Gov. Linda Lingle has selected individuals to serve on the ‘aha kiole advisory committee. The members include Sharon Pomroy from Kaua‘i, Timothy Bailey from Maui, Vanda Hanakahi from Moloka‘i, Winifred Basques from Lana‘i, Ilei Beniamina from Ni‘ihau, Hugh Lovell from
Gov. Linda Lingle has selected individuals to serve on the ‘aha kiole advisory committee. The members include Sharon Pomroy from Kaua‘i, Timothy Bailey from Maui, Vanda Hanakahi from Moloka‘i, Winifred Basques from Lana‘i, Ilei Beniamina from Ni‘ihau, Hugh Lovell from Hawai‘i, Charlie Kapua from O‘ahu and Les Kuloloio representing Kaho‘olawe.
The committee was established as part of Act 212 to advise the Legislature in creating an ‘Aha Moku Council Commission to assist in the formation of regional ‘aha moku councils. These councils will give advisory assistance to the Department of Land and Natural Resources on all matters regarding the management of the state’s natural resources. The committee is required to submit its first report to the Legislature 20 days prior to the 2008 session.
The purpose of Act 212 is to create a system of best practices based on the indigenous resource management of moku (regional) boundaries, acknowledging the natural contours of land, the specific resources located within those areas and the methodology necessary to sustain resources and the community.
“I am very pleased with the selection of the first ‘aha kiole advisory committee members,” said Rep. Mele Carroll, D-13th District. “They have an important task ahead and will play a critical role in maintaining the state‘s land and natural resources. I look forward to working with them.”
Carroll serves as the chair of the Legislature’s Hawaiian Caucus, and is vice chair of the Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection.
“Over the past 200 years, Hawai‘i has seen and experienced severe changes,” Carroll said.
The ‘aha moku council system will include the use of community expertise and establish programs and projects to improve communication, education, provide training on stewardship issues throughout the region and increase education. The ahupua‘a is an ancient Hawaiian land division system in which contained strips of land extended from the mountain to the ocean floor.
The 2005 Hawai‘i Ocean Resources Management Plan report to the 2006 Legislature identified, under the protection of natural and cultural resources section, the need for a system for assessing management needs and developing management practices that draw collectively on regulatory, science-based, traditional and cultural, community-based and political systems such as the konohiki or ahupua‘a concept.
