REMINDER: Final two Mauna Kea community workshops slated this week

Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, in partnership with Kua o Wākea, will conclude its community workshops this week on the Big Island.

The final two of 10 statewide workshops are scheduled for:

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today (Feb. 18): Nāʻālehu Community Center, Kaʻū.
• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 19): Laʻi ʻŌpua, Kona.

Workshops include facilitated discussions, opportunities for question-and-answer sessions with Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority members and dialogue about stewardship priorities, access and an aspirational statement intended to reflect shared values and long-term goals for Mauna Kea.

“As we support the development of the comprehensive management plan, we are committed to ensuring that this work is informed by community knowledge, ancestral connections and lived experience,” said Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority Executive Director John De Fries in an announcement for the final two workshops. “Our outreach is intentional and essential to deepening our collective understanding of archaeological sites, cultural features and place-based histories connected to Mauna Kea.”

The statewide engagement effort builds upon earlier community talk story sessions on Hawaiʻi Island and fulfills outreach requirements established by Hawaiʻi Legislature in the bill that created the authority.

Input gathered during these workshops will directly inform the comprehensive management plan, which addresses stewardship from Hale Pōhaku to the summit.

Community members are encouraged to register for in-person participation, as food will be provided.

Workshops will also be broadcast live on YouTube, and additional information, educational resources and survey opportunities are available online.

Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority encourages broad community participation in these final sessions to ensure the future stewardship of Mauna Kea reflects shared values, knowledge and responsibilities.