GOVERNOR CELEBRATES PRESERVATION OF PUPUKEA PAUMALU

December 8 - With the coastal bluff of Pupukea Paumalu rising behind her, Governor Lingle said that preservation of the 1,129-acre parcel of land highlighted the incredible value of public-private partnerships. Numerous government agencies, including the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, worked with the private sector, the military and the North Shore community to conserve the land for future generations.

“It’s important to protect the rural lifestyle and coastline of the North Shore – that’s why the Hawai‘i Innovation Initiative is key. We need to reduce our over dependence on land development as the primary driver of our economy,” Governor Lingle said to heavy applause.

The Obayashi Corporation sold the property to The Trust for Public Land after a decades-long fight to prevent it from being developed. The State of Hawai‘i contributed $1 million to the purchase. All but 25 acres of Pupukea Paumalu will be managed by the DLNR’s Division of State Parks, which will work closely with the North Shore Community Land Trust to develop a land management plan.

The Governor also credited North Shore residents for their tireless efforts to preserve Pupukea Paumalu, a campaign led by resident Blake McIlheny.

“Preservation takes active involvement by residents like Blake, who recognize that places such as Pupukea Paumalu belonged to those who came before us and those who will come after,” Governor Lingle said. “All of us have an obligation to protect Hawai‘i’s natural resources for the world.”