LIHU‘E — Sometimes, even in a down economy, it can pay to take chances. Among those taking chances on an unproven plan are Keith Robinson, Preston Myers of Safari Helicopters and the Kaua‘i Planning Commission, said Robinson. The three-year-old plan
LIHU‘E — Sometimes, even in a down economy, it can pay to take chances.
Among those taking chances on an unproven plan are Keith Robinson, Preston Myers of Safari Helicopters and the Kaua‘i Planning Commission, said Robinson.
The three-year-old plan was to allow Safari Helicopters to land on Robinson property on a ridge above Olokele Canyon, allow visitors to stroll through Robinson’s endangered-plant reserve, and use a portion of the proceeds to fund soil-erosion work and the endangered-species work that is Robinson’s passion.
An unexpected thing happened in the plan’s infancy.
Robinson actually made a little profit, he said during an exclusive interview at The Garden Island office here Thursday.
“For once, there is a bit of a cheerful story,” said Robinson, adding that if he was able to make “a slight profit” in a bad economy, imagine what will be possible when the economy turns.
“If tourism is directed, managed properly, it can be used to support environmental preservation,” said Robinson, adding that the slight profit will be put right back into his endangered-plant and soil-erosion work, mostly on his 10-acre parcel that is part of the Safari Kaua‘i Refuge Eco-Tour.
As part of the tour, the Safari pilot discusses Robinson’s plans for promotion of Hawaiian ecology through the propagation of native Hawaiian plants, some of which are among the last few known to exist in the wild.
The pilot also discusses the history of the land and the Robinson family, descendants of early missionaries to the islands and owners of Ni‘ihau and a large portion of Kaua‘i.
“That work is funded by helo-tourism,” or portions of landing fees paid to Robinson by Myers.
“This is pioneer work that’s never been done before,” he said.
While his plant-preservation work was initially begun with preservation of species in mind, he said part of the reason he now grows and maintains rare and endangered native plants is for the education and enjoyment of visitors.
“Honestly, I had not expected to get results so soon,” he said of the slight profit. “Visitors landing are interested in endangered species.”
“The Kaua‘i Planning Commission deserves a little credit for taking a chance on this,” Robinson said. “Preston Myers deserves credit for taking a chance, and for funding endangered-species preservation and soil-conservation work.”
Regarding his work to slow erosion from bare-earth patches of soil on his land, Robinson blames goats and cattle for the loss of greenery on the soil, and is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service on a soil-trapping project to measure just how much soil is lost with each heavy rain.
He said he estimates that, with each heavy rain, between one and five tons of soil per acre is lost off the red-dirt patches. No solution has been found yet to reverse or end that trend.
