers.  Click here to visit a blog specific to Ka‘ena management issues.

This is a tough issue to grapple with.  For me, I think the disconnect was said best by one lifelong fisherman from Waipahu:

“Why you imposing fees on me, when I only can catch enough to feed my family, but you do nothing, nothing to prevent the massive fish takes by these commercial guys, who come in here just when the fish start to run and take the whole school one time?”

If you are interested in learning more about shoreline fishing issues on O‘ahu and want to connect with the local fishing community, please contact Summer at 753-4221/ culturalpractice@gmail.com to RSVP for the public meeting on June 27th at 2pm in Waiawa.  She asks that you bring own chairs.

From Marti:

The first preliminary hearing in the whole purple spot saga was held on May 20th before the Land Use Commission.  The Land Use Commission met to decide whether the Environmental Impact Statement is complete for Tropic Land’s proposal to turn 96 acres of fertile farm land into an industrial park at the back of Lualualei Valley (the industrial park is the purple spot).

All six commissioners present agreed that the EIS is complete, but some of them made clear that based on the public testimony presented they had serious concerns about the proposal itself.

Testimony presented to the Land Use Commission alleged that Tropic Land, LLC  is operating an unauthorized truck baseyard on agricultural land and has illegally mined pohaku from a known ancient Hawaiian cultural site.

“At least 85% of the farmland has been covered with asphalt,” said one eye-witness.

Activities like storage of trucks, and vehicle repair and maintenance are not allowed on land zoned for agricultural use.  Waianae Coast residents said they filed complaints with both the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Enforcement Branch and the City and County of Honolulu.

Tropic Land, LLC has been cited on at least three other occasions for engaging in activities on the Lualualei property that were not consistent with its agricultural classification.

Pictures also documented the mining of stones on preservation land adjoining the Tropic Land parcel.  Cultural surveys conducted on the parcel in the 1990’s confirm that this stones comprised a substantial, culturally significant platform.

A Nanakuli resident testified that ¾ of the substantial stone platform had been removed and some of the stones were used to make a sacred place to reinter Hawaiian burials exhumed by Wal-Mart on Keaaumoku Street.  Tropic Land, LLC did not have authorization from the State Historic Preservation Division to remove stones from this site.

Tropic Land, LLC was before the Land Use Commission to change the classification of their Lualualei Valley property from agricultural to urban, in order to allow them to construct an industrial park on the property.

The Land Use Commission accepted Tropic Land, LLC’s final environmental impact statement for the industrial park proposal, but not before voicing concerns about the testimony presented by the public.

Holding up a picture of trucks parked behind a fence on the Tropic Land parcel, Commissioner Contrades  asked Tropic Land’s attorney William Yuen, “is this correct?”  Mr. Yuen said he had not seen the photograph, but that the property is not paved and trucks are not being stored on the property at this time.

Commissioner Wong asked Yuen a series of questions to clarify that acceptance of the EIS did not in anyway demonstrate support for or ensure approval of the project.

Commissioner Teves requested that the Commission perform a site visit to “see the so-called commercial use of the property in its present form, to see if it is true or not.”

What does this mean for the future of the purple spot?

It means that the formal one-year process to decide whether to rezone this part of Lualualei Valley from ag to urban has started.  The hearing on the actual rezoning decision will be held on September 9, 2010 at 9:30 before the Land Use Commission.

It also means that the developer will have a very hard time arguing that this industrial park proposal is consistent with Waianae’s Community Sustainability Plan, since the current has no purple spot allowing for industrialization of this area… and the amended one with the purple spot has not been adopted by the Honolulu City Council.  In fact, staff at the city said they don’t expect the Waianae Community Sustainability Plan to come before the Council the Fall of 2010.

From Shelley:

Last month, we went to the Land Use Commission for the proposed rezoning of agriculture land to industrial land in the back of Lualualei Valley. From the moment I got there I felt lost–the actual hearing room is tucked away on the 4th floor with very little signage.  The building is set with a corridor that goes around in a square with rooms toward the outside of the building and then a bigger square room in the center (although it’s not very big either).  Before I realized the layout looked like a racetrack I was wandering around in a circle and ran into 4 other people looking for the LUC!  I ducked into one of the offices and got directions.  When we got to  the actual hearing room I was shocked at how small it was!  This is the room where some of the most important decisions about Hawai’i's land and our access to that land happens… in this itty bitty place?!

It doesn’t inspire confidence that the commission that decides on how the space on our island is used, haven’t done such a good job managing their own space!  There are tables arranged in a long rectangle with a big empty puka in the middle!  This leaves enough space for a single ring of people to sit and stand around 3 of the 4 walls of the room.  Everybody else has to overflow into the hallway where you can’t hear anything! Also, the guy who has the job of passing out printed materials from the testifiers sits on the other end of the rectangle and has to shimmy along the wall behind the commissioners to get the documents. There must be a better layout!

The point of my rant is that this kind of space doesn’t encourage public participation!  Moreover, having the hearings during the workday prevents many people from participating.  There must be a better way!

We’re liking this op-ed by Rep Chris Lee, in Tuesday’s Advertiser, on why selling state lands to fix the state budget is an exceptionally bad idea. An excerpt:

The sale of state land makes exceptionally poor financial sense and cheats taxpayers out of billions of dollars. More important, it defies our constitutional obligation to hold Hawai’i's greatest resource in public trust for future generations. Ultimately, the life of the land will not be perpetuated by selling our children’s legacy, especially when the permanent long-term loss far outweighs the temporary short-term gain.

See the full opinion piece: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100518/OPINION03/5180309/Even-in-a-crisis-selling-state-land-a-bad-idea

From Ann Marie:

Aloha,