Draft Historic Preservation Plan for Hawai‘i available for public review

The State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources opened a 30-day public review period for the draft Statewide Historic Preservation Plan, Papahana Kāʻeuʻeu: Hawaiʻi’s Plan for Living Heritage Stewardship.

The plan will guide how the state, county agencies, Native Hawaiian organizations and communities work together to identify, protect and steward Hawaiʻi’s historic and cultural resources from 2026 through 2034.

The draft plan reflects the statewide public input conducted in 2022 and 2025, including public meetings in 2022, responses from 297 community members through a statewide survey and 10 facilitated virtual focus groups representing Native Hawaiian organizations, Island Burial Councils, cultural practitioners, preservation professionals, government agencies and community stakeholders, according to a news release from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The plan responds to what the public said matters most: prioritizing Native Hawaiian cultural heritage, protecting iwi kūpuna and burial sites, improving early consultation, integrating preservation into planning, and strengthening community-based stewardship.

“Over the past three years SHPD has initiated an extensive outreach effort to receive input from a broad cross-section of our community. This truly is our state’s plan,” said SHPD Administrator Jessica Puff. “Its success depends on partnerships across state and county agencies, Native Hawaiian organizations and communities. The 30-day review is the public’s last formal opportunity to influence the document before it goes to the National Park Service for review.”

During the 30-day review period, members of the public are invited to read the draft plan and provide written comments on its goals, objectives and proposed actions.

The draft plan is available at https://www.hawaiipreservationplan.com/.

Written testimony can be submitted using the comment form on the project website here.

There will be virtual information sessions hosted during the review window. Additionally, opportunities for public comment will be available at county cultural resource commission meetings and during the May 15 Hawaiʻi Historic Places Review Board meeting.

Dates, times and registration links are posted on the project website.

All comments must be received by 11:59 p.m. on May 29 to be considered in the final draft.