Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 9, 1 September 2011 — Aloha mai kākou, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Aloha mai kākou,

20 1 1 marks the fifth anniversary of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' acquisition of Wao Kele o Puna, a wahi pana that carries the distinction of being one of the largest intact lowland rainforests in the state. The acquisition, in 2006, was historic. It marked the first time that ceded lands onee belonging to the Hawaiian Kingdom were returned to Hawaiian hands. As one observer said at the time, "Wao Kele o Puna stands as one of Hawai'i's greatest shrines that connects not only the land to native people, but native people to all living things." Acquiring Wao Kele o Puna also marked a new chapter for OHA as a land manager and steward, a kuleana we welcomed for the benefit of protecting and preserving land not just for its intrinsic values to our Hawaiian people living today but for seven generations to eome. Among our priorities is studying ways to create Ananeial sustainability for Wao Kele o Puna.

We cannot overlook this potential, because the generation of revenue on site ean be reinvested into the rainforest to support our management work there - including fighting invasive species, such as strawberry guava. More importantly, sustainability for Wao Kele o Puna creates opportunities for the agency to pursue the protection and preservation of additional properties with significant natural, cultural and historic values, expanding beyond the Hawai'i Island rainforest. I was reminded recently that when planning for the future, it is sometimes best to return to the lessons of our ancestors. In old Hawai'i, the 'ahu'ula, or feather eape, was a creation of painstaking dedication. A single eape, made of thousands of feathers, took generations to complete. In doing this, Hawaiians invested time and energy into a task that even their children would not see completed. They were driven instead by a shared vision that would benefit future generations. As a manager for Wao

Kele o Puna, OHA is planning for the generations as yet unseen. Me ka 'oia'i'o,

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Clyde W. Nāmu'o Chief Executive 0fficer