The state Department of Land and Natural Resources Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands will hold a public hearing May 10 on Molokai regarding a proposal to increase the level of protection for the Papohaku Dune system in west Molokai.

The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at the Mitchell Pauole Community Center, 90 Ainoa St., in Kaunakakai.

The agency wants to change the area’s land designation from the general subzone to the protective subzone because it would provide the highest preservation potential for sensitive natural ecosystems that contain valuable historic, archeological and natural resource features such as the Papohaku Dunes.

The proposed amendment is at hawaii.gov/dlnr/occl. People may send written testimony no later than May 31 to Alex.J.Roy@hawaii.gov or by mail to the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands at P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809. For more information, call 587-0316.