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Preserving the priceless coastline from Kawela to Kahuku is a wise and prudent investment and we must seize this opportunity of a lifetime.
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"As a community, regardless of whether we live in the city or country, on Oahu or one of the other islands, we owe it to Hawaii’s future generations to preserve special places like the Turtle Bay property."
— Bill Paty, "Working to protect Oahu’s country," The Honolulu Advertiser, June 1, 2008
"We had best do everything we can to preserve the rural character of the Windward and North Shore regions on Oahu. Everyone seems to value it. People do want the country to be truly country."
— George Ariyoshi, "Keeping the Country, Country," Hawaii Business, June 1, 2006
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Preserving the country to enhance resident quality of life is not a new idea. Inherent in the long-established strategy of focusing future development in Honolulu and the West Oahu urban corridor is the notion that rural Oahu should be conserved.
We are succeeding and cannot stop now. To date, the community has done an excellent job of maintaining the rural character of Windward and North Shore, Oahu.
Kaiaka Bay, Malaekahana Bay, Kahana Valley and Bay, Pupukea Paumalu and Waimea Valley are great examples of public investments in the conservation of special rural places in Windward Oahu that we all deeply value having as outdoor recreational areas today.
Failure to conserve a special rural place like the coastline from Kawela Bay to Kahuku Point would undermine the hard work of past generations of community and political leaders at the expense of the quality of life for future generations.
We all must do our part. Conservation efforts begin as grass roots community movements that seek to capture the hearts and minds of those in political power.
For not one of the aforementioned conservation successes could have happened without the prudent and wise decision-making of the state and county executive and legislative branches.
Indeed, large-scale conservation efforts ultimately require that mayors, governors, City Council members, senators, representatives and other people in positions of influence listen for and hear the will of the people.
We ask legislators and other decision-makers to listen to the people and act on their behalf. We humbly ask this of you because the stakes are too high for us to sit back and do nothing.
Kawela to Kahuku is a priceless resource. As one of Oahu’s only remaining stretches of wild, undeveloped shorelines, Kawela Bay and Kahuku Point provide invaluable habitat to Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, numerous sea birds and more. Even the Hawaiian nene — not seen in the wild on Oahu for over 300 years — were recently spotted about a mile away from Kahuku Point.
Best of all, people from all over Oahu and the world come here to recharge their outlook on life. Whether you want to surf, paddle, snorkel, fish, beachcomb or just relax in the sun, this coastline offers it all. And with over five miles of nicely shaded, privately maintained, publicly enjoyed coastal hiking trails, it is an outdoor recreational playground like no other on Oahu.
The time is now. Preserving Kawela Bay and Kahuku Point is a wise and prudent investment in Hawaii’s future generations. We humbly ask that conserving Turtle Bay be included in this year’s state budget so that we can invest today in the well-being of tomorrow’s generations.
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