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Gathering Place
 Blake D. McElheny |
‘Friends’ combine efforts
to save North Shore landThe "Friends of Pupukea-Paumalu" project is trying gain the fullest possible protection of the 1,129-acre property known as Pupukea-Paumalu, on Oahu's North Shore.
Friends of Pupukea-Paumalu is a private-public project being assisted by the North Shore Community Land Trust and supported by a diverse group of local and international businesses, community and environmental groups, government officials and Hawaiian organizations.
We now have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect the Pupukea-Paumalu property because it is for sale after years of community planning and organizing. The state Legislature (through HB 2759 and SB 3128), the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii's congressional delegation, private parties and various government entities are working to provide financial and other support for a public purchase and permanent protection of this property from private interests.
The community is moving fast because without public action the property could be purchased by those who do not share the vision of resource protection and stewardship. In the recent past, one developer proposed building hundreds of luxury homes on the property -- a project that certainly would keep Hawaii's students, families and other residents, as well as many visitors, from enjoying the land and all it has to offer.
The North Shore community and supporters envision Pupukea-Paumalu as a public educational and agricultural area with world-class views, hiking trails, room to roam for neighboring Boy and Girl Scout camps and community facilities next to Sunset Beach Elementary School.
Properly stewarding the land will protect the rural quality of life on the North Shore as well as enhance the experience the North Shore provides to millions of visitors each year. Stewardship also will work to ensure that the ocean, waves and beaches residents and visitors enjoy will be clean and free from urban-type runoff and pollution.
As measures providing resources for acquisition move forward, the protection effort is reaching the "critical mass" of people, support and financial resources needed to act on this opportunity for future generations of North Shore residents, for the people of Hawaii and for the people of the world.
Thank you to Mayor Harris, Sen. Bobby Bunda, Rep. Michael Magaoay, Hawaii's congressional delegation and the many others who are providing leadership for this important initiative for the benefit of the public. You can learn more at www.northshoreland.org.
Blake D. McElheny, a North Shore resident, is chairman of the North Shore Community Land Trust.