Maui’s extraordinary beauty has made it one of the most desirable places in the world to live, and to visit. It has captured the imagination of so many artists that the island has come to be known as the Art Mecca of the Pacific. As you can imagine, most of us here on Maui take the health of the environment seriously. What if we didn’t have our wetlands, our native endangered birds, or our coral reefs? In this spirit, Maui County has recently purchased 64 ecologically sensitive acres of wetland and fish ponds in a $996,000 deal brokered by the Trust for Public Land and other groups so that these areas will remain protected and undeveloped.
This expanse of land includes 4,500 feet of shoreline along Kaehu Bay between the Waiehu and Iao streams. Not only is this parcel one of the last on the shoreline to remain undeveloped, but it also contains a number of Hawaiian cultural sites such as structures, agricultural terraces, shrines, burials and former fishponds.
As Mayor Alan Arakawa explained in a statement about the deal, “Our local communities are especially dependent on our shorelines for subsistence, recreation and well-being, so it is important that the coastal wetlands at Kaehu Bay will now remain a priceless cultural and natural resource on Maui for generations to come.”
It’s true, that area is a popular spot for surfing and fishing, and it is also considered to be a good habitat for endangered Hawaiian waterbirds like the Hawaiian stilt (aeo), the Hawaiian coot (alae keokeo) and the Hawaiian duck (koloa maoli).
This purchase marks the 26th completed project in Hawaii by the Trust for Public Land, bringing its total up to 40,300 acres preserved. Hopefully their excellent work will continue in perpetuity!
If you love Maui and you’d like to join our fun and responsible community, we recommend that you browse our Maui MLS listings, or if you have a specific criteria in mind, try our Maui real estate search tool. We also have a Maui vacation rental branch, if you require accommodations for a visit. If you need our assistance, you can find our contact information at the bottom of the page. Mahalo!
