Report Title:

Kalihi Valley District Park

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Kalihi Valley has been found to contain evidence of ancient Hawaiian habitation including a large complex of ancient Hawaiian taro terraces and an irrigation system in 40 acres of forest; and

WHEREAS, this evidence indicates that a fair-sized Hawaiian population was able to live and farm this area leaving behind, among other things, a well-preserved, walled-in spring guarded by a large, upright godstone, and house sites; and

WHEREAS, Kalihi Valley has other unique characteristics, including a small population of Hawaiian rock wallabies; and

WHEREAS, the Kalihi Valley Nature Park (Nature Park) abuts a Board of Water Supply watershed area and provides a source to hula halau for the collection of decorative and culturally significant plants; and

WHEREAS, because of its cultural and historical value, the Nature Park can provide a living classroom site and an example for native Hawaiian terrace farming, irrigation, and archaeological lessons; and

WHEREAS, both the Kamehameha Schools and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) are trustees of the future of the native Hawaiian people in the State providing educational vision and guidance for the betterment and understanding of the Hawaiian culture; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is the State's guardian of public lands; and

WHEREAS, together, Kamehameha Schools, OHA, and DLNR can jointly provide the resources, financial or otherwise, to make the Nature Park a model of native Hawaiian education and history; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2001, the Senate concurring, that DLNR is requested to negotiate with Kamehameha Schools, Bishop Museum, and OHA to lease Nature Park for a native Hawaiian education center at a dollar per year; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DLNR is requested to provide a report to the Legislature of the outcomes of negotiations in accordance with this Concurrent Resolution no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2002 Regular Session; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairpersons of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Board of Trustees of OHA and the President of the Kamehameha Schools.