Starting in 2007, Malama O Puna championed the listing of a 158 acre coastal property in Puna known as the Wai’ele for purchase under the County’s Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission (PONC). The County finally purchased the property in December 2021 and Malama O Puna applied for funding to serve as a steward creating a steering committee of lineal descendants to assist in the land use planning.
Malama O Puna became involved in efforts to control the explosive population of feral pigs on the Big Island starting in April 2022. Efforts began as the major subdivisions in Puna expressed safety concerns over excessive feral pig presence and their destructive habits in terms of damage to properties, gardens and agricultural concerns. The feral pig problem is not confined to Puna, nor to the State of Hawaii but has become a major problem in the continental U.S. causing an estimated $2. 5B in damages to crops and ecosystems.
The Puna district is home to many lower to medium income household who often experience food insecurity, especially in the face of disasters and pandemics. In 2018, Malama O Puna launched this program to help build resiliency in the community and promote sustainable methods of providing food for Puna’s families.
Since year 2000, Malama O Puna has been involved in the Puna community assisting in sponsoring County and State grants for community groups who are not structured as a 501c3 nonprofit. We’ve assisted in lava recovery projects and supported a science contest for local high schools. We produced a Lava Recovery video featuring residents impacted by the 2018 eruption. Malama O Puna took on the role of maintaining the Pahoa Roundabout after community gardening efforts failed to keep it looking healthy and inviting.
More than $1.2 million in Hawaii County grants was awarded to various Big Island nonprofits to maintain over 3,400 acres of conservation land. The county’s Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission identifies lands around the county worthy of preservation and recommends grant funding to nonprofits to continue to steward those parcels. The