Five questions with Laura Kaakua, Hawai‘i Land Trust’s president and CEO.

What is Hawai‘i Land Trust’s (HILT’s) approach to land conservation?

HILT works in three ways: We protect land, we steward land, and we connect people to the land. Through purchases and conservation easements, we protect coastlines, wahi kupuna (Hawaiian cultural landscapes), and lands that grow food for Hawaii’s people. We steward those protected lands in partnership with the surrounding local communities, often restoring native ecosystems, and places of thriving cultural practice. Last but not least, we connect people to those lands by welcoming schools, community groups, Hawaiian cultural practitioners, lineal descendants and visitors to deepen their connection to ‘aina (the lands that sustain us).

We only work with willing landowners and are not an advocacy organization. When we are approached by community or a landowner to protect a particular property, there are a handful of factors that must be present for us to proceed: 1) the land is privately owned; 2) the landowner is a willing seller or donor; 3) the protection of this property is community-driven and supported; 4) the property aligns with HILT’s strategic priorities; and 5) we have capacity and a funding plan to succeed and fulfill our kuleana to the land.

On HILT’s 10th anniversary, how would you describe the progress the land trust has made?

Inspiring and growing. Through HILT, communities across Hawaii have protected 21,650 acres in perpetuity. These lands comprise 57 places that sustain current and future generations, from the fertile soils of local farms and ranches, to native forests creating drinking water, to coastlines rejuvenating us and providing fish, to historical landscapes where we pass on the traditions and cultural practices of these islands.

HILT started out as four smaller island-specific land trusts on Maui Nui, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii island. On each island, a handful of people organized around protecting a particular place — the makai lands of Waihe‘e ahupua‘a on Maui, Pohakupili on Molokai, Waiakalua and Kahili Beach on Kauai, Kaneohe Bay on Oahu, and a ranch in Ka‘u on Hawaii island. These people attracted others who also cared deeply for Hawaii’s lands and waters, and each land trust grew and protected more lands through purchases and conservation easements. In 2011, to work more efficiently and have greater positive impact throughout Hawaii, the island land trusts merged to form Hawai‘i Land Trust, Hawaii’s islands-wide local nonprofit land trust.

How does HILT mesh its conservation goals with agriculture and public uses?

When HILT takes on a new land protection project, we do a lot of research, observing and talking story with community, in particular with kupuna who know the land and how it once functioned. We listen and allow the community, land stewards, and the land itself to lead and determine the appropriate future uses. In following this approach, usually one property will support multiple conservation benefits. For example, HILT’s Waihe‘e Refuge supports native and endangered plants and wildlife, lo‘i kalo farming, ranching, native stream habitat, public access and recreation, and cultural site protection and care.

For the seven preserves that HILT owns, our main goal is nurturing a community that is deeply connected to that ‘aina, and that will grow future generations who will care for that ‘aina. So, public access, volunteer and education opportunities, and recreation on the lands we own and steward is paramount to developing those connections.

For the 45 conservation easements that we hold on privately owned lands, HILT is not the day-to-day land manager. Often, HILT works with farmers and ranchers to place conservation easements on their lands that prohibit subdivision and development, and ensure that the lands continue to support local agriculture.

We are currently working on agricultural conservation easement projects to protect a fishpond, traditional lo‘i kalo (wetland taro fields), a ranch, and three regenerative farms.

How much land is under HILT’s protection?

HILT has protected 21,650 acres on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii island, Kauai and Molokai: 18,000 acres are protected under conservation easements, 2,100 acres are protected under HILT-owned preserves, and about 1,500 acres are protected by government agencies that HILT assisted to acquire land. Broken down by use, 16,000 acres are in agriculture, sometimes combined with native habitat, such as the koa trees that have been planted as native bat habitat at ‘Ulupalakua Ranch on Maui. 5,000 acres are Hawaiian cultural landscapes and native ecosystems, and 650 acres are primarily used for open space. HILT welcomed over 26,000 people at our preserves in 2020.

What are the biggest challenges facing land preservation organizations like HILT today?

The biggest challenge is not planning far enough ahead. Our challenge is to plan and act for at least the next seven generations; for our great grandchildren’s great-grandchildren. These are people we will never meet, but we must love them now, and think of them today in each of our decisions. Our world is changing so fast, and as land protectors, stewards, and place-based educators, we have to figure out how to put out the wildfires of today (literally), while simultaneously planning for 200 years in the future.

We are protecting working farms, ranches, taro fields, and fishponds with great urgency, knowing that once they are gone, we set future generations up for failure. We are protecting our coastlines knowing that climate change brings more frequent storms, and our shores provide green infrastructure safeguarding our communities. We are protecting Hawaiian cultural landscapes because they hold our history, identity and connection to the past that will prepare us for the future. Hawaiian culture is based on the understanding that people and land exist in a reciprocal relationship. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to protect and care for our ‘aina now. Their future is our kuleana.

The bio file

>> Current title: President and CEO, Hawai‘i Land Trust

>> Previous professional experience: Aloha ‘Aina project manager, The Trust for Public Land; law clerk to Third Circuit Chief Judge Greg K. Nakamura; Sierra Club Hawaii Blue Water Task Force coordinator; Envision Hawaii coordinator

>> Education: William S. Richardson School of Law, Boston College, Punahou School

>> Family: Born and raised in Niu, Oahu; lives with husband, Josh, and keiki in Waialae Iki

>> Outside interests: Swimming in the ocean with my family, growing native and fruit plants, hula, spending time with friends (pre-COVID)