A
State Park Perspective
Our Board of Land and Natural Resources
is about to make several decisions about
the use of more than 9,000 acres of Aina
on Kaua`i. These decisions are supposed
to set a new course for the direction
of our State Parks for the next twenty
years, however, the planning document
that makes recommendations to the Board
is not yet complete or reliable. My evidence
for saying this is as follows:
To
the Board of Land and Natural Resources:
1. Twenty Years
is too short a time frame
The Master Plan document presented to
the public from the DLNR presents a twenty
year time frame for proposed changes.
Twenty years is not a long enough. When
I first moved to Kaua`i from growing up
days on O’ahu I had the honor to
meet Mr. Joseph Souza, Hawaii’s
first State Park Superintendent. He
passed away shortly after I began to work
at Koke`e Museum, but one thing I remember
him saying was "With Parks you have
to Look Ahead not ten, not twenty, but
Fifty Years".
Over
the years of my work in the parks as an
interpreter for visitors and a storyteller
for young people, I have seen how both
natural and man made change occurs impacting
in both positive and negative ways on
the environment. I have learned
that Mr. Souza was right. The impact of
our decisions must be imagined fifty years
or more into the future, there fore our
kupuna and their wisdom must be our highest
source of recommendation for change. I’m
sure my kupuna would say "take your
time" with these decisions and look
closer at what you are going to be bringing
about.
2. ‘Held
in Trust’ not ‘Owned’
Early in the DLNR planning document it
states that these park lands are "owned"
by the State of Hawaii. The word "Owned"
implies purchased, paid for, and possessed
to make a profit for the owner(s). When
I read the business plan section, which
is part of the planning document, I knew
that the Land Managers in State Government
were thinking of how to create higher
profits from their land use decision making.
To "Hold in Trust" means that
we rely upon our hired government employees
to fulfill their obligation of providing
guardianship for the integrity of "Our
Aina". Guardianship does not imply
profit taking. It implies stewardship.
The enjoyment of these lands for future
generations relies upon our public servants
being good caretakers and learned interpreters
of the cultural landscape of these upland
forests. It becomes apparent, when you
read the planning document, and see the
obvious "for profit" motive
in the recommendations, that decisions
to be made about our Park lands are being
made by officials high up in Government,
people not living or working on Kaua`i.
3. Decision Making
Flawed
Decision making in a Democracy is a ‘Team
Sport’ not a ‘Spectator Sport’,
yet I doubt that many current Park workers,
land managers, hunters, visiting school
groups, or regular visitors feel that
they are on a winning team when it comes
to these land use recommendations or that
there interests are being represented
fairly. No one doubts the need for
Park improvement, but why does this process
have to deny us all the experience of
a sense of justice and equitable resolve?
In conclusion I challenge the members of the Board
of Land and Natural Resources to realize that their
planning document is incomplete and not ready for
any decisions to be made regarding State Park land
use. Everyone who is involved needs more time
(years) to consider what is at stake in decisions
of this magnitude. I don’t want to think that
our public servants are going to rubber stamp a
"done deal" at this Thursday and Friday’s
BLNR meetings, but rather create a sense of
justice and equitable resolve at the meeting with
regards to the wishes of the citizens of our Island,
and if they are so fearless as to ignore the overwhelming
public viewpoint that is opposed to constructing
a gate for entry into the parks, I recommend that
they ask us simply for a "donation" rather
than a set fee to prove the credibility of their
on-going good works to improve the area.
Mark
Jeffers - Hanapepe
