Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Banana Poka Round-Up – Sunday, May 27 – Kōkeʻe

It’s a forest education fair for the whole family with a funny name – the Banana Poka Round-Up!
An invasive pest from South America, the Banana Poka vine, with its gorgeous bubble-gum pink blossoms, is the “poster weed” for this zany annual event.
It is just one of the many threats to the health and diversity of Hawaiian forests – and also a fabulous craft material.  The Round-Up always features a huge tent where you can learn how to make a basket out of the pest.
Held in early summer, May 27, 2012, in Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow, the event features basket making, great live music, exhibits by organizations and agencies that work to save the environment, along with lots of activities for kids – face-painting, hiking, painting from nature, as well a walking stick from guava saplings.
Right after the Memorial Moment and Pedal to the Meadow Biking winners, a Crowing Contest is held – everyone from little kids to adults join in!
Banana Poka Round-Up enters third decade of forest fun May 27, 2012
Sponsored by Hui o Laka since 1989, the 23rd annual Round-Up includes several new features, including being the finish line for the second annual Pedal to the Meadow bike race, a Kekaha-to-Kōkeʻe race that begins at 7:00 am Sunday morning.
Schedule:
07:00 am   Start Pedal to the Meadow bike race, a Kekaha-to-Kōkeʻe race
09:00 am   Early finishers of bike race
10:00 am   Start Banana Poka Round-Up
10:00 am   Banana Poka Basketmaking
10:00 am   Harry Koizumi
11:00 am   Paul Tokioka
12 noon    Memorial Moment
12:15 pm  Pedal to the Meadow Results
12:30 pm Russell the Rooster Crowing Contest
12:30 pm   Family hike on the Berry Flats Loop
01:00 pm   Banana Poka Basketmaking
02:00 pm   Banana Poka Basketmaking
04:00 pm   Pau Banana Poka Round-Up
Daylong    Ikebana Flower arranging and hiking stick whittling
Also, please consider joining Hui O Laka (I am a new and proud member.)
Kōkua Kōkeʻe (Hui o Lakaʻs stewardship program) is looking for new members so it will be able to grow into the first ongoing (as in year-round and continuous) natural resources management program that is NOT funded by government.
They want to expand this forest ʻohana before their 60th anniversary and dedication of the CCC Camp in 2013!
It really does not matter what level folks join at … here’s a link to their website: http://www.kokee.org

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway – Wins Historic Preservation Commendation from Historic Hawaii Foundation

We are proud and honored that the Local Scenic Byway Committee, Mālama Kōloa, Kōloa Community Association, Poʻipū Beach Resort Association and Hoʻokuleana LLC were awarded the 2012 Historic Preservation Commendation for the Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway project from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation.
Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway is situated on the South Shore of the island of Kauaʻi (in the Old Kōloa Town, running down and through the Poʻipū Beach resort area – out through Māhāʻulepu.)
Here, there are many scenic, natural and recreational qualities that travelers along the Byway may experience and enjoy.  Along the coastal area of Poʻipū there are popular beaches for swimming, surfing, snorkeling, scuba or sunset watching. 
But the focus of interest along the Holo Holo Kōloa corridor is the region‘s history and the role this area played in helping to shape Hawaiʻi‘s socio-economic past, present and future.
As noted in Carol Wilcox’s book, The Kauaʻi Album, “The history of Kōloa is in many ways Hawai‘i’s history in microcosm.”
Holo Holo Kōloa gives the traveler a look at the historic and socio-economic evolution of the Hawaiian Islands.  Here many “firsts” took place that ultimately guided this transformation.
This is a corridor with many stories to tell, under the backdrop of its impressive scenic beauty.
Last year, the State Department of Transportation designated Holo Holo Kōloa as a State Scenic Byway.
We assisted in the designation process and are now working with the community in preparing the Corridor Management Plan (CMP) for the project.
The CMP is prepared to address issues related to management of the corridor, but, more importantly, is used to submit the application to Federal Highways for National designation.
State and National Scenic Byways designations recognize roads that exhibit one or more six core intrinsic qualities – scenic, natural, historic, recreational, archaeological or cultural – contributing towards a unique travel experience.
Overall, the Scenic Byways Program is for:
  • roads that tell a special story;
  • roads with outstanding intrinsic qualities that need recognition or protection; and
  • roads that will benefit from a coordinated strategy for tourism and economic development

 There are over 20 primary Points of Interest along the corridor, including Tree Tunnel, Kōloa Sugar Monument, Old Kōloa Town, Kōloa Sugar Mill, several Churches, National Tropical Botanical Garden, various Puʻu and Bays.
Archaeological and Historic sites include Kāneiolouma, Kōloa Field System, Luahinealapiʻi (Hapa Road,) Prince Kuhio Park/Hoʻia Heiau, Kihahouna Heiau, Makauwahi Cave, Waiʻōpili Heiau and Keolewa Heiau.
This is our second Scenic Byway and Corridor Management Plan assignment.  We previously prepared the Plan for Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast, on Ali’i Drive on the Big Island (the first CMP to be approved in the State.)
We are also very proud of that project; Royal Footsteps received several awards, including Historic Preservation Commendation from Historic Hawaii Foundation; Environment/Preservation award from the American Planning Association-Hawai‘i Chapter; and Pualu Award for Culture and Heritage from the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.
In the coming weeks, I will be sharing some of the highlights on some of the Point of Interest sites that are included in the Scenic Byway.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway – Preservation Commendation

I am honored and proud to share with you some great news we just received concerning a project we are working on.
Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway will be recognized with a Preservation Commendation from Historic Hawai‘i Foundation at its 2012 Preservation Honor Awards ceremony for outstanding efforts in preservation through planning and designation of the Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway.
This award is being given to Kōloa Community Association, Mālama Koloa, Po‘ipū Beach Resort Association, HDOT Hawai’i Scenic Byways Program and Ho‘okuleana LLC.
Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway, recently designated a State Scenic Byway, is situated in the historic
Old Kōloa Town and runs down and through the Po’ipu Beach resort area on Kaua‘i’s South Shore.
This region is steeped in history and its various points of interest tell the stories of Hawaii’s people and its evolving socio-economic past.
Along this corridor are significant historic, archaeological, cultural, natural, recreational and scenic resources.
Holo Holo Kōloa gives the traveler a look at the historic and socio-economic evolution of the Hawaiian Islands.
Here many “firsts” took place that ultimately guided this transformation.  This is a corridor with many stories to tell, under the backdrop of its impressive scenic and natural beauty.
We have been assisting Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway in the State designation process, as well as preparing the Corridor Management Plan for the Scenic Byway.
This is our second Scenic Byway project.  We also prepared the Corridor Management Plan for the Royal Footsteps Along The Kona Coast.
Royal Footsteps also received a Historic Hawai‘i Foundation Preservation Commendation, as well as an APA-Hawai‘i Environment-Preservation Award and a Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Pualu Award for Culture & Heritage.